It was clear that during run number 1, many problems existed. Changes made to the simulation for run number two of the paper airplane factory were implemented as a means of combatting the chaotic atmosphere that were present during run number one. These changes are listed as follows. Workstations one through four were relocated to one table. Signal cards were placed on the table after each workstation. The foreman was no longer part of the simulation, and the paper stock inventory was relocated to a position right beside workstation one on the table. Batch sizes were reduced to just one unit. The same work instruction was used for each operation just as in run number one. The material handler was in charge of moving one batch from the inventory …show more content…
The worker at workstation one then completed their folds and moved the work-in-process to the signal card.
Once the work-in-process was on the signal card, the worker at workstation two was then able to pick up the work-in-process and begin working on their folds. The work-in-process cycled in this manner through to the final signal card at workstation four and was then picked up by the material handler and delivered to the customer. The rules that governed run number two stated that only one work-in-process was allowed to be placed on a signal card at any time. This served to regulate the flow of inventory through the production line. The addition of signal cards into to the paper airplane factory simulation is a type of Kanban signaling system.
Kanban signaling systems are an effective use of a pull-type manufacturing system, where
“production is controlled by customer demand (orders). Orders trigger production from upstream processes to meet the demands of those downstream. (Pull system)” (Clements. Kanbans.
N.d.). Kanban is a term used to describe a “stock point near a machine, workcell, or processing station” (Clements. Kanbans. N.d.) where “a maximum number of units (of product) would