Kanban (看板) (signboard or billboard in Japanese) is a scheduling system for lean manufacturing and just-in-time manufacturing (JIT). It uses visual signage to control the flow of materials during a process. Taiichi Ohno, an industrial engineer at Toyota, developed kanban to improve manufacturing efficiency. He observed the way American supermarkets stocked only what they needed, restocking only when they needed to. This led to producing just enough, rather than overproducing. This idea was not totally accepted at first as people were used to having extra material on hand even when they didn’t need it. As the efficiency of Kanban became apparent, production became reduced to only what was needed based on customer demand. Kanban became the system for controlling this type of production, originating in the 1940s.
Common problems:
……so how will Kanban help you in the food processing industry?
The Kanban Method allows a processing facility to visualize its production workflow. Consequently, companies will reduce inefficiencies and achieve goals easily. Following is steps you can take to implement Kanban methodology into your production facility:
Create a clear mental picture of the whole production process
Drawing the process can help to create a clear visual
Where is the process smooth and where does it need to be improved?
Splitting tasks so that each person is responsible for one job, will help employees to concentrate and maximize their output
The success of Kanban revolves around WIP (Work in Progress) – the single tasks will increase productivity to the next level.
Monitor the production process flow, analyze the drawbacks, and finally implement the desired changes. Control charts or cumulative flow diagrams can be useful in measuring a workflow.
When rules are defined and everyone understands their role in the production flow, each person can then make result orientated decisions.