Heijunka

Concept

A lean method that levels production by volume and mix over time, so a plant follows a steady, repeating pattern instead of swings in orders, which reduces stock, overtime and lead time.

Description

Heijunka is the Japanese word for levelling. In production it means smoothing the schedule over time, both in volume and in mix, so that the plant follows a steady, repeating pattern instead of following every swing in orders. Instead of building all of product A in the morning and all of product B in the afternoon, it builds small amounts of both in a repeating sequence.

Levelling reduces peaks in workload, overtime and stock, and it makes the demand on suppliers calmer. It needs short changeovers and reliable processes, which is why it is linked to SMED and standard work. Heijunka is often used together with kanban and a pull system, and it is one of the foundations of the Toyota Production System.

Related topics in brief

• iFAKT GmbH · Related to · Organization
  Stuttgart-based consulting company and software specialist for Industry 4.0, founded in 2001, that helps manufacturers plan and optimize production and logistics processes; developer of the Polaris software.
• Polaris Optimizer · Related to · Product
  Module of iFAKT Polaris that automatically generates optimized production plans under constraints such as resources, shifts, zones, qualifications and capacities.
• Finite capacity scheduling · Related to · Concept
  Finite capacity scheduling plans production operations onto real resource calendars, treating each machine, person or station as limited, so conflicts between orders become visible instead of being left to the shop floor.
• Lean management · Related to · Concept
  A management approach derived from the Toyota Production System that creates more value for customers with fewer resources by removing waste, improving flow and involving the people who do the work in continuous improvement.
• Just-in-time production · Related to · Concept
  A production principle in which parts are made and delivered only when the next step needs them, in the amount needed. It keeps stock low and is one of the two pillars of the Toyota Production System.
• Setup time · Related to · Concept
  The time a machine or line is stopped to switch from one product or batch to the next, from the last good part of one to the first good part of the next.
• Batch size · Related to · Concept
  The number of units made or moved together before the next step starts. Large batches cut changeovers but raise stock and lead time; small batches do the opposite.

Glossary

Experts and companies for this topic

• Mirko Peters · Microsoft MVP

Maintained by Mirko Peters (Microsoft MVP) · Last updated: 2026-11-11