What is backflushing?
Backflushing is essentially the same thing as postproduction issuing. It’s a method of assigning raw materials to production orders after the production process has been completed. It basically means that you’re issuing the initial materials against the production order.
Typically, at the end of the manufacturing process, dedicated software is used to input the “quantity good” (the exact quantity of raw materials that make up the finished good) and the “quantity scrap” (the quantity of leftovers resulting from production) in order to calculate the required quantity of initial components.
When is it recommended?
Dave Piasecki, an expert in inventory management and material handling, encourages manufacturers to perform backflushing in the following situations:
- for extensive production runs
- when you’re dealing with scrap materials
- when you’re using point-of-use materials
- when your raw materials come in bulk