Relationship of bottleneck and non-bottleneck resources:

To understand this rule, let us assume the four classic relationship of bottleneck and non-bottleneck resources :

Type I : Relationship

In this relationship, a bottleneck resource (B) feeds work-in-procedure material (WIP) to a non-bottleneck (N) resource. Let us presume that both of the resources (B and N) are placed in the middle of an assembly line. Therefore, these are followed and preceded by few other resources, which are non-bottleneck (N). Figure illustrated this relationship :

Legend

   B  Bottleneck resource, having slower processing rate, b

   N  Non-bottleneck resource having faster processing rate, n (note, b < n)

              Material flow

Figure: Type I Relationship

For this relationship, despite non-bottleneck resource being raster, may not deliver faster than the output rate of bottleneck resource, that is b. Therefore, the non-bottleneck resource is a starving resource, which is underutilised. This is also depicted in Figure.