Heijunka is a Japanese system that smooths out production by focusing on smaller quantities of products. It reduces waste, strain on equipment and ensures every item is the same. A heijunka box must be installed on the assembly line, managed by a Kanban card, and a material handler is responsible for adjusting the lines. The system allows companies to achieve specific product goals by producing smaller quantities of items to ensure consistency.
Heijunka is a Japanese word that refers to processes that help level or smooth out production. This system is a process that allows the production process to be programmed to focus on smaller and more manageable quantities in order to ensure that all products in the line are the same. In order to use this type of system, a heijunka box must be installed in the line, one for each specific part of the product. For example, if a production line produces dolls and has six separate body parts, six boxes will need to be installed.
Stabilizing the production process can mean achieving three specific objectives. The first thing heijunka can do is reduce the quantities of waste products because the assembly line can be adjusted according to public demand without causing stress to the company or its employees. The next goal that can be achieved using heijunka planning is to reduce the strain on manufacturing equipment, as well as on company executives, because the assembly lines will run much smoother and have much fewer complications. The ultimate goal that can be achieved is to smooth out the products coming off the assembly line, meaning that every item will be the same, rather than having a few flaws.
For the heijunka system to work, a specially designed heijunka box must be installed on the assembly line. This box is managed by a Kanban card which allows boxes to be adjusted according to mixed volumes within the products in production. The number of cards corresponds to the quantity of items that are produced so that each step of the process can be controlled. A material handler is responsible for installing and removing boards as needed, which maximizes production lines and reduces downtime typically associated with assembly lines.
Heijunka is basically an advanced way for companies to achieve goals set by the needs of the specific product they produce. By setting perimeters and having one person adjust the lines as needed, specific quantities of items can be produced in a small amount of time. The idea behind this concept is that it is better to make products in smaller quantities to ensure that they are all the same, rather than mass-producing them and having the possibility of defects appearing within the workpiece.
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