# Continuous flow

Operations · `Continuous flow` · verification: source checked

Continuous flow is a production method in which one item, or a small and consistent batch of items, moves through a series of processing steps as continuously as possible. Each step makes just what is requested by the next step. It can be achieved in various ways, ranging from moving assembly lines to manual cells.

## Specification

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Kind | methodology |

## Study notes

- Also called one-piece flow, single-piece flow, and make one, move one.
- Implementation ranges from moving assembly lines to manual cells.
- The document cross-references Batch-and-Queue and Flow Production; no matching reference entries are available.

## Sources

1. [Continuous Flow - Lean Enterprise Institute](https://www.lean.org/lexicon-terms/continuous-flow/) (accessed 2026-10-25)

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