How to Reduce WIP from Bottle Neck Operation?

 

Steps to reduce WIP from Bottle Neck Operation  

Where production is hampered from the normal flow creates Bottleneck. Total output of Bottleneck operation will be the line output. In a bottleneck operation, garments are stock there compared to others operation & produce minimum number of garments. Efficiency of that line also will be less than the balanced line. Labor productivity is affected as well for the WIP (Work in Progress) of that operation because next operation will not get sufficient input to work. To reduce WIP, here we discuss some ways in this article & thus we can improve labor productivity also.

• MethodStudy: To make a process higher productive, method study is the unique technique. From method study, we will find the best method & by eliminating excess motion we can save time. If possible then use attachment like gauge, folder, trolley etc. Save maximum possible time from that operators to get better output & it will reduce WIP level.
• Implement Best Workstation: If the operator use maximum machine speed then we need to think about handling time like pick the garments, put to machine bed /feed, dispose after stitching time & improve those.
• Capacity Sharing: Check capacity graph & find out some operations with higher capacity than required for the line target. Calculate how much time required to meet line target of that operator & balance time he/she will perform for bottleneck operation.
• For example: Line target is 80 pcs hourly & maximum capacity of that operator is 110 pcs hourly. So every hour 16 min of time we can use his/her to perform another operation means bottleneck operation. Please consider machine type to share capacity.
• Allocate Best Operator: Every style have some easy process & sometimes critical. So put high efficient operator to high content jobs & put low skill operators to comparatively low content jobs by using skill matrix of that line.
• Use Additional Machine/Manpower: Use additional machine & manpower to align with the required pcs for maximum output. But after increasing manpower, then capacity may high here. So check other low efficient operation comparatively this operation can share some pcs to get more output as manpower has increased already.
• Do Overtime: After above steps, if not reduce or meet the targeted pcs hourly for smooth production than go for extra work to reduce WIP.

 

Also Read: Improve Productivity in 20 Ways