140 Lean suppLy ChaIn ManageMent essentIaLs
High-Mix Interval
Interval is critical in high-mix environments. However, interval will not be used to
make all products in a family, only the ones sold in an interval. We will call this the
make-to-order interval. To determine the interval in this environment, you cannot use
average usages or such, but instead must use real sales history.
As we have stated before, EPEI is every part every interval. is refers to the
capability of the process to make the setups required to cover the demand for all
of the parts that the machine produces. It is a reflection of process capability and
flexibility. Processes that can achieve smaller intervals are much more capable of
responding to changes in customer dem ...