Kanban in manufacturing originated in World War II where it was used in the manufacturing of Spitfires for the Royal Air Force in the UK. Then it was known as the two-bin system. After the war, the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota looked at how supermarkets stocked only what they expected to sell at a given time. This led to improvements in manufacturing efficiency.
Kanban in manufacturing and production has many uses, which we detail below, as well as how it relates to lean and just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing. To further illustrate kanban in manufacturing, we’ll show a visual example of it at work and outline the key advantages of using this scheduling system as well as how project management software can advance its benefits.
What Is Kanban?
Kanban is a visual method for managing workflow and production. It’s a Japanese word that means billboard as it looks like a board with cards attached. It’s a flexible scheduling system that can be applied to manufacturing, agile, DevOps and virtually any repeatable process. Kanban can also be used as an inventory control system used in just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing, which limits the buildup of excess inventory. Done properly, kanban can reduce expenses, improve customer satisfaction, create more efficient processes and limit risk.
At its most basic level, it’s a board that’s divided into columns of to do, doing and done. On this board are cards that represent specific tasks. The kanban cards move across the kanban board as they go from one production stage to the next. This provides a visual representation of where the work is and helps managers identify potential roadblocks and remove them before they hinder progress.
Kanban boards can be actual boards with paper kanban cards pinned to them and physically moved from column to column as work is completed. They can be displayed in the workplace to provide everyone with a visual representation of where they are in the manufacturing process, which serves both those doing the work as well as sales informing customers on delivery dates and procurement, ensuring there’s always enough inventory to keep producing.
Digitalizing kanban boards has only increased their ability to limit the buildup of excess inventory throughout production. Many project management software products have kanban features. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with robust kanban boards that can manage tasks and workflows more efficiently. Images and documents can be attached to kanban cards, which can also have descriptions, subtasks, tags, priority, planned start, duration, due dates and more. Visual workflows make it easy to identify bottlenecks and custom workflows can be made with automation features to streamline manual, repetitive work. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
Key Uses of Kanban in Manufacturing and Production
The kanban board gained popularity in manufacturing and production due to its ability to help reduce waste and increase production process efficiency. Therefore, kanban in manufacturing can be applied to various aspects of the work. We listed some key uses of kanban in manufacturing and production below.
Kanban Inventory Management
Using kanban in manufacturing can help maintain the optimal production inventory levels. It does this by signaling when inventory needs to be produced or ordered. By doing this, inventory levels are never too high or too low. This has multiple benefits, such as saving money, improving cash flow and reducing waste with kanban in manufacturing. This helps reduce overstocking items, which add to warehouse costs, or understocking, which can disrupt production. Our free inventory template for Excel can help you manage your production inventory.
Order Management
Kanban gives a visual overview of the ordering and procurement process. It shows who’s working on what and its latest status. Just as with inventory, when an item is running low, the person using the parts can make up the order for the amount needed, which is sent to the supplier who provides the requested amount.
Task Management
Kanban systems are a visual workflow management tool and in that capacity, they give project managers visibility into the team’s work, which allows them to track their team’s progress in completing that work. It also limits work-in-progress, which permits teams to focus on only critical tasks and maximize efficiency or flow. This allows project teams to execute their tasks faster.
Workflow Management
Kanban workflows are a step-by-step process of the life cycle of a task, from start to finish. This is illustrated with the simple kanban workflow of three columns on the boards: to do, doing and done. The kanban cards, which represent the tasks, then move sequentially from the first state to the last. Kanban in manufacturing can use workflow as a visual process management system for continuous delivery and production planning.
Supply Chain Management
Kanban systems can also be used to create supply chain visibility for both suppliers and buyers. As noted, it limits the buildup of excess inventory throughout the production line. It also limits the number of items waiting at supply points and reduces inefficiencies by identifying and removing them.
Kanban & Lean Manufacturing
As we’ve learned, kanban is about visualizing workflow, limiting the work-in-progress, managing workflows to reduce bottlenecks, defining and sharing work, using feedback loops to improve processes and working collaboratively.
Lean manufacturing is a methodology that focuses on minimizing waste and maximizing productivity. Waste is defined as anything the customer doesn’t think adds value and, therefore, is unwilling to pay for.
Kanban and lean manufacturing share goals and values, but there are key differences between the two. Kanban is a more flexible approach and less prescription than lean. It doesn’t prescribe any specific roles, ceremonies or artifacts. Kanban is more focused on flow, while lean is concerned with value.
That’s why kanban is better used in complex and unpredictable situations, while lean is more suited for simple and stable work. Kanban can handle changing priorities and dependencies, but lean needs a clear and stable value stream.
Kanban & Just-In-Time Manufacturing (JIT)
Kanban is used in just-in-time manufacturing. It’s used to control the work-in-progress production and inventory movement. It also helps to eliminate manufacturing waste due to overproduction.
Just-in-time manufacturing is a form of inventory management where manufacturers work closely with suppliers so that raw materials arrive as production is scheduled to begin, not sooner. This keeps a minimum of inventory on hand to meet demand.
Kanban is often used as a scheduling system with JIT to avoid over-capacity of work-in-progress. But they’re not the same thing. Just-in-time is about timing and reducing inventory to only what’s necessary, while the kanban method helps manage the flow of materials and tasks for efficient production processes.
Manufacturing Kanban Board Example
To better understand kanban in manufacturing, let’s look at an example. This is a simple example, with the kanban board divided into four columns: to do, doing, ready for inspection and done. The first column deals with stakeholder feedback, pre-production and supply chain sourcing, among other things.
The next column is for work that’s in progress. Here, that’s design work, prototyping and testing. When that work has been completed, those task cards will be moved into the next column, which is where they’re inspected to ensure they meet product requirements.
The last column is the done column. When a task such as stakeholder feedback is completed, it’s moved to this column. This allows managers to track the progress of the work and ensure that it’s on schedule and there aren’t roadblocks to prevent the expected flow.
Kanban Board Template for Excel
Sometimes the best way to understand a tool is to use it. While kanban boards are best experienced in project management software products, Excel templates mimic the visual workflow of kanban boards, though admittedly not as seamlessly as when digitized.
Download a free kanban board template for Excel to try out this powerful workflow tool. It is a fully customizable template with kanban columns and cards, which describe the task, who’s assigned to it and when it’s due.
Benefits of Using Kanban in Manufacturing
By this point, the advantages of using kanban in manufacturing should be clear. However, it doesn’t hurt to reiterate those benefits, which we outline below.
Manage Work-In-Progress (WIP)
Kanban systems help limit work by setting a maximum limit for the number of items or tasks in progress at each stage of the manufacturing process. This is one of how kanban in manufacturing increases efficiency and keeps the team focused on specific tasks.
Plan, Track and Automate Workflows
Visualizing the project plan on kanban boards clarifies what’s being done when and by whom. It also provides transparency into that process for managers, who can then track progress and identify and resolve bottlenecks before they become an issue. Also, you can use kanban workflow automation features to streamline task management processes and keep teams working efficiently.
Faster Turnaround Time
Kanban in manufacturing improves efficiency by reducing waste, minimizing lead times and optimizing inventory. Products are produced faster and can get into the hands of customers faster. As noted, kanban systems can also identify and analyze bottlenecks in the workflow, which leads to improvements and faster turnaround times.
How ProjectManager Helps With Manufacturing
The kanban template is a fine tool to familiarize oneself with how a kanban system works, but it’s limited in terms of its use. Kanban software, on the other hand, is ideal for using kanban in manufacturing. But all kanban software tools are not the same. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with kanban boards that can streamline one or multiple projects. Use automated and custom workflows to reduce waste and task approval settings to ensure quality.
Create a Production Schedule With Gantt Charts
Kanban boards are only one of the multiple project views available with our tool. Kanban boards are great for managing workflow, but scheduling production requires a different approach. Use robust Gantt charts to schedule production, link all four types of task dependencies to avoid costly delays and filter for the critical path to identify essential tasks that must be completed to deliver quality products. Then set a baseline, which allows users to monitor planned progress and costs against actual progress and costs to keep on track.
Track Costs and Resource Utilization With Real-Time Dashboards
Once a baseline has been set for the production schedule, the project variance can be tracked across the software. Just toggle over to the real-time dashboards, which automatically collect live data and display it on easy-to-read graphs and charts showing time, cost, workload and more. For more detailed insights, use customizable reports such as status, portfolio, timesheets, workload, variance and more.
Related Kanban Content
Kanban in manufacturing is a small part of how kanban boards and cards are used for managing a project, its workflow and tasks. ProjectManager’s website publishes multiple weekly blogs, free guides, videos and templates that address every aspect of project management across industries. Here are a few kanban-related pieces.
Best Kanban Software: Free & Paid Alternatives Ranked
How to Make an Ideal Kanban Workflow for Your Team
Gantt Chart vs. Kanban Board: Pros, Cons, Similarities & Differences
ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, on the factory floor or anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
制造业中的看板起源于第二次世界大战,它被用于英国皇家空军的喷火式战斗机的制造。当时,它被称为双仓系统。战后,日本汽车制造商丰田公司研究了超市如何只储备他们在给定时间内预期销售的产品。这导致了制造效率的提高。
看板在制造和生产中有许多用途,我们在下面详细介绍,以及它如何与精益和准时制(JIT)制造相关。为了进一步说明看板在制造业中的应用,我们将展示一个可视化的工作示例,并概述使用此调度系统的主要优势以及项目管理软件如何提高其优势。
什么是看板?
看板是一种管理工作流程和生产的可视化方法。这是一个日语单词,意思是广告牌,因为它看起来像一个板与卡连接。它是一个灵活的调度系统,可应用于制造、敏捷、DevOps和几乎任何可重复的流程。看板也可以用作即时(JIT)制造中使用的库存控制系统,它限制了过剩库存的积累。如果处理得当,看板可以减少开支,提高客户满意度,创建更有效的流程并限制风险。
在最基本的层面上,它是一个板,分为栏做,做和做。在这个板上是代表特定任务的卡片。看板卡从一个生产阶段进入下一个生产阶段时,会在看板板上移动。这提供了一个可视化的工作表示,并帮助管理人员识别潜在的障碍,并在它们阻碍进展之前将其消除。
看板板可以是实际的板,纸看板卡钉在上面,并在工作完成时从一列移动到另一列。它们可以显示在工作场所,为每个人提供他们在制造过程中所处位置的视觉表示,这既可以服务于那些做工作的人,也可以服务于销售人员,告知客户交货日期和采购情况,确保始终有足够的库存来保持生产。
数字化看板只会增加他们在整个生产过程中限制过剩库存的能力。许多项目管理软件产品都具有看板功能。ProjectManager是屡获殊荣的项目和投资组合管理软件,具有强大的看板,可以更有效地管理任务和工作流程。图像和文档可以附加到看板卡上,看板卡还可以包含描述、子任务、标签、优先级、计划开始、持续时间、到期日等。可视化工作流可以轻松识别瓶颈,并且可以使用自动化功能来创建自定义工作流,以简化手动重复工作。立即免费开始使用ProjectManager。
看板在制造和生产中的主要用途
看板板在制造和生产中受到欢迎,因为它能够帮助减少浪费并提高生产过程效率。因此,看板在制造业中可以应用到工作的各个方面。我们在下面列出了看板在制造和生产中的一些关键用途。
看板库存管理
在制造业中使用看板可以帮助保持最佳的生产库存水平。它通过在需要生产或订购库存时发出信号来做到这一点。通过这样做,库存水平永远不会太高或太低。这有多种好处,例如节省资金,改善现金流,减少制造业中的看板浪费。这有助于减少增加仓库成本的积压物品,或可能扰乱生产的库存不足。我们免费的Excel库存模板可以帮助您管理生产库存。
订单管理
看板提供了订购和采购流程的视觉概览。它显示了谁在做什么以及它的最新状态。就像库存一样,当一个项目快用完时,使用零件的人可以补足所需数量的订单,然后将订单发送给提供所需数量的供应商。
任务管理
看板系统是一种可视化的工作流管理工具,在这种能力下,它们使项目经理能够看到团队的工作,这使他们能够跟踪团队完成工作的进度。它还限制了正在进行的工作,这允许团队只关注关键任务,并最大限度地提高效率或流程。这使项目团队能够更快地执行任务。
工作流管理
看板工作流是一个任务生命周期的逐步过程,从开始到结束。这可以用看板上三列的简单看板工作流程来说明:to do,doing和done。然后,代表任务的看板卡按顺序从第一个状态移动到最后一个状态。看板在制造业中可以使用工作流作为一个可视化的过程管理系统,用于连续交付和生产计划。
供应链管理
看板系统还可以用于为供应商和买家创建供应链可见性。如前所述,它限制了整个生产线上过剩库存的积累。它还限制了在供应点等待的物品数量,并通过识别和删除它们来减少效率低下的情况。
看板与精益生产
正如我们所了解的,看板是关于可视化工作流程,限制正在进行的工作,管理工作流程以减少瓶颈,定义和共享工作,使用反馈循环来改进流程和协作工作。
精益生产是一种注重减少浪费和提高生产率的方法。浪费被定义为任何客户不认为增加价值,因此不愿意支付的东西。
看板和精益生产有着共同的目标和价值观,但两者之间有着关键的区别。看板是一种更灵活的方法,比精益更少的处方。它没有规定任何特定的角色,仪式或文物。看板更关注流程,而精益关注的是价值。
这就是为什么看板更好地用于复杂和不可预测的情况,而精益更适合简单和稳定的工作。看板可以处理不断变化的优先级和依赖关系,但精益需要一个清晰稳定的价值流。
看板和准时制生产(JIT)
看板用于即时生产。它用于控制在制品生产和库存移动。它还有助于消除生产过剩造成的制造浪费。
准时制制造是一种库存管理形式,制造商与供应商密切合作,以便原材料在生产计划开始时到达,而不是更早。这使库存保持在最低水平以满足需求。
看板通常被用作JIT的调度系统,以避免在制品的产能过剩。但它们不是一回事。准时制是关于时间和减少库存,只有什么是必要的,而看板方法有助于管理物料和任务的流动,以提高生产流程的效率。
制造看板板示例
为了更好地理解制造业中的看板,让我们看一个例子。这是一个简单的例子,看板分为四列:要做的,正在做的,准备检查和完成。第一列涉及利益相关者的反馈,预生产和供应链采购等。
下一列是正在进行的工作。在这里,这是设计工作,原型和测试。当这项工作完成后,这些任务卡将被移动到下一列,在那里它们被检查以确保它们满足产品需求。
最后一列是完成列。当一项任务(如涉众反馈)完成后,它将被移到此列。这使管理人员能够跟踪工作的进度,并确保它按计划进行,并且没有障碍来阻止预期的流程。
Excel看板模板
有时候,理解一个工具的最好方法就是使用它。虽然看板在项目管理软件产品中体验最好,但Excel模板模仿看板的可视化工作流程,尽管不可否认的是不像数字化时那样无缝。
下载一个免费的Excel看板模板来试用这个强大的工作流工具。它是一个完全可定制的模板,包含看板列和卡片,描述了任务、分配给谁以及何时到期。
在制造业中使用看板的好处
至此,在制造业中使用看板的优势应该是显而易见的。然而,重申这些好处并没有什么坏处,我们在下面概述了这些好处。
管理正在进行的工作(Oracle)
看板系统通过在制造过程的每个阶段为正在进行的项目或任务的数量设置最大限制来帮助限制工作。这是制造业中看板提高效率并使团队专注于特定任务的方式之一。
计划、跟踪和自动化工作流程
将项目计划可视化在看板上,可以明确什么时候由谁来做什么。它还为管理人员提供了这一过程的透明度,管理人员可以跟踪进展情况,在瓶颈成为问题之前发现和解决瓶颈。此外,您还可以使用看板工作流自动化功能来简化任务管理流程,并保持团队高效工作。
更快的周转时间
制造业中的看板通过减少浪费、缩短交货时间和优化库存来提高效率。产品生产更快,可以更快地到达客户手中。如前所述,看板系统还可以识别和分析工作流程中的瓶颈,这将导致改进和更快的周转时间。
ProjectManager如何帮助制造业
看板模板是熟悉看板系统如何工作的好工具,但它的使用受到限制。另一方面,看板软件是在制造业中使用看板的理想选择。但所有的看板软件工具并不相同。ProjectManager是一款屡获殊荣的项目和投资组合管理软件,其看板可以简化一个或多个项目。使用自动化和自定义工作流来减少浪费,并使用任务审批设置来确保质量。
使用生产计划图表创建生产计划
看板只是我们工具提供的多个项目视图之一。看板板非常适合管理工作流程,但调度生产需要不同的方法。使用强大的流程图来安排生产,链接所有四种类型的任务依赖关系,以避免代价高昂的延迟,并过滤关键路径,以确定必须完成的基本任务,以提供优质的产品。然后设置一个基线,允许用户根据实际进度和成本监控计划进度和成本,以保持跟踪。
使用实时仪表板跟踪成本和资源利用率
一旦为生产进度设置了基线,就可以在整个软件中跟踪项目差异。只需切换到实时仪表板,它会自动收集实时数据,并将其显示在易于阅读的图形和图表上,显示时间、成本、工作量等。要获得更详细的见解,请使用可自定义的报告,如状态、投资组合、时间表、工作负载、差异等。
相关看板内容
制造业中的看板是如何使用看板板和卡片来管理项目,其工作流程和任务的一小部分。ProjectManager的网站每周发布多个博客、免费指南、视频和模板,解决各个行业项目管理的各个方面。这里有一些与Kanban相关的文章。
最佳看板软件:免费和付费替代品排名
如何为您的团队制定理想的看板工作流程
看板图与看板板:优点,缺点,相似性和差异
ProjectManager是一款在线项目和投资组合管理软件,它可以将团队连接起来,无论他们是在办公室、工厂车间还是在两者之间的任何地方。他们可以共享文件,在任务级别发表评论,并通过电子邮件和应用内通知保持更新。加入安飞士、雀巢和西门子的团队,使用我们的软件交付成功的项目。立即免费开始使用ProjectManager。
以上中文文本为机器翻译,存在不同程度偏差和错误,请理解并参考英文原文阅读。
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