Kanban Planning Tools - Exercises

Basic Data Setup

Create a Kanban Circuit

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to set up the basic data required to run Kanban Planning and Calculation.

  1. If you haven't done so already, set up your site for Kanban circuits, create and activate a Kanban circuit.

General exercise for Kanban Circuits 

Setting up Kanban Simulation and Demand Retrieval Preferences

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to set up Kanban Simulation and Demand Retrieval Preferences that required to run Kanban Simulation.

Windows:
Kanban Basic Data

  1. Open Kanban Basic Data window. Query for your site in Setup tab.
  2. In Simulation Preferences Group Box, select Full Kanbans for Starting Supply and Recalculate for Initial Supply Quantities fields. Save your changes.

Main Exercise

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is give you a quick tour of some of the Kanban Planning tools.  This exercise will take you through retrieving demand. calculating the Kanban, reviewing the results using the Kanban Circuits window, and accepting the recalculation. 

Windows:
MS Level 1 Part
Perform Site MRP
Kanban Circuit

Retrieve Demand from MS/MRP

  1. Open the MS Level 1 Part window..
  2. Create a new record (F5) and enter part RW100. Assign planning and demand time fences. Save the information.
  3. Click Register Forecast tab. Create forecasts for MS set 1. Allow the forecast to vary between 22 to 34 parts per day during a 10-14 day period. 
  4. Right click and then click Run MS - One Part. Open Perform Site MRP window and perform MRP.
  5. Open the Kanban Circuit window. Query the Kanban Circuit for RW100 in your site.
  6. Click Calculation Inputs tab. Right click and then click Retrieve Demand. Select MS/MRP as the source in the pop-up window. Click OK. 
  7. Right click and then click Show Kanban Demand. Verify that demand is there.

Perform Kanban Calculation

  1. Open the Kanban Circuits window. Query for RW100 in your site.
  2. Click Calculation Inputs tab. Enter 32 for Demand Quantity and 1 for Leadtime.
  3. Verify that the field Calculation Type is set to Number of Kanbans and Formula Type is set to Basic. Save your changes.
  4. Right click and then click Calculate Kanbans. Go to Recalculation tab to see the calculation result.
  5. Change Formula Type and calculate Kanbans. What is the result?
  6. Go back to Calculation Inputs tab. Set Basic for Formula Type field.
  7. Click Recalculation tab. Enter 40 in the Lot/Transfer Qty field. 
  8. Right click and then click Calculate Kanbans.
  9. Go to Recalculation tab. Analyze the results.
  10. Change the selection in Formula Type and calculate Kanbans. Analyze the results.
  11. Test on your own. (Tips: Change Calculation Type, change Safety Stock, etc.)

Perform Kanban Simulation

  1. Open the Kanban Circuit window. Query the Kanban Circuit for RW100 in your site.
  2. Click Calculation Inputs tab. Right click and then click Retrieve Demand. Select MS/MRP as the source in the pop-up window. Click OK. 
  3. Right click and then click Show Kanban Demand. Verify that demand is there.
  4. Close the Kanban Demand window
  5. In the Kanban Circuit window, right click and then click Run Simulation.
  6. In Kanban Simulation dialog box, verify that the fields Starting Supply and Initial Kanban Quantities have Full Kanbans and Recalculate respectively. Click OK.
  7. In Kanban Circuit window, right click and then click Show Kanban Demand.
  8. Analyze the result of the simulation. Check the column Stockout Alert. Have you got any stockouts? (If you didn't have any stockouts, go to MS Level 1 Part window and change the forecast so that you will have a peak demand in the middle of the forecast period. Run Master Scheduling for one part and perform an MRP and start with no 2 above)
  9. Close the Kanban Demand window.
  10. In the Kanban Circuit window, right click and then click Run Simulation.
  11. In Kanban Simulation dialog box, select the checkbox Iterate for Stockout keeping other parameters in the dialog box as they are. Click OK.
  12. In Kanban Circuit window, right click and then click Show Kanban Demand.
  13. Analyze the result of the simulation. Did the stockouts disappear?
  14. Close the Kanban Demand window.
  15. Try running a simulation on your own. Run one with different alternatives, e.g., with or without iterations, Full Kanbans or snapshot within lead time, or Recalculate or Use values from circuit. Analyze the results and the effects on the Cards tab.