One-Piece Flow
Updated 2026-08-10
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
A lean practice in which one workpiece is processed and handed to the next operation immediately rather than being accumulated in a batch. It reduces work-in-progress inventory and shortens cycle time, and because batching hides defects, one-piece flow makes problems appear the moment they occur. It works best inside a pull system that limits inventory by design.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Batch breaking: convert a batched handoff into single-piece transfer between stations. - Bottleneck surfacing: watch where items pile up and treat that station as the constraint. - Pull limiting: cap work in progress with a kanban so flow stays smooth and visible.
Anchor fast decisions
Moving one workpiece at a time keeps work-in-progress minimal and shortens cycle time. Defects surface at the moment they are created instead of being buried in a batch, so problems become immediately visible and correctable.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous-flow_manufacturingverified
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