Module 7 · Lesson 22 of 24
The sea-of-inventory model
This lesson and the entire Lean Six Sigma Black Belt academy are free of charge — no fees, ever.
Learning objectives
- Explain the purpose of the sea-of-inventory model in garment operations.
- Describe when and how to apply the sea-of-inventory model on the shop floor.
- Identify common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Core idea
High inventory hides rocks such as breakdowns, imbalance, defects, long changeovers, unreliable supply and weak standards; controlled reduction exposes them.
Method
Establish stability, reduce in steps, make problems visible, respond rapidly, standardize gains. Never drain buffers abruptly without protection.
Garment-factory example
Lower bundle WIP gradually while tracking starvation, blocking, defects and recovery time, solving each revealed cause.
Method
- Establish stability, reduce in steps, make problems visible, respond rapidly, standardize gains
Common mistakes
- Never drain buffers abruptly without protection
Knowledge check
Pick one answer per question. Explanations appear after you submit.
1. Which statement best captures the core idea of The sea-of-inventory model?
2. A common mistake when applying the sea-of-inventory model is to:
Author: NOSK.life · Last reviewed: 2026-07-21