WHAT IS TSS?

• Continuous flow manufacturing: once a product starts in manufacturing, it does not stop until completed
• Stand up sewing, moving multi-functional team: members cover zones including several operations; know part of adjacent zones to cover for absenteeism, process time variability; members never wait for work, and work never sits idle.
• Eliminates individual pick-ups, reduces SAMs
• Throughput time equals processing time; quickest response for customer service, make-to-order
• Line always balanced: optimum efficiency (average 50% productivity improvement versus batch)
• Team produces one-at-a-time; minimum Work-In-Process - typically one unit per person except unit(s) left in cycling machine(s)

TSS VS BATCH PRODUCTION

TSS virtually eliminates non-value adding activities which increase cost. It produces greater productivity per person through reduced handling, the primary portion of process time.

• Eliminates multiple pickups, disposals
• Reduces bundle, batch handling
• Ends clerical time on bundles, batches

The line is fully balanced at all times. A proper team performance pay system totally eliminates all off-standard variances, performance fluctuations, work imbalances except bi-weekly team meeting (15-20 minutes) as needed, and plant-wide stoppages.

Cross-training increases flexibility to handle alternate styles, absenteeism, and turnover. TSS clusters (work cells) become "plants within a plant" allowing for style, even color focusing, simpler planning and control, reliable scheduling and measurement, and other benefits.

This style production completes each unit the day it is started which eliminates handling of repairs (as they are repaired in line) improving quality by single-piece flow for immediate defect recognition and correction. Quality is also added by paying more attention to work with constant movement, and giving team ownership of the whole product.

TSS requires some added equipment but fewer operators for same or even greater production volumes. The added equipment cost is recovered in productivity gains, benefits savings on direct labor, savings in downtime, maintenance and machine/parts replacement, faster cash flow and reduced carrying costs from inventory reduction, and overhead savings by increased output by smaller staff in existing facilities.

Fast throughput allows increased manufacturing to order versus forecasting lowering finished goods inventory (particularly high risk SKUs),
saving space from reduction in W-I-P, and the elimination of batches.