Pacemaker process

The pacemaker process is any process along a value stream that sets the pace for the entire stream. It is not the same as a bottleneck process, which constrains downstream processes due to a lack of capacity. The pacemaker process is usually near the customer end of the value stream, often the final assembly cell; if products flow from an upstream process to the end of the stream in a FIFO sequence, the pacemaker may be at this upstream process.

Source checked1/1 values · 2026-10-25Methodology

Specification

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Study notes

A bottleneck process is not the same as the pacemaker process; a bottleneck constrains downstream processes due to a lack of capacity.
The pacemaker process is usually near the customer end of the value stream and is often the final assembly cell.
If products flow from an upstream process to the end of the stream in a FIFO sequence, the pacemaker may be at this upstream process.