Kanban Program

Lean Manufacturing

The concept of pull in lean production means to respond to the pull, or demand, of the customer. We have designed our operation to respond to the requirements of you the customer. This enables us to produce to the pull of customer and we no longer need to manufacture goods that traditional batch-and-queue manufacturers must rely on. The planning for delivery of product to the customer is less troublesome, and demand becomes more stable when you have confidence in knowing that you can get your parts when you want them.

Kanban

Kanban is a Japanese word that means "instruction card". Kanbans are manual pull devices that allow an efficient means to transfer parts from one department to another and automatically reorder products using minimum/maximum inventory levels. A Kanban is a signal, such as an empty container returned to the start of the assembly line that signals the need for replenishment of materials to a user.>

Kanbans are used in "pull" manufacturing systems, where product is manufactured to the pull of market-driven demand. Kanban systems are convenient and easy to use. Pull systems react to needs, they don't anticipate them. Successfully deployed Kanbans deliver the right amount of material to the right place exactly when it is needed. Great speed can be achieved in manufacturing, and product is not manufactured when a need does not exist. A kanban or pull system means providing the workers with what they need when they need it - tools, software, capital equipment, access, feedback, or the opportunity to participate.