Theory of Constraints: "Blue Light" creating capacity for nothing (2007)

4 hours ago

The story illustrates the essence of Theory of Constraints (TOC) as a process for exposing and challenging assumptions that block better solutions.
A plant producing heavy metal bumpers for semi-trucks had a bottleneck in their welding department, running at 93% efficiency with plans to expand.
The consultant observed that actual welding time ('blue light') was less than 10%, revealing inefficiencies in non-welding tasks like moving materials and preparing parts.
The plant manager's assumption that busy workers meant efficient operations blocked him from seeing the real issue.
A simple solution was implemented: a helper was assigned to handle non-welding tasks, increasing 'blue light' time and clearing the backlog in three weeks.
The story emphasizes how assumptions can limit individuals and organizations, preventing them from seeing simple, effective solutions.

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