Production Flows

The connected sequence of production steps that transforms raw materials into finished products.

A production flow is the connected sequence of production steps that transforms raw materials into finished parts and products.

What a flow is

A production flow is a directed graph of production steps. Each connection links a source step to a target step, where the output of the source automatically feeds into a consumption of the target. Multiple steps can feed into a single downstream step, but each production step only has one output.

For example, a three-step flow:

[Knitting] → [Dyeing] → [Finishing]
  • Knitting produces a knitted tube
  • The knitted tube is consumed by Dyeing
  • Dyeing produces a dyed tube
  • The dyed tube is consumed by Finishing
  • Finishing produces the final product

How flows are built

Flows are created by connecting production steps:

  1. Define individual steps: each with their consumptions and production (see production steps)
  2. The system wires the data: the output item of the source step is automatically linked to any other production step that has a matching consumption

You can view the flow for any item to see the complete chain of steps required to produce it, from raw materials through to the finished product.

Flow diagrams

Production flows render as visual diagrams showing step connections. This gives production managers and engineers a clear picture of:

  • Step sequence: the order of operations
  • Material entry points: where raw materials enter the flow
  • Intermediate products: where parts are created and consumed
  • Final output: the finished product at the end of the chain

Why flows matter

  • Define the manufacturing recipe: the flow is the complete, visual specification for how a product is made
  • Drive batch movement: when a batch moves through production, it follows the flow from step to step
  • Map to scanning stations: each step in the flow corresponds to a scanning station on the production floor
  • Enable cost rollup: the COGS calculation traces through the flow to aggregate material, labor, and overhead costs

Related

Next: Costing