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In this solution, a conveyance kanban (reorder point) control system requires entities to be held up until a signal is received that a downstream inventory has dropped to a specified inventory level. For example,large industrial pumps are drawn from a pump buffer and boxed. When the inventory of pumps in the buffer drops to 2, an additional 10 pumps are brought to the buffer from an adjacent pump inventory facility. |
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Entities are produced when an upstream activity receives a signal that a downstream inventory has dropped to a specified inventory level. (Note: this is just like a conveyance kanban only entities begin an activity rather than conveyed or moved.) For example: Whenever a finished goods inventory of tables drops to 10, an additional 100 tables are assembled and sent to finished goods to replenish the inventory. |
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In this simplified "just-in-time" production control example, entities move forward in a process only when the next downstream activity is ready to process the entity. For example, a fragile lamp is handed off from a test operation to a packaging operation only when the packager is ready for it. Otherwise the tester holds on to the lamp. |
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Sometimes the type of entity, its quantity, and timing for sending entities must be precisely controlled. This may occur where the pull or kanban signal depends on a unique situation that isn't a matter of simply constraining buffer capacities or replenishing a buffer based on a drop in inventory. Perhaps it is based on conditions that change during the simulation. Whatever the case, situations arise where you need precise control over what entities get sent where and when. |
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