Just in Time
Kanban-an Integrated JIT System
1-0 INTRODUCTION
Japanese are good at manufacturing. Just ask any global producers of automobiles, copiers, or personal electronics what happened in the 1980s. They will probably tell you how the Japanese captured a large share of the global-market by creating world-class standards in design, materials, and management. What is often overlooked is the attempt to understand how the Japanese industry succeeds at the services that support the manufacturing process (Krajewski et al, 1987: 40). Within the production field, the Kanban process is the most significant of these services. The concept of time-based management is nothing new for managers outside of Japan and has been in practice for many years. However, the Kanban process involves more than just in time deliveries and inventory control. Briggs (1993: 29) notes that Kanban process components are the most 'exportable ' of Japanese techniques, but the complete process itself has not yet been successfully adopted outside Japan.
1-1 THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT
This report will focus on the interlinked components and features which constitute the Japanese Kanban process of time-based management. In addition, it will examine the potential for the successful implementation of the process into Australian manufacturing firms. Experience from the adoption of Kanban theories in North American manufacturers will serve as the foundation on which the Australian case is built upon.
2-0 THE JAPANESE KANBAN PROCESS- MORE THAN INTERNAL 'JUST IN TIME PRODUCTION ' TECHNIQUES
Most Japanese manufacturing companies view the making of a product as continuousfrom design, manufacture, and distribution to sales and customer service. For many Japanese companies the heart of this process is the Kanban, a Japanese term for "visual record", which directly or indirectly drives much of the manufacturing organization. It was originally developed at Toyota in the 1950s as a way of managing material
1-0 INTRODUCTION
Japanese are good at manufacturing. Just ask any global producers of automobiles, copiers, or personal electronics what happened in the 1980s. They will probably tell you how the Japanese captured a large share of the global-market by creating world-class standards in design, materials, and management. What is often overlooked is the attempt to understand how the Japanese industry succeeds at the services that support the manufacturing process (Krajewski et al, 1987: 40). Within the production field, the Kanban process is the most significant of these services. The concept of time-based management is nothing new for managers outside of Japan and has been in practice for many years. However, the Kanban process involves more than just in time deliveries and inventory control. Briggs (1993: 29) notes that Kanban process components are the most 'exportable ' of Japanese techniques, but the complete process itself has not yet been successfully adopted outside Japan.
1-1 THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT
This report will focus on the interlinked components and features which constitute the Japanese Kanban process of time-based management. In addition, it will examine the potential for the successful implementation of the process into Australian manufacturing firms. Experience from the adoption of Kanban theories in North American manufacturers will serve as the foundation on which the Australian case is built upon.
2-0 THE JAPANESE KANBAN PROCESS- MORE THAN INTERNAL 'JUST IN TIME PRODUCTION ' TECHNIQUES
Most Japanese manufacturing companies view the making of a product as continuousfrom design, manufacture, and distribution to sales and customer service. For many Japanese companies the heart of this process is the Kanban, a Japanese term for "visual record", which directly or indirectly drives much of the manufacturing organization. It was originally developed at Toyota in the 1950s as a way of managing material
Bibliography: Berkley, Blair J. and Ali S.Kiran. (1991) "A simulation study of sequencing rules in a Kanban-controlled flow shop." Decision Sciences, July-August v22 n3 p559(24) Co, Henry C. and Jacobson, Sheldon H. (1994) "The Kanban assignment problem in serial just-in-time production systems." IIE Transactions, March v26 n2 p76(10). GM Brazil 's unique material handling solution. (1992) Industrial Engineering, April v24 n4 p29(1). Muckstadt, John A. and Sridhar R. Tayur. (1995) "Background and structural results. A Comparison of Alternative Kanban Control Mechanisms. IIE Transactions, April v27 n2 p140(11). Samitt, Mark D. and Barry, Al. (1993) "Mixed model operations: solving the manufacturing puzzle." Industrial Engineering, August 1993 v25 n8 p46(4).