Häufig gestellte Fragen
What does kanban mean in the ERP context?
Kanban in ERP refers to mapping the Japanese, consumption-driven pull principle within ERP software, where actual withdrawals at a point of consumption automatically trigger replenishment. Instead of planning stock based on forecasts, when a container is emptied a kanban card (physical or as a digital signal) travels back to the source and reports the replenishment demand. In the ERP, control loops with container quantity, number of cards, source and replenishment lead time are stored as master data, so an empty box results in a traceable procurement or production order. In this way, kanban connects the physical shop-floor logic with the system's transaction data without any media discontinuity.
How does a two-bin kanban work?
In two-bin kanban (the two-bin system), two containers with a fixed fill quantity are kept at the point of consumption for each material. Items are continuously withdrawn from the first container; once it is empty, its kanban card triggers replenishment, and assembly switches to the second container, which bridges the replenishment lead time. By the time the second container runs low, the resupply for the first should already have arrived, so the cycle continues without any stoppage. This variant is particularly widespread because, with just two containers, it is visually simple and understandable for everyone on the shop floor.
How does kanban differ from MRP, and which parts are suitable?
MRP (Material Requirements Planning) calculates demand in advance from bills of materials and forecasts and pushes orders into production (push), whereas kanban pulls replenishment only upon actual consumption (pull). Kanban is therefore best suited to parts with steady, easily predictable consumption and low value, such as standard parts, consumables or C-parts, which can be identified with an ABC or XYZ analysis. For items with highly fluctuating, sporadic or one-off demand, and for engineer-to-order, kanban is unsuitable and MRP is the better choice. In practice, many companies combine both methods in a hybrid approach: high-value A-parts via MRP, stable B- and C-parts via kanban control loops.
What is electronic kanban (e-kanban) and what role do RFID and barcodes play?
Electronic kanban (e-kanban) is the digital evolution of the classic method: instead of physical cards, barcode scans or RFID tags on the containers trigger replenishment and post every status change directly in the ERP. With barcodes, an employee scans the empty container with a handheld device, while RFID systems largely automate data capture and are suited to a particularly high degree of automation. A key advantage of e-kanban is connecting external suppliers via the ERP (supplier kanban), which allows the entire replenishment chain to be interlocked for just-in-time supply. Common systems such as SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365 SCM, Infor, Oracle or Odoo support kanban logic at varying depths.
How is the number of kanban cards or containers calculated?
The number of circulating kanban cards caps the maximum circulating stock of a control loop and is derived from consumption, replenishment lead time and a safety buffer. A common rule of thumb is: number of cards = (average demand per time unit × replenishment lead time × safety factor) divided by container capacity. The longer the replenishment lead time, the higher the consumption and the greater the fluctuations, the more containers are needed to avoid shortages. Proper sizing is crucial, since too few cards lead to stoppages and too many to excessive stock; control loops are therefore regularly reviewed and adjusted after implementation.
What benefits does kanban bring in ERP, and where are its limits?
Kanban noticeably reduces stock levels and tied-up capital because circulating inventory is limited to the containers in the control loop; in practice, inventory reductions in the range of about 30 to 60 percent are reported depending on the starting position, with supply reliability unchanged. Thanks to ERP integration, consumption data flows automatically into materials management and purchasing, stock figures stay up to date, and manual inventory management for routine parts is eliminated. Prerequisites, however, are stable suppliers, steady consumption, short lead times and cleanly maintained master data on container quantities and points of consumption. Kanban reaches its limits with highly fluctuating or one-off demand and long procurement lead times; there, forecast-based planning via MRP remains the more reliable method.