Description
Pull and visual scheduling systems help organizations to increase the velocity of
work flow, reduce inventory, improve visibility of operational status, and synchronize
the processes within a value stream. This course illustrates and explains how and
why pull systems work. Key topics include pull/MRP integration, practical procedures
for designing pull systems, and operational practices to support production control,
visual scheduling, and internal logistics systems.
This workshop is typically two days long, but we recommend adding a three-day follow
on component where participants implement a pull system in one of your working processes.
We use several hands-on simulations design exercises, and case studies to illustrate
how pull systems work and to explain how to provide day-to-day support to pull systems.
Target Audience
We have designed this workshop for a variety of audiences. The basic 2-day workshop
is for leaders and managers designing and implementing lean systems in the organization.
An abbreviated version of this course is available for front line personnel. An
even more comprehensive course is also available for special teams charged with
designing and implementing pull and visual scheduling systems in your organization.
Objectives and Outcomes
- Describe the fundamental mechanics of pull systems, including blocking, dispatching,
feeder-line synchronization, route-specific versus part-specific structures, pull
and scheduling, and pacemaker concepts.
- Develop and operate various types of basic pull systems, including one-card and
two card systems, supplier kanban systems, supporting logistics systems, and electronic-kanban
systems.
- Describe fundamental operational principles of CONWIP (CONstant Work In Process),
its utility in high work-content-variability applications, and design principles
for structuring CONWIP systems for manufacturing and service applications.
- Design a CONWIP system for a real world manufacturing facility.
- Configure a complex pull system, implement, and operate that system.
- Describe leveling criteria and procedures
- Integrate pull with scheduling systems
- Set buffer sizes
- Describe logistics approaches, including kitting and staging strategies, that support
effective operation of pull systems
- Develop visual scheduling to support dispatching, sequencing, and status response
decisions.
Route-speoific kanban simulation illustrate pull principles for high variety applications
Class learns how to apply CONWIP loops in their operations.
Students design and implement a visual scheduling board used to implement a pull
system at an injection molding plant.
Make To Order Kanban developed by the students.
A make-to-fill kanban developed by the students.
Mapping the dock-to-dock production control system, defining how the overall system
functions
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