Quality Throughput is the ability of an organization to reduce manufacturing cycle time and inventory while improving on-time delivery achieving operational excellence. Generally measured by dividing average inventory by the speed of the line, quality throughput increases plant capacity with existing resources, improves planning and scheduling, and provides greater visibility on material, capacity, and labor for better decision making.
An organization is not a collection of functions existing in isolation, but as a chain of linked processes performing in tandem towards common objectives. Just as its weakest link determines the strength of a chain, only a few critical resources constrain the performance of a plant. Quality throughput is achieved from applying Lean methodologies to pull the material through the line, and the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to identify and remove any bottlenecks along a manufacturing chain.