Defined processes are critical to continuous improvement in manufacturing. Key measurement points are identified and metrics are put in place to measure processes. The resulting data is meant to be used for process improvement. It is in the evaluation of the data that bottlenecks can be discovered. In manufacturing, manual gaging is often responsible for bottlenecks.
Bottlenecks in manufacturing can be caused by labor shortages, which force employees to split time between processes. The resulting throughput irregularities negatively impact downstream processes. Technology can also cause bottlenecks if it is antiquated and slow, or improperly selected for the desired purpose.