During the COVID-19 pandemic the use electronic kanban has increased by 50% according to manufacturing journalist TR Cutler.

A key indicator of the success of production scheduling based on demand, pushing, is the ability of the demand-forecast to create such a push. Kanban, by contrast, is part of an approach where the pull comes from demand and products are made to order. Re-supply or production is determined according to customer orders.

During COVID-19 supply time is lengthy and demand is difficult to forecast, often the best one can do is to respond quickly to observed demand. This situation is exactly what a kanban system accomplishes, and a demand signal that immediately travels through the supply chain. This ensures that intermediate stock held in the supply chain are better managed and are usually smaller. Where the supply response is not quick enough to meet actual demand fluctuations, thereby causing potential lost sales, a stock building may be deemed more appropriate and is achieved by placing more kanban in the system.

• Each process issues requests (kanban) to its suppliers when it consumes its supplies.
• Each process produces according to the quantity and sequence of incoming requests.
• No items are made or transported without a request.
• The request associated with an item is always attached to it.
• Processes must not send out defective items, to ensure that the finished products will be defect-free.
• Limiting the number of pending requests makes the process more sensitive and reveals inefficiencies.

Kanban cards are a thing of the past as electronic kanban (e-Kanban) has become the standard. Cutler will be writing extensively about the role of e-Kanban during COVID-19.

About TR Cutler, Inc.

Thomas R. Cutler is the President and CEO of Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based, TR Cutler, Inc., the largest manufacturing communication firm worldwide with four dozen industry experts and thought leaders on staff. Cutler is celebrating the 21-year anniversary of the Manufacturing Media Consortium.

During COVID-19 Cutler is advising manufacturers, industrial leaders, supply chain professionals, and C-level executives how to best navigate Q2/Q3 2020, to have an amazing pipeline of sales and sales content for Q3 2020 and beyond.

Cutler has authored more than 7,000 articles for a wide range of manufacturing periodicals, industrial publications, and business journals. Cutler is the most published freelance industrial journalist worldwide, and more than 4200 industry leaders follow Cutler on Twitter daily at @ThomasRCutler.

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