KANBAN Systems

Kanban has traditionally been a card system containing all the information required to be done on a product. At each stage along the production line, it is used to signify when parts replenishment is needed at the various processes. It is used to control work-in-process (W.I.P.), production, and inventory flow. A Kanban System allows a company to use Just-In-Time (J.I.T) Production and Ordering Systems which allow them to minimize their inventories while still satisfying customer demands.

Ahearn & Soper offers Wireless Kanban solutions using 802.11b networks that instantly signal when parts replenishment is needed on a production line. Visual light displays signal the urgency and time lag of the request. Because the systems are wireless, they can be easily moved to accommodate a changing production environment. Real-time data processing eliminates both the need for a runner and the delay associated with it. In addition, a software interface allows management to visual measure production output.

Kanban is a simple-to-operate control system, which offers the opportunity to delegate routine material transactions on the shop floor. A number of attractive qualities contribute to the growing popularity of Kanban control. Kanban is simple (mechanically) and relatively inexpensive to implement and operate. Simply determining the quantity and location of Kanbans controls the amount of inventory. It is a distributed control system, where complex system behavior is controlled by simple local rules. Visual controls provide a direct form of communication and make clear what must be done by managers, supervisors, and operators.

The concept behind a Kanban system is to reduce costs in high volume production lines. One way to do this is to smooth and balance material flows by means of controlled inventories. A Kanban system allows an organization to reduce production lead time which in turn reduces the amount of inventory required.

The Kanban System was developed (more than 20 years ago), by Mr. Taiichi Ohno, a vice president of Toyota, to achieve objectives that include reducing costs by eliminating waste/scrap, try to create work sites that can respond to changes quickly, facilitate the methods of achieving and assuring quality control, design work sites according to human dignity, mutual trust and support, and allowing workers to reach their maximum potential.