Theory of constraints simulation: find the bottleneck, lift it, repeat
Five stations, five shifts, one line that runs at the pace of its slowest step. The nameplate figures are not the truth, so read the floor before you spend.
- Five stations in a row; two fall short of their nameplate
- Each shift: release, capacity upgrade, overtime, maintenance or a quality check
- Bad welds, breakdowns and a temperamental station to manage
- Scored on throughput, cost per good frame and work in progress
Not sure yet? Try the free 3-round Price War first: no sign-up, about five minutes.
Is there an online theory of constraints simulation I can play in a few minutes?
Yes. Bottleneck Factory, a Bodhih Arena micro-simulation, puts you in charge of a five-station e-bike frame line for five shifts. You set how much work to release and where to add capacity, overtime, maintenance or a quality check, and the debrief reveals the real constraint, how it moved and what your spending achieved.
What is Bottleneck Factory?
Bottleneck Factory is a single-player online simulation of a production line. Frames pass through five stations in order: Cut, Weld, Paint, Assemble and Test. The nameplate capacities are the engineering spec, but two stations really fall short, one is temperamental and some welds are bad. Each shift you choose how many frames to release and where to spend. You see only what a supervisor sees: output, busy time, queues, downtime and scrap.
Bottleneck Factory at a glance
| Format | Micro-sim, single player |
|---|---|
| Length | About 15 minutes per play |
| Players | One person; every play is a new seeded scenario |
| Devices | Any modern browser on a laptop, tablet or phone |
| Scoring | Scored on the server out of 100, with sub-scores and a debrief |
| Credential | Open Badges 3.0 micro-sim credential at a score of 80 or more, with a public verification page |
| Competencies | Systems Thinking (SPN.4.4), Commercial Acumen (SPN.4.5), Analytical Reasoning (SPN.4.2) |
| LMS | LTI 1.3 launch from Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard or D2L, with grade passback; usable as a Bodhih pathway stage |
| Price for one person | $12 |
| Price per seat | $12 per seat, volume pricing by seat count |
Why spending more often makes a line no faster
Improvement money goes wherever someone complains
Every supervisor has a case for a new fixture or more overtime. If the money lands anywhere other than the slowest step, it buys nothing but a bigger pile of work waiting in front of it.
The spec sheet says one thing and the floor says another
Nameplate capacity is what the station should do. Breakdowns, variation and rework decide what it actually does. Plans built on the spec look fine until the week ends short.
Keeping everyone busy feels productive
Releasing more work so no station stands idle fills the aisles with half-made product, ties up cash and hides the real problem. Busy is not the same as productive.
Here is the situation you walk into
You run the frame line at Kestrel Mobility, which builds e-bike frames. Every frame goes through Cut, Weld, Paint, Assemble and Test, in that order. Each good frame that passes Test earns a fixed contribution; raw tubing, overtime, upgrades and every frame left waiting on the floor all cost money.
It is Monday, first shift. Forty-eight frames from last week are part-way down the line, twelve in front of each station after Cut. The order book could take every good frame you make, and the plant manager wants to know what the line can really do.
You have the nameplate figures and nothing else. After each shift you see what each station made, how busy it was, the queue waiting in front of it, any downtime, and how many frames Test scrapped for bad welds. Somewhere in that table is the station that sets the pace for the whole line.
5 decisions, one debrief
- STEP 1
Shift 1: set the release and read the floor
Choose how many frames to release (60 to 160, in fives). You may also add permanent capacity at one station, run overtime at one, or spend on maintenance or a quality check. A modest first shift is often the best diagnostic.
- STEP 2
Shift 2: find the constraint
Compare output, busy time and queues by station. The constraint is the station that is busy all shift with work piling up in front of it, which may not be the one with the lowest nameplate.
- STEP 3
Shift 3: lift it
An upgrade adds about 20% at one station from then on. Overtime adds about 25% for one shift. Maintenance costs about an hour that shift but makes the station steadier. A quality check after Weld stops bad parts before they use downstream time.
- STEP 4
Shift 4: watch it move
Once the first constraint is lifted, another station becomes the slowest. Adjust your release to its pace plus a small buffer, and move your spending with it.
- STEP 5
Shift 5 and the end of the week
Frames still on the line when the week ends are not sold. Then comes the score, three sub-scores, and the reveal of every station's true capacity.
Who Bottleneck Factory is for
- Production supervisors and line managers. You make release, overtime and maintenance calls every shift. This lets you test the logic of the constraint without risking a real week's output.
- Operations, continuous improvement and lean teams. A quick, shared experience of the theory of constraints for a team or a kaizen event, with numbers people can argue about afterwards.
- Managers outside manufacturing. Claims teams, kitchens, software releases and hospital wards all have a slowest step. The line makes the idea concrete enough to carry back to any process.
- MBA and engineering students. A compact, replayable operations exercise that shows throughput, work in progress and cost interacting, rather than as separate formulas.
Who should skip it
It is not a detailed factory scheduling or line-balancing tool; it is a fast way to build the instinct to find and protect the constraint.
What you will see in every process after one week on this line
Most first-time players spend on the wrong station at least once. The reveal shows exactly how much that cost.
Find the constraint from evidence
You will look for the step that is busy all the time with a queue in front of it, instead of trusting the spec sheet or the loudest supervisor.
Spend only where it raises output
You will direct capacity, overtime and maintenance to the constraint, and recognise money spent elsewhere as a cost with no return.
Release work at the right pace
You will set inflow to the constraint's pace plus a small buffer, and keep work in progress, and the cash it ties up, under control.
Protect the constraint from bad parts
You will check quality before the slowest step, because every defective part it handles wastes time the whole line cannot get back.
Think in systems, then think again
You will expect the constraint to move after each improvement, which is strategic thinking applied to operations: every gain changes where the next one is.
Learning goals
- Find the constraint from what the line shows: busy time, queues, output
- Spend on the constraint only, and release work at its pace
- Protect the constraint with a buffer and good parts, then look for the next one
Skills practised: Systems thinking, Prioritising improvement spend, Decision making with noisy data, Reading operational dashboards, Cost and cash awareness in operations.
Competencies scored
Sub-scores map to the open Bodhih Competency Spine, so results sit beside your other learning records.
What the debrief shows
- Your score out of 100 and three sub-scores: throughput, cost per good frame and work in progress, each mapped to a Competency Spine skill.
- What happened: good frames made, frames still on the line, contribution, where you added capacity and whether that station was ever a constraint.
- Behind the curtain: each station's true capacity against its nameplate, the first and next constraint, the temperamental station and the share of bad welds.
- What strong players do, and the key concept, the theory of constraints.
Theory of constraints
Every process has one step that limits its output: the constraint. Find it, get the most out of it, make everything else follow its pace, then lift it, and start again, because the constraint will move. An hour lost at the constraint is lost for the whole line; an hour saved anywhere else is a mirage.
Use Bottleneck Factory with a team
Seats are $12 each. Buy up to 25 seats online and assign them from your company admin; above that, or for a facilitated programme or an institution licence, request a quote and we activate your seats after payment.
Opening a lean or continuous improvement session
Have the group play first, then compare where each person spent their first upgrade. The disagreement is the lesson.
A stage in an operations or supervisor pathway
Add it to a Bodhih learning pathway after a module on process flow, so the theory meets a moving line straight away.
Assessment for operations roles
Because the constraint is seeded differently each play, it works as a short, scored diagnostic of how a candidate reads data and allocates spend.
LMS launch and site leaderboards
Launch from Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard or D2L via LTI 1.3 with grade passback, and compare sites or shifts on the company leaderboard in Arena points.
Volume pricing
| Seats | Per seat | How to buy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12 | Online |
| 2 to 10 | $10.80 | Online |
| 11 to 50 | $9.60 | Online up to 25, then quote |
| 51+ | $8.40 | Quote |
Bottleneck Factory compared with a case study or slide-based course
| Compared on | A case study or slide-based course | Bottleneck Factory |
|---|---|---|
| Finding the constraint | The slide or the case tells you where it is. | You find it from busy time, queues and output; it is different in every play. |
| Variation and breakdowns | Usually left out to keep the example tidy. | A temperamental station, random stoppages and bad welds are part of the run. |
| The constraint moving | Explained as the final step of a method. | You lift it and watch the next station become the limit. |
| Money | Rarely tracked. | Upgrades, overtime, maintenance, tubing and work in progress all cost, and cost per good frame is scored. |
| Feedback | A worked answer. | A score out of 100, three sub-scores and each station's true capacity revealed. |
| Where it is weaker | Better for the history and wider method of improvement programmes. | It models one five-station line, not a whole plant or supply network. |
What to pair with Bottleneck Factory
The 5S and Continuous Improvement Kit (Pro Kit)
Once you know where your real constraint is, this kit's kaizen workbook, idea and savings calculator and 12-week calendar help you improve it and keep improving.
See the kit →Pro KitThe Quality Management Starter System (Pro Kit)
Bad welds wasted constraint time in the simulation; the cost of poor quality calculator and procedures help you catch defects earlier in a real process.
See the kit →Pro KitRun It Like a System (Pro Kit)
A scored process inventory, SIPOC and KPI tracker for mapping your own process and making the slowest step visible.
See the kit →AssessAll assessmentCritical Thinking and Problem Solving (AssessAll)
Measures rigorous thinking on hard, ambiguous problems, the same skill the simulation tests when the data is noisy.
Take the assessment →Bodhih TrainingCorporate training by Bodhih Training
For supervisors and improvement teams, pair the simulation with an instructor-led session, in person or live online.
Talk to Bodhih Training →Related simulations
How much is Bottleneck Factory for one person?
One person can buy Bottleneck Factory online for $12, with unlimited replays, the debrief and the credential at a score of 80 or more. Each simulation is bought separately.
What does it cost for a team, a plant or a college?
Seats cost $12 each, with volume tiers as the seat count grows. Up to 25 seats can be bought online. Above that, or for facilitated sessions and institution licences, request a quote; we activate the seats when it is agreed.
How long does a run take?
About 15 minutes for five shifts and the debrief. Your progress is saved if you need to stop.
What is included?
The simulation, a score out of 100 with three sub-scores mapped to the Bodhih Competency Spine, a debrief (what happened, why, what strong players do, the key concept and every station's true capacity), a company leaderboard place, and a credential at 80 or more.
Is it different every time?
Yes. Each play reseeds which station is the first constraint and which is next, which station is temperamental, the share of bad welds and when breakdowns happen, so you cannot simply remember the answer.
Is there a credential?
Score 80 or more to earn a Bottleneck Factory micro-sim credential, issued as an Open Badges 3.0 badge with a public verification page and an Add to LinkedIn button.
Which devices can I use?
Any modern web browser on a laptop, tablet or phone; nothing to install. The station table and charts are clearest on a laptop or tablet.
Does it connect to our LMS?
Yes. It launches through LTI 1.3 from Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard, D2L and similar platforms, with the score passed to your gradebook. It can also be a stage in a Bodhih learning pathway.
Who is it for?
Supervisors and line managers, operations and continuous improvement teams, managers of any process with a slowest step, and MBA or engineering students.
How is it different from reading about the theory of constraints?
Reading tells you to find the constraint. Here you have to find it in noisy data, decide where to spend, and live with the result while the constraint moves. It is narrower than a book on the method and much faster to feel.
What data do you keep?
We store your decisions and scores to run the simulation and show your debrief. The factory and its numbers are invented. Results stay within your organisation's account. Details at bodhih.org/privacy.
Can I try something free first, and what about refunds?
Try the free three-round Price War at /taste-arena, no sign-up, to see how Arena simulations work. Refund terms are at bodhih.org/refunds.
Find the slowest step before you spend another penny
In 15 minutes you will know whether you read a line from evidence or from the spec sheet. Release a modest first shift, find the station that sets the pace, and see how far you can push the whole line.
Want a feel for Arena first? Play the free 3-round Price War.
- Play it as often as you like for 12 months: every play is a new scenario
- A debrief after each play: what happened, why, and what strong players do
- A verifiable credential when you score 80 or more
- Scored on the server, mapped to the Bodhih Competency Spine
Not sure yet? Try the free 3-round Price War first, no sign-up.
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