Lean production systems are sometimes referred to as pull systems because demand from customers activates the production actions
of the manufacturing facilities. In order for this demand to be communicated to everyone in the supply chain/manufacturing facility a signal must be passed from downstream processing centers to the upstream processing centers. This system of relaying signals is referred to as a: a.Kanban Pull System
b.Semaphore System
c.Keiretsu Network
d.TQM Network
The Pull system is considered a technique in Lean Manufacturing that helps to control the way work flows by simply replacing only what has been consumed. What this means is that, work is only done when there is a request from the customer. When a demand is made, signal is usually passed from downstream processing centers to the upstream processing center by using KANBAN. Usually Kanban cards are created for such demands from customers and are designed in line with the delivery requirement.
Part of a lean manufacturing technique, is the pull system and it is a production or service oriented process used to reduce waste. A pull system is a Lean technique for reducing the waste of any production process. Using a pull system allows you to begin new work only when there is either customer demand for it or goods are required by the next step within the production process. Applying a pull system allows you to start new work only when there is a customer demand for it. This gives you the opportunity to reduce overhead and optimize storage costs.
Kanban is based on a set of principles and practices that are easy to understand. Implementing them is also fairly simple since you do not need to make any serious changes to your existing process. But it is key that you understand the methodology and stick with the core practices if you want to successfully implement a Kanban pull system.
