Definitions for "Drum-Buffer-Rope"
In the theory of constraints, the generalized process used to manage resources to maximize throughput. The drum is the rate or pace of production set by the system's constraint. The buffers establish the protection against uncertainty so that the system can maximize throughput. The rope is a communication process from the constraint to the gating operation that checks or limits material released into the system to support the constraint.
A technique that attempts to manage production flow through the identification of a bottleneck that sets the pace of releasing materials to production (drum), a buffer inventory to ensure continued operation of the bottleneck, and the system to control communications and information flow from the drum to the material release point (rope).
A process to plan and manage the manufacturing process featuring the elements of a drum buffer, and a rope.