The role of decouplers in JIT pull apparel cells Available to Purchase

Various staff methodologies of a just‐in‐time (JIT) apparel assembly cell with various numbers of walking workers, and various levels of process time variation were discussed and evaluated by simulation models. Decouplers are placed between two workstations (or subcells) to improve capability and flexibility in an apparel cell. Decouplers enable JIT pull cells to operate with minimum stock‐on‐hand and allow parts and information to flow in opposite directions. Decouplers also provide the JIT pull cell with “make one, check one, and pass one on” capability. A manned assembly cell’s throughput rate depends on the number of workers in the cell and on the variation in each worker’s processing time. Normally, as the processing time variation increases, the throughput rate decreases. However, these simulation studies show that doubling the decoupler capacity increases the cell’s output, even as the processing time variation increases.