Part of the Theory of Constraints by Eliyahu Goldratt. This analogy shows that the bottleneck in manufacturing determines the output from the supply chain. The bottleneck (the "drum beat") must operate at maximum output in order to maintain an adequate stock of material (the buffer) from the supply chain (the rope). The bottleneck dictates the amount of stock that needs to be on-hand and the respective demands on the supplier (e.g., how much to buy, when to buy, etc.). Terms Glossary Definition
This is the term applied to the “Constraint Management” approach to scheduling in manufacturing systems. The “drum” refers to the rate at which the primary bottleneck, or determining constraint, can move items down the line. Buffer refers to the placing of a time-buffer equivalent to the amount of time which could be lost by a contingency in the production line leading up to the constraint. A buffer of items corresponding to this delay is kept in front of the constraint, which provides some slack or “rope” to the overall line.