E-Kanban According to Datacraft Solutions
Datacraft Solutions (www.datacraftsolutions.com), the leader in
e-kanban, found that while managing a large number of suppliers
with many part numbers, managing the integrity of blanket
purchase orders become an issue. For every given kanban release
it is important to make sure that: an open purchase order still
exists, and that there was enough remaining balance on the
purchase order to cover the current purchase.
Blanket Purchase Orders are a "best practice" in the well-oiled
kanban process. They minimize the flow of information between
buyers and their suppliers, while maintaining the terms,
conditions and integrity of the business relationship between
the two parties. The new Best Practice was "integrating the
electronic kanban system" with a manufacturers current
purchasing system. Kanbans are now guaranteed never to be sent
to supplier unless there is a valid blanket purchase order.
FAX KANBAN is NOT Efficient and NOT Lean
At ten minutes per fax, someone is spending 3.5 hours per day in
administration time. That inefficiency results in less time to
utilize more suppliers or improve the relationships with
existing suppliers.
Furthermore, even if 99% of those faxes are trouble free
procurement signals, four faxes per month are going to be
problematic and dilute the entire rationale for a lean
manufacturing operation. Suppliers claim they did not receive
the fax kanban; suppliers cannot make the shipment date
requested and expedited shipping fees are incurred, or worse,
there will be a stockout which will negatively impact customer
service levels.
According to Matthew Marotta of Datacraft Solutions, "Process
improvements with existing suppliers will further reduce lead
times and inventory levels and bring more suppliers onto the
system."
Datacraft Solutions www.datacraftsolutions.com Matthew Marotta
800-819-5326
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