Introduction:
A Kan-ban is a card containing all the information required to be done on a product
at each stage along its path to completion and which parts are needed at subsequent
processes.
These cards are used to control work-in-progress (W.I.P.), production, and inventory
flow. A Kan-ban System allows a company to use Just-In-Time (J.I.T) Production
and Ordering Systems that allow them to minimize their inventories while still satisfying
customer demands.
A Kan-ban System consists of a set of these cards, with one being allocated for
each part being manufactured, that travel between preceding and subsequent
processes.
Kanban System
The Kanban System was developed (more than 20 years ago), by Mr. Taiichi Ohno,
a vice president of Toyota, to achieve objectives that include [4]:
1. Reducing costs by eliminating waste/scrap
2. Try to create work sites that can respond to changes quickly
3. Facilitate the methods of achieving and assuring quality control
4. Design work sites according to human dignity, mutual trust and support, and
allowing workers to reach their maximum potential.
Why Kanban?
Kanban is Lean and has been around for 50 years and has shown to be successful.
Things are seen as a flow without iterations. Not many rules. It's just a focus on
reducing work in progress, strict prioritization and limiting demand after capacity.
Besides that you have the normal Lean principles of:
Quality
Just-in-time (decisions and facts just when they are needed)
Short lead-time (quickly from concept to cash),
Kaizen (continuous improvement)
Minimizing waste (everything that is not adding value to the customer)
No meetings if it's not adding value to the customer. Most of those things are fine
with Scrum but I can sometimes think Scrum has some waste. Here I will mention
some areas where Scrum practices might be waste.
Constant flow
If the team is done with a story and there is not enough time left in the sprint to
complete the next, it's likely no one works hard the remaining time and that's waste.
Kanban is trying to get a steady and non-stressed but high flow of work running
through development.
No possibility to commit
In Scrum, the team commits which does not work very well for a team with support
issues. They get a lot of disturbance and commitment is not worth
Most important are the urgent problems that arise. Secondly, daily duties must be
done. Then the team members can take care of other projects, usually to improve
stability in the operation environment. The limitation on the number of parallel tasks
gives focus to be done working on improvements, not just starting them.
Kanban cards, in keeping with the principles of kanban, simply convey the need for
more materials. A red card lying in an empty parts cart conveys that more parts are
needed. Different types of kanban cards are:
The two most common types of Kan-bans used today are:
1. Withdrawal (Conveyance) Kan-ban
2. Production Kan-ban
Withdrawal (Conveyance) Kan-ban
The main function of a withdrawal Kan-ban is to pass the authorization for the
movement of parts from one stage to another.
Once it gets the parts from the preceding process and moves them to the next
process, remaining with the parts until the last part has been consumed by the next
process.
The withdrawal Kanban then travels back to the preceding process to get parts thus
creating the cycle.
A withdrawal Kanban usually carries the following information:
1. Part number
2. Part name
3. Lot size
4. Routing process
5. Name of the next process
6. Location of the next process
7. Name of the preceding process
8. Location of the preceding process
9. Container type
Express Kanbans
Express kanban come into play when unexpected shortages of parts occur, to signal
the need for more of a particular part so that the manufacturing process does not
slow down. These are also sometimes known as signal kanban. Essentially, they are
used to trigger purchases.
Through-Kanban
Through kanban are a combination of withdrawal and production kanban, and are used
when the two work centers for these kanban are located side-by-side, in order to
speed up production. For instance, if the storage area for components is right next to
the place where the product is assembled, having a single kanban to pull the parts
and run them through the production process saves time.
Common-Kanban
1Where a withdrawal kanban is used as a production ordering kanban if the distance
between two processes is very short and share the same supervisor.
Emergency-Kanban
Emergency kanban are used to replace defective parts or to signal a sudden change
in the amount of product that needs to be produced. Unlike express kanban,
emergency kanban are used when a part does not work like it is supposed to or
when the conditions of production change; express kanban, on the other hand, are
used to keep the original production conditions running smoothly.
immediately to the customer. The CONWIP system requiring the batch to be processed
through the entire factory.
However in my experience the CONWIP system still dramatically reduces lead times if
you apply the other principles of JIT such as set up reduction through SMED and
batch size reduction. Limiting the sizes of batches to be passed between processes
you gain significant savings.
4. Time Based Kanban
The Kanbans discussed above are very much based upon usage therefore quantity,
however we often have use a hybrid timed version of Kanban with some of our
suppliers, normally suppliers of fasteners and the like. In this version the supplier
visits on a regular basis to replenish whatever products have been used. The levels
of stock being decided by likely maximum usage between visits.
Typically these are multiple bin type systems but with the bins topped up at regular
intervals by the supplier. They often have multiple locations within your facility and
your operators will just help themselves to full bins after returning the empties for
replenishment.
The less often the supplier visits to replenish the larger levels of stock that you need
to hold. You also have to trust the supplier with regards to their honesty in informing
you what has actually been used.
Measure the lead time (average time to complete one item, sometimes called
cycle time), optimize the process to make lead time as small and predictable
as possible.
This is a direct implementation of a lean pull scheduling system.
Reduce Inventory
Kanban will reduce inventory, on average, by 25 to 75%. This saves any
company significantly in terms of rent, electricity, and storage space.
In addition, all of the space freed by the implementation of a kanban system
can be used for future expansions or new opportunities
Improve work flow
The visually organized environment ensures all parts are easily found and
continually stocked.
The speed of moving from one task to another is significantly reduced by the
creation of clearly marked flow lanes, kanban cards, and clearly marked labels.
Prevent Overproduction
Because parts are only created at the visual signal by the kanban label (link),
inventory is much less likely to be overproduced. Resulting in significant savings
in the holding of stock.
Improves responsiveness to changes in demand
Unlike a predictive system, kanban immediately reacts to the environment. By
responding to clearly and easily read kanban cards the lag time between a
shift in demand and a shift in production is almost non-existent.
Minimize risk of obsolete inventory, because inventory is only created as it is
needed.
Preference:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanban
2. Www.Slideshare.com
3. http://www.lean-manufacturing-junction.com/kanban.html
4. http://leanman.hubpages.com/hub/Kanban-Cards#
5. http://www.ehow.com/list_7462251_types-kanban-cards.html