You can eliminate bottlenecks. You can reposition machinery in cells. But your operation won’t become any more efficient if you’re simply making unwanted product faster. The real competitive advantage of Lean Manufacturing is making exactly what customers want, in the quantity they want, when they want it.
Pull Systems control the flow of resources in the production process by replacing only what has been consumed. They are customer order-driven production schedules based on actual demand and consumption rather than forecasting. Implementing Pull Systems can help you eliminate waste in handling, storing and getting product to your customer. Pull Systems might include tools such as Kanban Cards, Supermarkets, and FIFO Lanes.
Benefits include:
- Reduce Overall Inventory
- Reduce Work in Process
- Reduce Order Turnaround Time
- Increase Customer Satisfaction
- Improve Cash Flow