Lean Planning & Control in a High-Variety/Low-Volume Environment

This paper illustrates the need for a systematic methodology in the design of a lean planning & control system in flexible automated high-variety/low-volume environments. The paper presents a bottom-up methodology building on the work of Bertrand, Wortmann and Wijngaard (1990). A case is presented to illustrate the need to carefully divide planning tasks among planning and work floor level. Visualization tools as well as smart algorithms and a digital twin concept might be helpful to cope with the complexities of flexible automated manufacturing systems. The extended methodology has to be added to the lean toolbox: the complexity and opportunities of new technologies and digital tools necessitates this extension.