
100 ◾ Lean Production Simplified, Third Edition
The gear metaphor is especially powerful. Mechanical gears synchro-
nize the movement of disparate parts with that of the central motive force.
Similarly, kanbans synchronize disparate production processes with the “pace-
maker.” Only thus can the customer pull through the pacemaker process.
Pacemaker Process
The pacemaker is the point of connection with the customer, the process at
which production is scheduled.
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Upstream of the pacemaker, production is
determined by the kanban system. For example, suppose the daily customer
order is 100 each of products A, B, and C. This order becomes a producti ...