Building Lean Systems

Mixed Model Scheduling

Mixed-Model Scheduling and Small Batch

Production
In a perfect world, when the customer pulls a
product from the final station, a signal is
generated on each upstream resource to
produce exactly what is pulled.
In the real world, changeover time, material
availability, or operator availability motivates
large batch production.
Large-lot production exacerbates Bowlwhip
effect.
WIP between stations goes up, flow time goes
up

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

Mixed-Model Scheduling and Small Batch

Production
Produce every product as quickly as possible,
at the same rate at which customer demands
are made.
In a lean system, products flow smoothly
through the enterprise with no delays
Mixed-model scheduling (heijunka)

Evenly distributing the production of different

products over a period of time
Changeover or setup times must be small
Small batching in the presence of setup times

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

MMS Example
Demand per hour A(3), B(2), and C(1).
10 min/part assembly time. 10 hrs/day, 5d/w.
Batch size is one week of demand; A(150),
B(100), C(50).
Instead of receiving products every hour, the
customer will receive them once a week. The
average inventory is 75 As, 50 Bs, and 25 Cs.
If production per hour was A(3), B(2), C(1),
the finished goods inventory would be
negligible because production would exactly
match hourly demand.

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

MMS Example
AAABBC is a good hourly schedule, it could be
more finely sequenced as follows: ABACAB.
Production in large batches

uneven workload
uneven demand for upstream processes, pull
impossible
production is not synchronized with demand.

Mixed-model production:
smooth work-load,
smooth demand for upstream processes
Allows production to match customer demand.

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

Mixed Model Sequence for Volpens

Smallest possible sequence length = 1/0.09 = 11.11

Choose a 11 unit sequence; adjust every two cycles.
Note: A mixed model sequence is used to intentionally
vary work content and component requirements.
Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

Mixed Model Sequence For Volpens

Seq. #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

Model Desc.
Blue Pen
Red Pen
Blue Pen
Red Shell
Blue Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Shell
Red Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Pen
Yellow Shell
Blue Pen
Red Pen
Blue Pen
Red Shell
Blue Pen
Red Pen

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Seq. #
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

Model Desc.
Blue Shell
Red Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Pen
Yellow Shell
Blue Pen
Red Pen
Blue Pen
Red Shell
Blue Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Shell
Red Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Pen
Yellow Shell
Red Shell
6/4/2009

Process 1

One Piece Flow

Reduce lead time by reducing WIP

Move products between workstations
Average lead time = WIP/Throughput
What is the average lead time for the
system above, if throughput is 100/week?
2.4 weeks

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

One Piece Flow

What is the average lead time for this system?
Process 1

1
unit

Process 4

Process 2

1
unit

Process 3

1 unit

1 unit

One piece could mean a pallet, a box etc.

Is not practical in every situation
One-piece flow may require relocation of the
people/equipment.
A process layout (grouping operations by function)
must be replaced by a product layout (arranging
operations in the order of flow.)

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

Batch Process For Volpens, Ltd.

Cap Assy

Pen Assy
WIP

WIP

Label
Press

Raw
Materials

Peel&
Stick

Production
Scheduler

Test, Pack
& Ship
Inspect

Material Flow

Finished
Goods

Information Flow

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

10

Takt Time for Volpens, Ltd.

Monthly Demand = 68
No. of days per month = 16
Daily Demand =
Avail. Time/Day =
Takt Time =

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

11

Manpower requirements for

Volpens Ltd.
Pessimistic

times for the current activities

Cap Assembly: 25 seconds
Pen Assembly: 17 seconds for pens,
5 seconds for shells
Label Making: 28 seconds
Peel & Stick: 16 seconds
Test,Pack,Ship: 15 seconds

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

12

Manpower requirements for

Volpens Ltd.
Note

that activities 3, 4, 5 are not performed for

shells. Also, activity 2 is minimal for shells. The
only activity done, for all items, is cap assembly.

The

time for activity 3 includes an allowance for

changing coils; excluding this allowance, a
pessimistic time will be 23 seconds. Use this
number for your calculations.

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

13

Minimum Manpower Required

for Volpens, Ltd.
Monthly Demand for Pens

= 48

Monthly Demand for Shells

= 20

Total Monthly Demand

= 68

Percentage Demand for Pens

Percentage Demand for Shells =

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

14

Minimum Manpower Required

for Volpens, Ltd.
Activity Pens ( %) Shells ( %)
Cap Assembly
Pen Assembly
Label Making
Peel & Stick
Test,Pack,Ship
_____________
Total Labor Content per Unit:
Takt Time per Unit:
Minimum Manpower Required =
Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ave.Time/Unit

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

15

Mixed Model Sequence for

Volpens
Model
Blue Pen
Red Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Shell
Red Shell
Yellow Shell

Monthly
demand
24
14
10
6
8
6

%age
demand
35%
20%
15%
9%
12%
9%

# in the
sequence
4
2
2
1
1
1

Smallest possible sequence length = 1/0.09 = 11.11

Choose a 11 unit sequence; adjust every two cycles.

Note: A mixed model sequence is used to intentiona

vary work content and component requirements.
Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

16

Mixed Model Sequence For

Volpens
Seq. #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

Model Desc.
Blue Pen
Red Pen
Blue Pen
Red Shell
Blue Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Shell
Red Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Pen
Yellow Shell
Blue Pen
Red Pen
Blue Pen
Red Shell
Blue Pen
Red Pen

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Seq. #
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

Model Desc.
Blue Shell
Red Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Pen
Yellow Shell
Blue Pen
Red Pen
Blue Pen
Red Shell
Blue Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Shell
Red Pen
Yellow Pen
Blue Pen
Yellow Shell
Red Shell
6/4/2009

17

Mixed Model Assembly Schedule

for Volpens
Family: Pens

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Blue Pen & Case

PCB1

Red Pen & Case

PCR2

13

11

13

11

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Blue Shell SB1

Red Shell SR2

Yellow Shell SY3

Totals

YellowPen&Case PCY3
Totals

Family: Shells

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

18

Mixed Model Scheduling: Lean Loading For Caps

Work Center Part

Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5
Cap Assembly CAB1
8
7
8
7
CAR2
6
5
6
5
CAY3
3
5
3
5
Units
Workload
on Operators

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

19

Mixed Model Scheduling: Purchase Orders For Caps

P. Description Part # Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5

Blue Cap
CB1
8
7
8
7
Units

P. Description Part # Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5

Red Cap
CR2
6
5
6
5
Units

P. Description Part # Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5

Yellow Cap
CY3
3
5
3
5
Units
Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

20

Implementing Mixed-Model
Scheduling:
The Load-Leveling (Heijunka) Box

Part8:008:158:308:459:009:159:309:4510:00

Lean Thinking: 4- Mixed Model Scheduling

Ardavan Asef-Vaziri

6/4/2009

21