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Kanban Concept
Kanban is a Japanese expression with its
origin in the cards used in Japanese companies to ask for components to
other teams of the same production line, and designates a method of mass
production, developed by Toyota Motor Company, applied to supplies
processes, production and distribution, following the Just-In-Time (JIT)
principles.
We can say that Kanban method is a method
that determines the productions from the search; in fact, the rhythm of
production is determined by the circulation rhythm of Kanban’s, which,
on the other end, is determined by the exit rhythm of the products
downstream the production flow.
Kanban’s method goals: We can identify as
main Kanban’s method goals the following:
- internally regulate the search
variations and the production volume in each section as a way to avoid
the transmission and expansion of these variations;
- minimize finished product stock
variations with the aim to reduce stock costs;
- decentralize the factory’s management,
creating conditions in order that direct supervisors play a role of
effective management of the production and stocks;
- produce the requested amounts in the
moment in which they are requested.
Kanban’s method application: By its
characteristics, the Kanban method can only be applied in repetitive
production systems, in which the products are standard and the
productions relatively stable, being mandatory that the production
process be organized in series.
Translated from Portuguese
by Susana Saraiva, Portuguese-English and English-Portuguese translation
specialist. Contact: spams@sapo.pt.
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