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    Kanban the Toyota Way: An Inventory Buffering System to Eliminate Inventory
    Kanban the Toyota Way: An Inventory Buffering System to Eliminate Inventory
    Kanban the Toyota Way: An Inventory Buffering System to Eliminate Inventory
    Ebook78 pages33 minutes

    Kanban the Toyota Way: An Inventory Buffering System to Eliminate Inventory

    By Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman

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    About this ebook

    This book is a practical guide for lean practitioners, operations managers, industrial engineers, and supply chain professionals seeking to understand and apply the Toyota Kanban system. Whether you're dealing with production delays, excess inventory, or inconsistent workflows, this book shows you how to implement Kanban as a flexible, visual pull system to restore flow and improve efficiency.

    Kanban—meaning "sign" or "signboard" in Japanese—is a visual signaling method used in the Toyota Production System (TPS). In a pull-based manufacturing process, Kanban cards signal upstream processes to produce only what is needed, in the quantity needed, and only when it is needed. This prevents overproduction, limits inventory, and maintains flow.

    There are two core types of Kanban:

    • Production Kanban, which instructs upstream processes on what to produce.
    • Withdrawal Kanban, which tells downstream processes what to pick up or move.

    Although Toyota aims for zero inventory, real-world disruptions and process gaps require strategic buffering. Kanban provides a practical solution when clean, uninterrupted flow isn't possible—especially when processes are far apart or have mismatched cycle times.

    This book breaks down the logic, design, and practical use of the Kanban system, helping you identify waste, balance supply with demand, and drive continuous improvement across your operations.

    LanguageEnglish
    Publisherpersonal-lean.org
    Release dateOct 15, 2020
    ISBN9798223836186
    Kanban the Toyota Way: An Inventory Buffering System to Eliminate Inventory
    Author

    Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman

    Dr. Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman is an internationally recognized Lean expert, author, and university lecturer. He has published over 100 books and articles on Lean thinking, quality systems, and industrial excellence. He currently teaches Industrial Engineering and Management Systems at the American University in Cairo, an Executive Advisor and a member of the Advisory Committee of the IEOM International Society, and consults for global organizations across manufacturing, public services, and education. With nearly two decades of academic and professional experience, Dr. Soliman has trained professionals across the Middle East, including engagements with Princess Nourah University in Saudi Arabia and Vale Oman Pelletizing Company. He has designed and delivered over 60 leadership and technical development programs, helping organizations build a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence. Earlier in his career, he worked in various industrial sectors including crystal-glass manufacturing, fertilizers, and chemicals, while educating teams on the Toyota Production System. He has led numerous lean transformation projects, delivering measurable results and uncovering substantial cost savings by targeting waste across production and service environments. His lectures and training materials have reached over 200,000 learners via SlideShare, and his research is ranked among the most downloaded papers on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) by Elsevier. Dr. Soliman holds a BSc in Engineering, a master's in Quality Management, and postgraduate degrees in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management. He also holds certifications in quality, cost, and operations management. He is a member of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) and the Society for Engineering and Management Systems (SEMS). His insights have been featured in SAGE Publications, Industrial Management, Lean Thinking, and other peer-reviewed platforms.  

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    • 5/5

      Aug 25, 2023

      Good overview about the tool, concepts and how Toyota have managed to achieve a full pull system

    Book preview

    Kanban the Toyota Way - Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman

    Kanban the Toyota Way: An Inventory Buffering System to Eliminate Inventory

    Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman

    Published by personal-lean.org, 2020.

    While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

    KANBAN THE TOYOTA WAY: AN INVENTORY BUFFERING SYSTEM TO ELIMINATE INVENTORY

    First edition. October 15, 2020.

    Copyright © 2020 Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman.

    ISBN: 979-8223836186

    Written by Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman.

    Dedication

    I created this book with the help of more than fifteen different business resources. These academic articles and books are all cited at the end of this book. A number of people have influenced my learning journey and my entire career. I wouldlike to acknowledge them here.

    Esraa Soliman: My lovely wife and partner. She encouraged me to write and publish this work. In fact, she always encourages me to do creative work.

    Jeffrey Liker: Professor at the University of Michigan and author of The Toyota Way and the amazing Toyota series of books. His impressive work on Toyota inspired and influenced my learning about the Toyota Production System. I would really like to thank him for his indirect involvement in this work. Many examples included in this book were originally from his books. Although I have never met Jeff face to face, we have had great communications over social media platforms.

    Chris Duklet: A lean manufacturing leader from the United States who works in the field of health care. He has contributed to some of my prpevious works by reviewing the books prior to publication and giving me useful recommendations and advice.

    Attia Gomaa: Professor at the American University in Cairo who influenced my teaching career at the university and taught me how to become a good trainer.

    Steven Borris: A business consultant, author, and friend from England who influenced my writing career.He encouraged me to write and publish. Steven was my mentor on lean manufacturing, helping me first to understand the basics, afterwhich I developed my understanding through deep practice andself-directed learning.

    Eslam Soliman:My friend and a professor at the Assiut University. His PhD is from the University of New Mexico.He has influenced my entire writing career by giving me recommendations and advice on how to write and publish. He revised my published works many time and kept inspiring me after every piece I wrote and published.

    Kanban the Toyota Way

    An Inventory Buffering System to Eliminate Inventory

    Copyright © 2020 Mohammed Soliman

    All rights reserved

    While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

    KANBAN THE TOYOTA WAY: AN INVENTORY BUFFERING SYSTEM TO ELIMINATE INVENTORY

    Copyright © 2020 Mohammed Soliman

    All rights

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