A Review of Literature on Drum-Buffer-Rope, Buffer Management and Distribution (Chapter 7 of the Theory of Constraints Handbook)
John H. Blackstone, Jr.
Info
Level of TOC knowledge acquired:
Advanced and IntermediateLength:
31 pagesDesigned for:
Consultants, Executives, Implementers, Leaders, Managers and Shop Floor workersTopics:
Operations/ProductionApplication:
Buffer Management, Drum-Buffer-Rope and Five Focusing StepsLanguage:
EnglishFormat:
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The focus is to highlight literature on Drum-Buffer-Rope (DBR) scheduling and execution and control of that schedule through Buffer Management.
Today, TOC experts believe that Buffer Management is a necessary condition for an effective Drum-Buffer-Rope system. This scheduling and control mechanism has been extended across supply chains to pull inventory to consumers.
This extension of TOC into supply chains is known as Rapid Replenishment.
The purposes of this chapter are:
- First, the precursors to TOC scheduling are described.
- Second, a review and critique of the literature on DBR scheduling is presented.
- Third, special cases such as free goods (when the market is the constraint), re-entrant flows, and remanufacturing are discussed.
- Fourth, a review and critique of the literature on Buffer Management are presented.
- Fifth, the literature on TOC replenishment is reviewed and critiqued.
- Sixth, some suggested problems within DBR as presented in the academic literature are discussed.
The purposes of this chapter are:
- First, the precursors to TOC scheduling are described.
- Second, a review and critique of the literature on DBR scheduling is presented.
- Third, special cases such as free goods (when the market is the constraint), re-entrant flows, and remanufacturing are discussed.
- Fourth, a review and critique of the literature on Buffer Management are presented.
- Fifth, the literature on TOC replenishment is reviewed and critiqued.
- Sixth, some suggested problems within DBR as presented in the academic literature are discussed.
Comprehensive coverage of the Theory of Constraints
Complete Table of contents of the Theory of Constraints Handbook
- I: What is TOC?
- II: Critical Chain Project Management
- III: DBR, Buffer Management, and Distribution
- IV: Performance Measures
- V: Strategy, Marketing, and Sales
- VI: Thinking Processes
- VII: TOC in Services
- VIII: TOC in Complex Environments
- Theory of Constraints in Complex Organizations
- Applications of Strategy and Tactics Trees in Organizations
- Complex Environments
- Combining Lean, Six Sigma, and the Theory of Constraints to Achieve Breakthrough Performance
- Using TOC in Complex Systems
- Theory of Constraints for Personal Productivity/Dilemmas
- IX: Summary
About the Authors:
James F. Cox III, Ph.D, CFPIM, CIRM, holds TOCICO certifications in all disciplines. He is a Jonah's Jonah, Professor Emeritus, and was the Robert O. Arnold Professor of Business in the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. Dr. Cox has written three books on TOC.
John Schleier holds TOCICO certifications in all disciplines. He was President and Chief Operating Officer of the Mortgage Services Division of Alltel, Inc., Executive Vice President of Computer Power, Inc., and Director of Office Systems and Data Delivery for IBM.
