INTRODUCTION
Kanban is a concept related to the Lean or Just In Time (JIT) production, but these two concepts are not the same thing. Kanban is a pull manufacturing control method. Kanban is the means through which JIT is managed. Kan means \\\"card\\\" in Japanese, and the word \\\"ban\\\" means \\\"signal\\\". Kanban is a signaling system. As its name suggests, Kanban uses cards to signal the need for an item.
For example, in the production of a widget, the operator has two shelves, one on either side of the workplace. The raw materials arrive on one shelf and the finished article on the other. These shelves act as kanbans. The outgoing kanban signals the customer\\\'s need so that when it is empty, the operator must produce one more widget. When the operator begins work, he takes the raw material from the incoming kanban, thus signaling to the supplier that he needs more.
Kanban is frequently known as a \\\"pull\\\" system, as everything is pulled in response to past......
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