Pull connections - The 3 strategies
A Pull process is a process in which a workstation starts to work on his next order only when there is a free slot on the output side. This means the trigger for producing anything on the workstation comes from the customer side, which can be internal as well as external. The customer pulls orders through the process instead of a traditional Push connection in which products are produced no matter what happens on the output side of the workstation.
Because inventories between workstations are managed in a pull system, which directly influences and maximizes the Lead Time, Pull always has a preference over Push.
Three different forms of Pull connections can be identified: a work cell with Continuous Flow, Sequential Pull and Replenishment Pull.