What needs to be discussed in order to set a kanban system:
- Order distribution by model (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly)
- The delivery time they ask for, or that you can give (the time that passes between the kanban card reaching you — the signal arriving — and your producing and delivering the required goods)
- Pack or container quantities (the quantity that will correspond to one card)
- Order deviations (determined in the light of the data in item 1)
What needs to be determined in the light of these data:
- The total number of cards for each model is calculated with the help of the delivery time, which is calculated on the basis of model-change times.
- The point at which production starts is determined.
Other points to watch:
- A pull system also has to be set up as a basis. That is, while working with a kanban system from the end of the line, the points that feed the line must also work with kanban. Otherwise kanban does not work, and it ceases to be kanban.
- If the total of the changeover time required each day for each model exceeds 10% of the total working time, work to reduce the model-change time should be done, or working with kanban should be given up.
- A final tip: "While you are still inexperienced, a little stock is better than production stopping."