Kanban that survives dust

Cards that stay readable

Paper cards in a dusty workshop become unreadable in weeks. Use laminated cards or cards in plastic sleeves, written in permanent marker. Keep them in a closed pocket on the front of the bin.

One card per part

Each part gets a card with the part name, the machine it fits, the reorder quantity and where to order. When the last but one is used, the card goes into the reorder pocket.

Weekly count

Once a week, one named person checks the reorder pocket and sends the order. If nobody owns it, kanban turns into a box of cards nobody reads.

The slip we see most

Using the last part and leaving the card in the bin.

How you know it is working

The bin has stock every time someone opens it, and orders go out once a week.

Written by Nadia Pillay, Training Manager. Nadia designs the training cell days and the college tray systems.