Introduction Why Product Wheels? Process Industry Challenges Product Wheel Basics The Problem: Production Sequencing, Campaign Sizing, Production Leveling Challenges Facing Operations Managers--Production Leveling Challenges Facing Operations Managers--Random Sequence or Regular Pattern? Challenges Facing Operations Managers--Optimum Sequence Challenges Facing Operations Managers--Optimum Cycle The Insidious Nature of Changeovers The Solution--Product Wheels Product Wheels Defined Product Wheel Terminology Simultaneous Operating Modes Product Wheel Characteristics Process Improvement Time Benefits of Product Wheels Product Wheel Applicability The Product Wheel Design and Implementation Process Product Wheel Design Step 1: Begin with an up-to-date, reasonably accurate value stream map (VSM) Step 2: Decide where to use wheels to schedule production Step 3: Analyze product demand volume and variability--identify candidates for make to order Step 4: Determine the optimum sequence Step 5: Analyze the factors influencing overall wheel time Step 6: Determine overall wheel time and wheel frequency for each product Step 7: Distribute products across the wheel cycles--balance the wheel Step 8: Plot the wheel cycles Step 9: Calculate inventory requirements Step 10: Review with stakeholders Step 11: Determine who "owns" (allocates) the PIT time Step 12: Revise the scheduling process Product Wheel Implementation Step 13: Develop an implementation plan Step 14: Develop a contingency plan Step 15: Get all inventories in balance Step 16: Put an auditing plan in place Step 17: Put a plan in place to rebalance the wheel periodically Kaizen Events Prerequisites for a Product Wheel Step 1: Begin with an Up-to-Date, Reasonably Accurate VSM An Example Process--Sheet Goods Manufacturing A Value Stream Map Material Flow--Process Boxes Process Step Data Boxes Material Flow Icons Inventory Data Boxes Information Flow Summary Step 2: Decide Where to Use Wheels to Schedule Production Criteria for Product Wheel Selection Analyze the VSM Forming 1 Bonder 2 Bonder 1 Slitter 1 Summary Step 3: Analyze Products for a Make-to-Order Strategy Demand Volume Demand Variability Deciding on the Best Strategy for Each Product Summary Step 4: Determine the Optimum Sequence Changeover Complexity Optimizing the Forming 2 Sequence Optimizing the Sequence in Complex Situations Summary Step 5: Analyze the Factors Influencing Overall Wheel Time Time Available for Changeovers--The Shortest Wheel Possible Finding the Most Economic Wheel Time Leveling Out Short-Term Demand Variability An Additional Word about Standard Deviation and CV Making Practical Lot Sizes of Each Material Protecting Shelf Life Making to Stock Using a Trigger Point Summary Step 6: Put It All Together--Determine Overall Wheel Time and Wheel Frequency for Each Product EOQ--The Most Economic Wheel Time The Shortest Wheel Possible Short-Term Demand Variability Minimum Practical Lot Size Shelf Life Summary Step 7: Arranging Products--Balancing the Wheel Wheel Resonance Achieving Better Balance Wheels within Wheels Summary Step 8: Plotting the Wheel Cycles Summary Step 9: Calculate Inventory Requirements Inventory Components Total Inventory Requirements Inventory Benefit of the Wheel Seasonality Customer Lead Time Summary Step 10: Review with Stakeholders What to Review Who to Include Possible Concerns and Challenges Summary Step 11: Assign Responsibility for Allocating PIT Time Appropriate Uses of PIT Time Step 12: Revise the Scheduling Process Wheel Concepts and the Production Scheduling System Visual Management of the Current Wheel Schedule Summary Step 13: Develop an Implementation Plan Step 14: Develop a Contingency Plan Possible Wheel Breakers Steps in Contingency Planning Example of a Contingency Plan Summary Step 15: Get All Inventories in Balance Summary Step 16: Confirm Wheel Performance--Put an Auditing Process in Place Step 17: Put a Plan in Place to Rebalance the Wheel Periodically Prerequisites for Product Wheels Foundational Elements A Highly Motivated, Well-Trained Workforce Standard Work Visual Management Total Productive Maintenance A Value Stream Map SMED SKU Rationalization--Portfolio Management Bottleneck Identification and Management Cellular Manufacturing and Group Technology Summary Product Wheels and the Path to Pull Product Wheels and Pull Pull through the Entire Process Summary Unintended Consequences--Inappropriate Use of Metrics Inappropriate Use of Metrics Performance to Plan (PTP) Summary Cultural Transformation and Product Wheel Design--The Synergy Summary Case Studies and Examples BG Products, Inc.--Automotive Fluids The Appleton Journey Dupont(tm) Fluoropolymers Dow Chemical Extruded Polymers Waxes to Coat Cardboard Sheet Goods for Hospital Gowns Circuit Board Substrates Fixed-Sequence Variable Volume A Rose by Any Other Name Summary Bibliography Appendix A: Cycle Stock Concepts and Calculations Inventory Components Defined--Cycle Stock and Safety Stock Calculating Cycle Stock--Fixed-Interval Replenishment Model Summary Appendix B: Safety Stock Concepts and Calculations About Safety Stock Variability in Demand Variability in Wheel Time Combined Variability Using Safety Stock Example--Forming Machine 2 Product Wheel Appendix C: Total Productive Maintenance The Need for Equipment Reliability and Operational Continuity TPM TPM Metric--Overall Equipment Effectiveness Forming 2 OEE Appendix D: The SMED Changeover Improvement Process SMED Origins SMED Concepts Product Changeovers in the Process Industries Summary Appendix E: Bottleneck Identification, Improvement, and Management Root Causes of Bottlenecks Bottleneck Management--Theory of Constraints Summary Appendix F: Group Technology and Cellular Flow Typical Process Plant Equipment Configurations Cellular Manufacturing Applied to Process Lines Summary Index ume and variability--identify candidates for make to order Step 4: Determine the optimum sequence Step 5: Analyze the factors influencing overall wheel time Step 6: Determine overall wheel time and wheel frequency for each product Step 7: Distribute products across the wheel cycles--balance the wheel Step 8: Plot the wheel cycles Step 9: Calculate inventory requirements Step 10: Review with stakeholders Step 11: Determine who "owns" (allocates) the PIT time Step 12: Revise the scheduling process Product Wheel Implementation Step 13: Develop an implementation plan Step 14: Develop a contingency plan Step 15: Get all inventories in balance Step 16: Put an auditing plan in place Step 17: Put a plan in place to rebalance the wheel periodically Kaizen Events Prerequisites for a Product Wheel Step 1: Begin with an Up-to-Date, Reasonably Accurate VSM An Example Process--Sheet Goods Manufacturing A Value Stream Map Material Flow--Process Boxes Process Step Data Boxes Material Flow Icons Inventory Data Boxes Information Flow Summary Step 2: Decide Where to Use Wheels to Schedule Production Criteria for Product Wheel Selection Analyze the VSM Forming 1 Bonder 2 Bonder 1 Slitter 1 Summary Step 3: Analyze Products for a Make-to-Order Strategy Demand Volume Demand Variability Deciding on the Best Strategy for Each Product Summary Step 4: Determine the Optimum Sequence Changeover Complexity Optimizing the Forming 2 Sequence Optimizing the Sequence in Complex Situations Summary Step 5: Analyze the Factors Influencing Overall Wheel Time Time Available for Changeovers--The Shortest Wheel Possible Finding the Most Economic Wheel Time Leveling Out Short-Term Demand Variability An Additional Word about Standard Deviation.