Pacemaker Process

Any process within a value stream that sets the pace for the entire stream. (The pacemaker process should not be confused with a bottleneck process, which holds up processes downstream due to lack of capacity.) 

The pacemaker process is normally located near the customer portion of the value stream, often in the last assembly cell. However, if products are routed from an upstream process to the end in a FIFO sequence, the pacemaker may also be located in this upstream process.