Lean Supermarket & WIP Inventory Control
Kanban is the pull signal mechanism of Lean Manufacturing. By capping Work-In-Progress (WIP), it exposes hidden factory bottlenecks and prevents overproduction.
Foundational Category: Lean & Continuous Flow • ~5 min read
Kanban Sizing & Little's Law WIP Calculator
Establish lean inventory buffers that prevent stockouts without tying up unnecessary working capital.
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Q:
How do you size a Kanban loop using Little's Law?
Number of Kanban containers K is calculated as: K = ⌈ (Daily Demand × Lead Time × (1 + Safety Factor)) / Container Capacity ⌉ This guarantees smooth pull replenishment without excessive WIP accumulation.
Recommended Kanban Cards35Ceil(Total WIP / Container)
Total WIP Buffer1380 unitsLead Time + Safety Stock
Lead Time Demand1200 unitsDemand × Lead Time
Safety Stock180 units15% Buffer
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