Guideline # 5 Distribute the production of different products evenly over time at the pacemaker process. (Level the production mix)
Leveling the product mix means distributing the production of different products evenly over a time period. For example, instead of assembling all the “Type A” products in the morning and all the “Type B” in the afternoon, leveling means alternating repeatedly between smaller batches of “A” and “B”.
The more you level the product mix at the pacemaker process, the more able you will be to respond to different customer requirements with a short lead time while holding little finished goods inventory.
This is the icon for leveling, inserted into the information flow arrow.
