Capacity management — step by step

Capacity management is a standalone module: a line exists independently of whether a value stream is ever drawn for it. This guide walks through the full path, from the first line to comparing forecast against actual work.

How it works

1. 1

   Create a line

   A workstation or production line, e.g. "Turning" — organization-wide, under capacity management, not tied to a single project.

2. 2

   Enter master data

   Cycle time (minutes per piece), operator count, OEE (%), and shift model (1/2/3-shift) — the same figures as a VSM process box, but maintained independently of it here.

3. 3

   Enter monthly demand

   Twelve values, one field per month. Optionally add a stress test (e.g. demand × 1.2) for an upside scenario.

4. 4

   Read the traffic light

   Load rate = demand ÷ capacity, calculated automatically per month. Blue/green/orange/red show how tight the line is — the recommended action matches the color automatically.

5. 5

   Add actual hours

   Once a month is closed: how many hours this line actually worked — in hours, not pieces, because a line can serve several product variants with different cycle times.

6. 6

   Compare forecast vs. actual

   The line's chart shows required hours from the demand forecast, available hours from the shift model, and the actual hours entered, side by side — making it visible whether a year is tracking to plan.

7. 7

   Track actions

   For each line: description, owner, due date, and optionally a target month — typically created as soon as a traffic light turns orange or red.

The traffic light in detail

🔵 Underutilised

Underutilised — before investing in more capacity, check whether this line's spare time can be used elsewhere.

🟢 Ok

Within target range — no action needed, keep watching demand.

🟠 At risk

Capacity is tight — check short-term levers: reduce changeover time (SMED), an extra shift/overtime in the peak month, or shift production into months with spare capacity.

🔴 Overloaded

Capacity problem, action required — permanent extra capacity, outsourcing, or shift demand/product mix before delivery reliability suffers.

🔵 Underutilised (< 0.5) · 🟢 Ok (0.5–1.0) · 🟠 At risk (> 1.0–1.2) · 🔴 Overloaded (> 1.2)