Fixed Repeating Schedule (FRS) also known as Every product Every Interval (EPEI) is a production schedule which is ‘unchanging’ and repeated perhaps daily or over a period of a few weeks or months before being reset. If it can be implemented then economies of repetition start to become evident and suppliers and customers can be assured in their own activity scheduling. What impedes FRS implementation is the uncertainty of demand and supply. Therefore while the scheduling becomes simpler; the activities necessary to make the FRS possible become more complex. Thus the planning to move to FRS raises issues which if managed correctly will reduce complexity overall and improve customer service.
- Map the process and determine feasibility by evaluating coefficient of variation
- Select work group, line, or cell and determine available time, cycle time, change over time
- Calculate the Product Family Turnover Rate (PFTR) or otherwise known as the EPE Interval
- Use the PFTR to determine production run sizes for each product
- Determine input and output buffer sizes
- Simulate either with desktop role modeling, spreadsheet, or simulation software
- Establish Kanban controls
- Setup the Heijunka