TECHNOLOGIES
Planning the inflow of products for production levelling
Production levelling, also referred to as production smoothing (jap. Heijunka), is an effective method for reducing unevenness in the production process and maintaining better control over stock levels. It helps keep production at a steady pace and ensure the desired level of flexibility. The authors present a study aimed at developing a method for planning the inflow of products from the production process, intended to be used in the scheduling of levelled production. Focus has been put on finding the right combination of lot size and production interval which, assuming certain input parameters (order size and placement rate, initial stock levels), yields the best outcome in terms of timely/untimely order fulfilment and minimum and maximum stock levels.