Kanban is a visual workflow management system, originally created in Japan by Toyota, aimed at optimizing production, reducing inventory, and increasing efficiency. Using physical or digital cards, Kanban allows real-time tracking of task status, production orders, or material movement.
Kanban makes the invisible visible — and turns chaos into flow.
🧩 How does Kanban work?
The Kanban system works through cards (physical or digital) that represent tasks, parts, orders, or batches. These cards are organized into columns representing the process state, such as:
- To Do
- Doing
- Done
Additionally, Kanban can control material replenishment through cards attached to boxes, signaling when an item needs to be restocked (production or supply Kanban).
🎯 Benefits of Kanban in production
| Benefit | Direct impact on operation |
|---|---|
| Flow visibility | Teams clearly see the status of each activity |
| Waste reduction (Lean) | Less overproduction, lower work-in-process (WIP) inventory |
| Agility in response | Problems and bottlenecks are quickly identified |
| Integration with Andon and MES | Real-time production data |
| Continuous improvement (Kaizen) | Concrete basis for constant analysis and adjustments |
📦 Types of Kanban
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Production Kanban | Replenishment of products or process stages |
| Movement Kanban | Control of internal material flow |
| Task Kanban | Management of activities and work orders |
| Digital Kanban (e-Kanban) | Integration with MES, dashboards, and IoT sensors |
🔧 How AJOLLY Testing implements industrial Kanban
AJOLLY Testing offers physical and digital Kanban solutions for industries seeking greater control, traceability, and visibility of their processes:
- Physical and digital panels with clear signaling (LED, touch, or NFC tags)
- Integration with testing systems, ERP, MES, Power BI or Andon
- Automation of alerts for minimum stock, process failures, and bottlenecks
- Implementation of e-Kanban with sensors and custom industrial dashboards
With AJOLLY Testing, Kanban evolves from manual cards to intelligent control systems, promoting productivity and real-time decision-making.