KANBAN

A method of Just-In-Time production that uses standard containers or lot sizes with a single card attached to each. It is a pull system in which work centers signal with a card that they want to withdraw parts from feeding operations or suppliers.

"Kanban" in Japanese, loosely translated, means "card," "billboard," or "sign." The term is often used synonymously for the specific scheduling system developed and used by the Toyota Corporation in Japan.