Implementing Kanban in Manufacturing

In an earlier piece we looked at the benefits of kanban in a manufacturing environment. WH Kemp have been producing cable assemblies for over 50 years, and we are constantly exploring new ways to improve efficiency and service to our customers. Our experience with Kanban gives an insight into its implementation, which we would like to share.

Understand Your Current Processes: Start by thoroughly understanding your existing manufacturing processes. Identify bottlenecks, waste, and areas where inventory management can be improved.

Identify Workflows and Processes: Break down your manufacturing processes into discrete tasks or work items. Each item should be well-defined and have a clear start and endpoint. This can include manufacturing steps, inventory management, and quality control.

Visualise the Workflow: Create a visual board where each task or work item is represented as a card or a sticky note. The board should have columns representing different stages in the workflow, such as "To Do," "In Progress," and "Done." Use magnetic boards, whiteboards, or digital Kanban tools for this purpose.

Limit Work in Progress (WIP): Set WIP limits for each stage of the workflow. WIP limits prevent overloading of resources and help maintain a smooth and efficient workflow. Teams cannot start new work items until there is capacity in the relevant column.

Implement Pull System: Adopt a pull system where work is pulled into the next stage only when there is capacity and demand. This ensures that you are producing items based on actual customer demand rather than pushing them into the process.

Use Kanban Cards or Signals: Assign Kanban cards or signals to each work item. These cards contain information about the item, such as product specifications, quantity, and priority. When a stage has capacity and can take on more work, they pull a card from the previous stage to initiate production.

Continuous Improvement: Track the progress of work items on the Kanban board. Measure cycle times, lead times, and other relevant metrics to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. Encourage your team to regularly review and improve the process.

Training and Culture: Train your employees on Kanban principles and the proper use of the system. Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, and continuous learning within the organisation. Document and standardise the best practices that emerge from the Kanban process. This ensures consistency and helps with training new team members.

Scale as required: You can scale Kanban across multiple manufacturing processes and even at different levels of your organisation. Consider using a hierarchical approach, where each team has its own Kanban system that aligns with higher-level goals.

Kanban Software: Consider using Kanban software tools to manage and track your Kanban boards electronically. These tools can provide additional features like analytics, historical data, and real-time collaboration.

These points can be taken as starting points for your own implementation of Kanban. Remember that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution but needs adaptation to suit your specific manufacturing environment and goals. Regularly review and refine your Kanban system to ensure it continues to meet your evolving business and helps you achieve continuous improvement in your manufacturing processes. After 50 years producing cable assemblies at WH Kemp we continue to learn and improve our products and processes applying Kanban and other tools daily in maintaining our sector-leading quality stats. To learn more about how we operate, and how we have implemented these tips visit our website or get in touch.