Linha de balanço: síntese dos princípios de produção enxuta aplicados à programação de obras?

Abstract

Evidence on the use of Line of Balance as a scheduling technique already exists in the Brazilian construction industry since thirty years ago. More recently it has been associated with Lean Construction applications, especially as tool for strategic planning of works. This conceptual paper discusses how line of balance can be taken not just as a straightforward graphical device to depict site programming, but in such a way that philosophical concepts behind lean production there may be incorporated or make selfevident. Some characteristics of lean production can be applied to the development of the LOB, like cycle in time and space, streamlining operations by outsourcing and work packaging, variability reduction, flow, lead time reduction by balancing of the activities and learning effect and integration of short, medium and long term. Each of these lean features will be illustrated on simulated LOB graphs. The paper concludes that Line of Balance is Lean, providing discussions of this conceptual synthesis.