One week your supplier says, “All machines are free.”
Next week? “Boss, we’re overloaded. Delay possible.”
What changed?
The machine didn’t. The people didn’t.
Only one thing changed: the way they planned the work.
Toyota calls it Heijunka — the art of leveling production.
We call it: ending panic mode before it begins.
What Is Heijunka (Factory Language, Not Textbook)
Most factories run like this:
“Do all turning jobs now. Worry about coating later.”
“Batch all Part A first, then we’ll start Part B when it’s urgent.”
“Let’s finish this PO fast — we’ll figure out the next one later.”
That sounds efficient. But in reality:
Some stations stay idle, while others choke
Workers jump from overload to underload
Quality dips when you rush
Lead times become unpredictable
Heijunka fixes that.
It means: spread the work evenly across the week, the line, and the team.
Real Example #1 – Sheet Metal Shop That Used to “Rush, Rest, Repeat”
A Chennai-based fabrication shop was making four bracket types for a solar panel customer.
Their old logic:
“Let’s make all of Part A first, then Part B, then C… finish each batch before starting the next.”
Result:
Week 1: Part A ready, others delayed
Week 2: Workers idle between big setups
Buyer got 1 SKU early and 3 late
Quality dip during rush
After reviewing with our team, they shifted to Heijunka box-style daily flow:
Every day = 25 pcs of each SKU
Setup time optimized
Laser + bending + powder flow became predictable
Results in 45 days:
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Time | 14–18 days | 10–11 days (stable) |
| Rejection Rate | 4.2% | 2.3% |
| Idle Hours | 18 hrs/week | <5 hrs/week |
📝 “We stopped batching. We started balancing. That’s when the chaos reduced.”
— Factory Supervisor
Real Example #2 – CNC Job Shop That Burned Time in Setup
A Pune CNC shop used to handle 3 high-mix projects monthly: aerospace, medical, and automation parts.
What they did:
Ran Project A fully → tore down setup
Then Project B fully → tore down again
Then Project C…
Tool change + setup consumed 11+ hours/week
We suggested:
“Can you do 30% of each job every week — instead of 100%, 0%, 0%?”
They resisted at first. But when they tested leveled loading, results spoke:
Orders flowed in sync
Tools stayed loaded longer
Operators became familiar with all 3 jobs
Buyer stopped calling for updates — because everything was on time
Results in 30 days:
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| On-Time Delivery | 64% | 91% |
| Setup Hours/Week | 11.2 hrs | 4.7 hrs |
| Buyer Satisfaction | Average | Repeat Orders Secured |
📝 “We stopped treating jobs like silos. That’s when our shop became reliable.”
💡 Why Buyers Should Care
If your supplier runs like a roller coaster —
You get:
Late dispatches
Rush-hour quality
Excuses like “diesel not come,” “plating jammed,” “machine broke down”
But if they use Heijunka logic:
You get flow
You get predictability
You get the truth in the timeline — not surprises in shipping
✅ What TheSupplier Checks Before Approving
We always ask:
Do they spread jobs across the week or dump it all on Friday?
Do they build based on delivery logic — or emotional batching?
Are jobs flowing daily, or sitting idle between chaos?
If the answer shows panic-style planning — they don’t get in our sourcing pool.
📣 Want Your Parts Made in Flow — Not in Fire-Fight Mode?
👉 Explore Our Capabilities
📎 Upload Your RFQ
💬 A Super Question for You (Buyer or Supplier):
Have you ever lost an order — or delayed one — because everything was built last-minute instead of spreading the work across the week?
Whether you’re a buyer or a supplier, tell us:
How do you fight batch chaos in real life?
👇 Share your thoughts or tips in the comments.
📚 References
Toyota Global: https://global.toyota/en/company/vision-and-philosophy/production-system/
The Toyota Way – Jeffrey Liker
Internal audits by TheSupplier (2023–24)
Case studies from South India & Maharashtra vendor interviews
