Line Balancing - What is it ?

Here is a simple definition and example of line balancing :

Everyone is doing the same amount of work

Doing the same amount of work to customer requirement

Variation is ‘smoothed’

No one overburdened

No one waiting

Everyone working together in a BALANCED fashion

Here we see operator number 1 over-producing, thus creating the other 6 wastes.

We simply re-balance the work content (Re distribute some of the work), using a Yamazumi board as it is often known

In the example shown above, the Yamazumi exercise looks incredibly simple - So why doesn't everyone do it ?

There are two vital pre requisites to balancing a line which must be in place before a yamazumi exercise can take place.

These are:

Takt Time & Standard Work

Takt Time

Takt Time is the production "Drumbeat" based on customer demand

Standard Work

Whether you use Standard work combination tables, Standard work instruction sheets or any other Standard work documentation will depend upon the type of work involved

Standard Work instruction sheets provide a detailed description of HOW to do a particular step of a work operation

Benefits of the pre requisites:

Takt time maximises the productivity due to:

· Easily managed processes

· Output of each process matches customer demand

Standard Operations provide:

· Capable and repeatable processes

· Process control at source

· Improves accuracy of planning

· Better adherence to plans

· A platform from which continuous improvement can be made

· Reduced costs

· Improved quality

· Basis for training

To advance your knowledge and career prospects using Lean Six Sigma, sign up for the black belt certification course which includes a module on Line Balancing