One-piece flow (also known as continuous flow manufacturing) is a technique used to manufacture components in a cellular environment. The cell is an area where everything that is needed to process the part is within easy reach, and no part is allowed to go to the next operation until the previous operation has been completed.

The goals of one-piece flow is to make one part at a time correctly all the time to achieve this without unplanned interruptions to achieve this without lengthy queue times. By utilising one piece flow the following actions are noted:

• Tasks are reduced to their simplest components.
• Opportunities for machine or operator error are reduced.
• There is a continuous flow of activity between the shop operators and manufactured product.
• This is a generative manufacturing method created to continuously increase output, improve quality, and grow sales and profits, without the need for constantly enlarging production or support staff.
• One-piece flow is an extremely efficient way to manufacture goods, provided the correct physical structures have been set up to support its particular needs.