// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM
One-Piece Flow
One-piece flow is a manufacturing method where products move through production one unit at a time, instead of in batches. This helps reduce work-in-progress and quickly identify defects.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
One-Piece Flow, a Lean manufacturing principle, involves processing and moving products through sequential production steps one unit at a time, minimizing work-in-progress (WIP), lead times, and facilitating immediate defect detection and quality control.
BACKGROUND
Lean manufacturing is a management system built on three principles: produce only what is needed, when it is needed; correct abnormalities as soon as they occur; and empower workers to improve the process themselves.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Single-piece flow
- Continuous flow
- Flow production
- Unit flow
USAGE NOTE
Implementing one-piece flow requires careful balancing of workstations and often leads to significant lead time reductions.