Stage

Stage

The actual amount of time each Stage will require at run time is defined by the Process, responsible for the Cyclo design, and counting on with support provided by the Facility. All timing should be analyzed as statistical distributions, subject to variations due to existing common and special causes in the Process, according to SPC (Statistical Process Control) and TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) directives.

Before the Cyclo can receive the “green” light to execute, each Stage should satisfy the necessary Skills expected by the Process. This is done after all infrastructural and operational Resources are provided by the Facility, and the Stage can execute its final setup. Then, the Cyclo is ready to start processing the WiP.

Each Stage can be in one of the following states:

  • FREE: Stage that requires Skills is initialized at Facility.
  • ALLOC: Stage is allocating Resources from Facility Infrastructure & Operation.
  • SETUP: Stage with all Skills satisfied, executing final setup for production.
  • READY: Stage is ready for Production, waiting for the next WiP.
  • EXEC: Stage is effectively transforming the WiP.
  • WIP: Stage is putting the WiP towards the next Stage.
  • RELEASE: Stage is releasing Resources from Facility Infrastructure & Operation.

Times of Gain (ToG)

The following diagram represents the ToG timeline, including all states:

sequenceDiagram rect rgb(255, 0, 255, .3) ALLOC-->>SETUP: AllocationTime end rect rgb(255, 255, 0, .3) SETUP-->>READY: SetupTime end rect rgb(0, 255, 0, .3) READY->>EXEC: GetWipTime end rect rgb(0, 255, 0, .3) EXEC->>WIP: ExecTime end rect rgb(0, 255, 0, .3) WIP->>RELEASE: PutWipTime end rect rgb(0, 255, 0, .3) READY->>RELEASE: ReadyTime end rect rgb(255, 0, 255, .3) RELEASE-->>FREE: ReleaseTime end rect rgb(0, 0, 255, .3) ALLOC->>FREE: WorkingTime end

In its lifespan within the Working Time, the Stage should elaborate the following elapsed time statistical distributions:

  • FreeTime: Time the Stage is freely available at Facility.
  • AllocationTime: Time spent allocating Resources from Facility.
  • SetupTime: Time spent with Stage setup.
  • ReadyTime: Time the Stage is ready for Production.
  • ReleaseTime: Time spent decomissioning the Stage.

WorkingTime = FreeTime + AllocationTime + SetupTime + ReadyTime + ReleaseTime

The ReadyTime, when the Stage is ready for Production, can be split even more:

  • GetWipTime: Time to gather the necessary WiP.
  • ExecTime: Time the Stage takes to effectively transform the WiP.
  • PutWipTime: Time the Stage takes to put properly the WiP.

ReadyTime = GetWipTime + ExecTime + PutWipTime

Some optimization may prevent unnecessary release/reallocation delays, according to rule five of Deming’s Process specification: Each Stage cooperates with the next and the previous, seeking optimization.

Published in Business Amplifier, also e-book and Amplificador de Negócios.