{"id":381,"date":"2007-04-12T13:15:50","date_gmt":"2007-04-12T20:15:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/381\/kanban-types-and-analytical-sizing"},"modified":"2014-09-23T15:07:32","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T20:07:32","slug":"kanban-types-and-analytical-sizing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/kanban-types-and-analytical-sizing\/381\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many Kanban Cards are Needed: Kanban Types and Analytical Sizing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"a296a24fa2fc69ef5487857f02f111e8\" data-index=\"9\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Single Post readerboard -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8207522353004717\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"1144967431\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>Unlike traditional &#8220;push&#8221; systems, where material is moved downstream according to a schedule, or simply &#8220;shoved&#8221; downstream even when the downstream partner is not ready for it, a &#8220;pull&#8221; system encourages and almost forces cooperation, from a systems perspective.\u00a0 &#8220;Push&#8221; also causes congestion, which grows exponentially as more items enter the <a title=\"queueing theory\" href=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/queueing-theory\/\">queue<\/a>.\u00a0 Aside from cooperation and coordination, a <a title=\"one piece flow, pull system example using peanut butter and jelly sandwiches\" href=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/batch-and-queue-or-single-piece-flow\/270\/\">&#8220;pull&#8221; system<\/a> also eliminates overproduction, underproduction, work-in-process, and inventory.\u00a0 One key element that encourages &#8220;pull&#8221; in a system is the Kanban.<\/p>\n<p>A Kanban is a low-tech, visual card that authorizes or request movement of material or process.\u00a0\u00a0 It acts as a signaling system that notifies a supply partner that something is needed, and the amount needed.\u00a0 Below is an example of a Kanban:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14855\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-card-example-manufacturing.jpg\" alt=\"kanban card example used in manufacturing operations\" width=\"500\" height=\"219\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-card-example-manufacturing.jpg 500w, https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-card-example-manufacturing-300x131.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<p>Notice that this Kanban is simple and very low-tech.\u00a0 Yet, it powerfully enforces &#8220;pull&#8221; and coordination within a system.<\/p>\n<p>Note that there are <a title=\"several types of kanbans and kanban calculator\" href=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/kanban-card-template-tutorial-video-download\/14337\/\">several types of Kanbans<\/a>, or signaling systems, and variants also.\u00a0 There are withdrawal Kanbans, production Kanbans, rack Kanbans, Kanban squares, and Kanban bins (post office),\u00a0 All of which reinforce the fact that something is needed and the Kanban is the signal that notifies.<\/p>\n<p>At one location where I spent some time, there was a Kanban binning system (post office), which looks something like the image below:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14856\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-leveling-size.jpg\" alt=\"binning system used in kanban\" width=\"357\" height=\"338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-leveling-size.jpg 357w, https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-leveling-size-300x284.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 357px) 100vw, 357px\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<p>Again, it is very low-tech, yet it is incredibly powerful.\u00a0 The post office Kanban above is slotted\u00a0 with an entry and exit.\u00a0 What you see is the face, but the back is the exit.\u00a0 When an operator has finished picking and has completed an order, that order is placed in a slot.\u00a0 Another operator on the other side will then pack and ship that order from the other side.\u00a0 This Kanban is works very well for small items or parts or processes where orders can be staged until they are completed.<\/p>\n<p>Again, the concept of a signal that reinforces coordination and cooperation within a system.<\/p>\n<p>How about withdrawal Kanbans or production Kanbans?\u00a0 Well, these types of Kanbans are more like the first image above: a card that explicity says what is needed and how much.\u00a0 These types of Kanbas eliminate the need to forecast, because material is only requested when needed.\u00a0 Hence, the reduction or elimination of inventory is the eventual result.<\/p>\n<p>To determine how many cards and the frequency of Kanban withdrawals requires some analysis &#8212; albeit simple.\u00a0 Below is the general rule to follow when thinking about the number of Kanbans:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14857\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-calculations.jpg\" alt=\"kanban calculations math\" width=\"203\" height=\"93\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Where,<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Y: number of cards<\/li>\n<li>D: demand per unit of time<\/li>\n<li>T: lead time<\/li>\n<li>C: container capacity<\/li>\n<li>X: buffer, or safety factor<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, suppose that hourly demand was 200 units, lead time was 12 hours, and the container capacity was 144 units.\u00a0 Assume that there was\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/explaining-variation\/373\/\">variation in lead time or demand<\/a>, then we can set the safety factor to 15%:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Y = ((200*12)*(1+.15)) \/ 144= 20 Kanban Cards<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>How many hours worth of demand will 20 cards represent?<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>(20 cards * 144 units) = 2880 units<\/p>\n<p>2880 \/ 200 units per hour = 14.4 hours worth of material<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>As you can see, this simple yet effective visual approach that encourages flow, reduces the need for forecasting &#8212; and all forecasting is almost always wrong no matter which model you choose &#8212; and the Kanban reinforces coordination and cooperation within a system.<\/p>\n<p>Another simple implementation of a visual Kanban is something my wife came up with to encourage our children to work and instill some order in the work order process in our home.\u00a0 Below is a <a title=\"interview on visual kanban for creative and knowledge work\" href=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/kanban-for-creative-knowledge-work-interview-with-david-j-anderson\/14755\/\">visual Kanban<\/a> that she created for our twin boys:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14858\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-board-shmula-twins.jpg\" alt=\"kanban board for my twin boys\" width=\"340\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-board-shmula-twins.jpg 340w, https:\/\/staging.opexlearning.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/kanban-board-shmula-twins-204x300.jpg 204w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<p>On the left-hand side is the slot where jobs are assigned in the form of index cards.\u00a0 On each card will be a job, such as &#8220;get dressed&#8221; or &#8220;brush teeth&#8221;.\u00a0 The jobs are pretty simple for the twins because they are only 2 years old.\u00a0 When a job is done, then the index card progresses to the right-hand slot, which means that that job is done.\u00a0 My 2-year old twins enjoy this: they are learning to visually know if jobs have been assigned and they also know and enjoy moving the cards when they&#8217;ve completed a job.\u00a0 At the same time, they are learning how to work, in their 2-year old way.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Note<\/strong>: If I were to create the Kanban above for my twins, I would have made the &#8220;To Do&#8221; and &#8220;Done&#8221; different distinct colors, since 2-year old children know some colors at that age.\u00a0 That way, they can associate colors with tasks and feel good because they are making progress when cards or jobs are completed.\u00a0 The color dimension acts also as another dimension to the visual signal of a Kanban.<\/p>\n<p>Kanban is a simple and very effective tool, which encourages flow and is a critical piece in the Toyota Production System.\u00a0 Kanban does not have to be high-tech to work; in fact, most Kanbans are very simple and low-tech, but they work phenomenally well.<\/p>\n<!--CusAds0-->\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unlike traditional &#8220;push&#8221; systems, where material is moved downstream according to a schedule, or simply &#8220;shoved&#8221; downstream even when the downstream partner is not ready for it, a &#8220;pull&#8221; system encourages and almost forces cooperation, from a systems perspective.\u00a0 &#8220;Push&#8221; also causes congestion, which grows exponentially as more items enter the queue.\u00a0 Aside from cooperation [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12327,"featured_media":14855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[650],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Many Kanban Cards Are Needed?<\/title>\n<meta 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