The “Just-In-Time” production philosophy is the foundation of the Toyota Production System. This concept refers to the manufacturing and conveyance of only what is needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed. In addition, a minimum amount of inventory is kept on hand. This enhances efficiency and allows quick response to change.
In simplest terms, Just-in-time is all about producing only what’s needed and transferring only what’s needed. Instead of the old top-down “push” system, it represented a change to a “pull” system where workers go and fetch only what is required. Tools, including the kanban (information card), andon (display board), and poka yoke (error prevention) were developed to implement the pull system.
Benefits:
- Reduced operating costs
- Greater performance and throughput
- Higher quality
- Improved delivery
- Increased flexibility and innovativeness
JIT Components:
- Production Leveling
- Pull System
- Kamban (label or signboard) system
- Good Housekeeping
- Small Lot Production
- Setup Time Reduction
- Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM)
- Total Quality Control (TQC)
- JIT Purchasing
- Line Balancing
- Flexible Manufacturing
- Small-group Activities (SGA)