CONWIP (Constant Work-In-Process) is a pull-oriented production control system that is classified as both a pull and push system. In a CONWIP system, cards are used to control and limit the number of works-in-process in the system. A card must be available before a new part can enter the production line. Once a part is finished, its card is returned to the first workstation to allow another part to enter the system. Simulation studies have found that CONWIP systems can achieve lower WIP levels than traditional kanban systems.
CONWIP (Constant Work-In-Process) is a pull-oriented production control system that is classified as both a pull and push system. In a CONWIP system, cards are used to control and limit the number of works-in-process in the system. A card must be available before a new part can enter the production line. Once a part is finished, its card is returned to the first workstation to allow another part to enter the system. Simulation studies have found that CONWIP systems can achieve lower WIP levels than traditional kanban systems.
CONWIP (Constant Work-In-Process) is a pull-oriented production control system that is classified as both a pull and push system. In a CONWIP system, cards are used to control and limit the number of works-in-process in the system. A card must be available before a new part can enter the production line. Once a part is finished, its card is returned to the first workstation to allow another part to enter the system. Simulation studies have found that CONWIP systems can achieve lower WIP levels than traditional kanban systems.
CONstant Work in Process (CONWIP) are pull-oriented production control systems.
Such systems can
be classified as pull and push systems (Spearman et al. 1990 [1] ). In a push system, the production order is scheduled and the material is pushed into the production line. In a pull system, the start of each product assembly process is triggered by the completion of another at the end of production line. This pull-variant is known for its ease of implementation. CONWIP is a kind of single-stage kanban system and is also a hybrid push-pull system. While Kanban systems maintain tighter control of system WIP through the individual cards at each workstation, CONWIP systems are easier to implement and adjust, since only one set of system cards is used to manage system WIP [2] [1]. CONWIP uses cards to control the number ofWIPs. For example, no part is allowed to enter the system without a card (authority). After a finished part is completed at the last workstation, a card is transferred to the first workstation and a new part is pushed into the sequential process route. In their paper, Spearman et al. (1990) used a simulation to make a comparison among the CONWIP, kanban and push systems, and found that CONWIP systems can achieve a lower WIP level than kanban systems. Card control policy in CONWIP system In a CONWIP system, a card is shared by all kinds of products. However, Duenyas (1994) proposed a dedicated card control policy in CONWIP and he stated that this policy could perform as a multiple chain closed queuing network. [edit]See also Factory Physics MRP JIT kanban [edit]References 1. ^ Spearman, M., Woodruff, D. and Hopp, W. (1990) CONWIP: a pull alternative to kanban. International Journal of Production Research 28, 879-894 2. ^ Marek, Richard P. et al., Understanding the fundamentals of Kanban and CONWIP pull systems using simulation, Proceedings of the 2001 Winter Simulation Conference [edit]Further reading Spearman, Mark L. and Michael A Zazanis, "Push and Pull Production Systems: Issues and Comparisons", Op. Res., Vol40(3), pp 521-532, May-June 1992.