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Kanban
scheduling systems operate like supermarkets.
A small
stock of every item
sits in a dedicated location with a fixed space allocation.
Customers come to the store and visually select items. An
electronic signal
goes to the supermarket's regional warehouse detailing which
items have sold. The warehouse prepares a (usually) daily replenishment
of the exact items sold.
In
modern supermarkets Kanban signals
come from checkout scanners. They travel electronically (usually
once a day) to the warehouse. Smaller stores still use visual
systems. Here, a clerk walks the aisles daily. From empty spaces
he deduces what sold and orders replacements. |
Another
variation is the bread truck.
Here drivers follow a fixed route from store to store. They have
a supply of bakery items in their truck. At each stop, they
examine the stock and replenish what has been sold.
Kanban
scheduling in manufacturing works in the same way. The essential
elements of a system are:
-
Stockpoint(s)
-
A
Withdrawal Signal
-
Immediate
Feedback
-
Frequent
Replenishment
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