Kanban Production System
You might not be familiar with the word Kanban but you are probably familiar with the process. Many businesses and homes already use an organization system that is loosely based on Kanban without even knowing it. Simply put, Kanban is an organizational system. The point of this, and really any organizing system, is to keep products running in an even manner. Kanban is a way of providing signals so that the process of maintaining inventory is simplified.
The word Kanban comes from the Japanese and means billboard or signboard. This word is used because Kanban relies heavily on cards that are used as markers for moving and replacing inventory. The whole system centers around these visual cues that help you maintain inventory at the proper levels so that you never keep to much or too little of your products or materials in stock. In order to use Kanban effectively it is important to understand a few other concepts related to it.
Kanban is an inventory system that is normally integrated with Kaizen and 5S. Kaizen, is also a Japanese creation, the word means continuous improvement. Companies that use the Kaizen system are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve their operational functions. In some companies there are teams of people whose job is to find ways to cut costs and improve working conditions. In a Kaizen system this is a job for every employee. Successful Japanese businesses like Canon and Toyota use this system. They ask that every employee suggest ways to improve the company on a regular basis. They mean every employee too, whether it is the janitor or members of upper management, all suggestions are taken under consideration.
When these companies ask for suggestions they expect, and get them on every aspect of their business. Someone working on the production line may have a marketing idea or someone in marketing a production idea. The ideas are not limited to big changes; they can be little improvements that help how the business runs overall. In America we tend to run our lives in a mentality of “do not fix what isn’t broken” whereas the Kaizen system is based on the idea of “doing things better, improving even if it is not broken so that we can compete with those who do.”
1. Sort - Sorting is the process of going through each work area and getting rid of any equipment, tools, or other materials that are not often used. These excess things will be moved to a storage area or discarded. The result is to have a much cleaner work area that is not just aesthetically pleasing, but easier to maintain. It improves employee safety, and lessens the chance of confusion and wasted time.
2. Set In Order - This second step is all about organization. Examine your work area and see to it that everything has a place. Set out to label spots for materials so that they are easy to identify and locate. If your work area is in production, paint or clean as necessary and mark out lanes for work areas, storage, and finished products.
3. Sweep - This step is an ongoing cleaning of your work area. Since you have taken the time to organize everything neatly you will want to ensure that it remains that way. Set up a schedule for regular and daily cleaning so that you leave each day with your work area in the same condition as when you started. You should also inspect equipment and tools for damage or leaks, this way you can fix the problems while they are still minor.
4. Standardize - One of the ways to make sure you and your employees do not fall back into old habits is to standardize the way things are done. You might consider making posters that direct employees to the new standard of maintaining their work areas so they are less likely to revert to old habits.
5. Sustain - This might be the most difficult step in the program, sustainment. The best way to maintain the previous steps is to have a formal way to monitor the results of your effort. You must continually educate employees on keeping up with the standards and adjusting to any changes.
