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Oracle Applications

Inventory Management the Kanban way

Inventory hides problems

Whats on mind ?
Reduce inventory levels to increase inventory turns Inventory Costs = Raw Material + Raw material in-process + Work-inProcess + Finished goods Inventory turns = Annual Requirements / Current Inventory level When we define standard cost for items, we also define the material overheads. Hence, when we work on reducing the inventory level; the material overheads also need to be seen going down To reduce inventory levels, concepts of EOQ, MRP, JIT, Supply Chain Planning and Constraint based Planning were applied. Each method has its own set of advantages. However, except JIT to some extent a common disadvantage is found among rest, which is a communication gap between the planning (supplying) team and production (consuming) team. On the other hand, communication is in-built in the Kanban philosophy

What is Kanban ?
When the inventory is moved only when needed, it is referred as pull system Kanban is an Just-in-Time inventory replenishment method that was conceptualized in Japan. Kanban is a Japanese word that suggests visual sign or signal Pull based on actual usage and not forecast Can be used in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing organizations Best suited for items with frequent usage, short lead-times and willing supplying sources If a Kanban is too small, you might run out of material before it is replenished. If its too big, you carry excess inventory

Kanban in a typical Manufacturing flow

Work cell

Kanba n

Finished goods

Customer order

Shi p Raw Material Supplier Kanba n Kanba n Purchased Parts Supplier Kanba n Subassembly Final assembly Kanba n Kanba n

Item setup for Kanban


Items are marked as Kanban controlled using the item attribute Release time fence as below

Pull sequence
For every Kanban planned item, a pull sequence must be defined which is a series of Kanban locations that model the replenishment network. Kanban location can be a subinventory or locator

Kanban sources types in Oracle


Intra-Org Triggers a subinventory transfer to source material from a different subinventory within the same inventory organization Inter-Org Triggers an internal requisition to source material across inventory organizations Production Triggers a discrete job in a release status so that the material is produced Supplier Triggers a purchase requisition to source material from supplier

Kanban Planning
If you would enter Kanban size and number of cards, then select Do not calculate Kanban size User needs to be specify the number of cards and Planning process calculates the size Number of cards User specifies the size and planning calculates the number of Kanbans

Check if Kanban is for planning only Quantity of units in each Kanban

Number of Kanbans to be included in the items cycle

System will hold Kanban cards in wait status until the minimum order quantity has been met by aggregation of cards

* Algorithms used in Kanban planning to be discussed in a separate document

Replenishment Flow
New card is added based on need Empty card sends a replenishment signal to the source Wait status until minimum order quantity is reached Inprocess status indicates that a job, PO or move order is created Full status indicates that Kanban is received

New

Empty

Wait

Inproc ess

Full

Quick notes
When items are needed, Kanban cards change their supply status to Empty Kanban replenishment request is generated automatically If the item is internally or supplier sourced, then requisition is created and inserted into the interface tables. Requisition Import creates the Purchase Requisition or Internal Requisition in approved status based on whether the item is internally sourced or supplier sourced If the item is supplier sourced, Purchasing creates a Blanket Release (if a blanket PO exists) or a standard PO. Kanban card status is changed to Inprocess Using the standard receipts form, the items are received for the blanket release/standard PO/ Internal Requisition (if internally sourced) and the Kanban card status is changed to Full

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About the Author


SAM has been working on ERP solutions such as Oracle Applications & Microsoft Dynamics in Implementation & support for past 13 years. Worked with clients in various industry verticals such as manufacturing, distribution, education, construction, professional services, hospitality and aviation across geographies

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