AN OPTIMAL KANBAN SYSTEM IN A MULTI-STAGE, MIXED-MODEL ASSEMBLY LINE

This paper studies the parameter design and the performance optimization of a Kanban system without stockouts in a multi-stage, mixed-model assembly line. The model of a Kanban system based on production processes is established by examining the relationship among the set-up time, the amount of work in process (WIP), the capacity indicated by a Kanban, and the takt-time ratio. A novel method for optimizing performance on the premise of no stockouts is proposed. Empirical results show that the amount of WIP is reduced remarkably after optimization.