debottlenecking

Debottlenecking is the systematic process of identifying and removing bottlenecks that constrain the capacity or performance of a production or service system. The objective is to increase overall throughput, shorten cycle times, and improve asset utilization while maintaining safety and quality.

It is applied in manufacturing, process industries, and service operations where limited resources, equipment, or processes determine system performance. A bottleneck can be a machine, a workstation, a pipeline, or a policy or schedule constraint.

Typical approach involves mapping the process, collecting operational data, and identifying the bottleneck based on capacity and utilization. Once identified, options include equipment upgrades or replacements, process optimization, maintenance to reduce downtime, layout changes, parallelization, better scheduling, and supplier or raw material changes. The goal is to raise the bottleneck’s capacity or shift the constraint to a less critical point.

Debottlenecking requires cost–benefit analysis and risk assessment. Changes may improve throughput but can affect yield, quality, safety, or reliability. Implementation is usually staged, with verification through metrics such as overall equipment effectiveness, cycle time, throughput, and unit cost.