Flexible Cell Design for High-Mix, Low-Volume Manufacturing

If Your Shop Runs High-Mix, Low-Volume Work, Traditional Lean Advice Doesn't Apply. You don't need more theory. You need flow that works in the real world. This book shows you how to design flexible manufacturing cells for high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) environments — where every product is different, batch-and-queue creates chaos, and "keeping machines busy" makes things worse. This is not a book about copying Toyota. It's about applying lean principles correctly for high-mix operations. What This Book Does This book walks you step-by-step through designing and implementing one real, working production cell for one product family. Not a concept. Not a case study. A finished, operating cell. Each time through this book = one completed improvement project. What You'll Learn By the time you finish this book, you will have: Understood why functional layouts (silos) create long lead times and daily chaos Designed a flexible cell for one product family Calculated takt time and staffing requirements Balanced work across operators Designed a physical layout that supports flow Set WIP limits that prevent overproduction Integrated fast changeover (SMED) into the cell design Implemented visual management and standard work Trained operators for cellular work Established daily management routines Put systems in place to prevent backsliding The output is a functioning flexible cell — not a PowerPoint. Who This Book Is For This book is ideal for: High-mix, low-volume manufacturing shops Job shops and custom manufacturers Engineers and operations leaders responsible for execution Teams trying to move beyond silos and batch-and-queue Companies that want results, not certifications This book is not for: High-volume, dedicated production lines Mass-production environments Academic or certification-focused lean programs Companies looking for theory without implementation How This Fits in the Lean Line Pro Series This is Book 3 in the Lean Line Pro Deep Dive Series. Book 1 – Product Families: Identify which products belong together Book 2 – SMED Quick Changeover: Reduce setup time to enable flow Book 3 – Flexible Work Cells: Design a production line that flows Book 4 – Heijunka / Scheduling (Coming Next): Schedule production to customer demand Together, Books 1–3 form the foundation of a working lean production system for high-mix environments. Written by a Practitioner This book was written after 20+ years in manufacturing, based on what actually works on real shop floors. No academic lean theory. No buzzwords. No consultants who disappear after the workshop. Just clear steps, practical decisions, and systems you can implement immediately. If Your Shop Feels Chaotic… You don't need to "manage" the chaos. You need to organize it. Build one cell. Make it flow. Then do the next one.