Just in Time, translatable as “at the right time”, is a manufacturing philosophy in which the company seeks to produce only what is necessary to meet demand.

In this philosophy, the industry avoids stocks throughout the production process, buying raw materials at the exact moment and keeping to established deadlines.

This method is consistent with continuous improvement. It is often used by companies whose production is made to order. That is, first the product is sold and then it enters the production phase.

In this article we will see what the concept of Just in Time is, how to apply it and the necessary precautions during this process. 

Let's go!

Just in time concept

Just in time emerged after the 1929 crisis, when Toyota managers had the Fordist system affected and found themselves in need of acquiring a management model that would reduce inventories and costs in general.

Thus, a model of manufacturing only according to demand was developed, without affecting the final result. Other companies quickly acquired the method.

As we saw earlier, just in time is responsible for seeking accuracy in the production chain, fitting operations and executions according to the level of demand.

Furthermore, this production management technique also influences inventory control.

In it, each step produces what is needed just to start the next step.

Just in Time Goals

The fundamental basis of this philosophy is to reduce waste and company costs.

In this sense, through continuous improvement, inventory reduction and identification of production problems are achieved.

According to Shiego Shingo, specialist in Just in Time, a factory can contain seven types of waste, they are:

1. Overproduction;
2. Wait;
3. Transport;
4. Unnecessary production;
5. Work-in-process inventory;
6. Movement and effort;
7. Defective products.

With waste in mind, the manager should seek the following solutions:

1. Zero defect;
2. Zero preparation time;
3. Zero stock;
4. Zero movement;
5. Zero breakage;
6. Zero lead time;
7. Unit lot.

Just in Time is adopted as a philosophy because achieving perfection is virtually impossible. However, seeking continuous improvement brings us closer and closer to this goal.

Benefits of Just in Time

It is a kind of methodology lean, that is, designed to increase efficiency, cut costs and reduce waste. Thus, by implementing it in your industry you will have access to benefits such as:

Inventory management optimization

With this philosophy, you can optimize all stock management, preventing stagnant products.

limited production

By standardizing processes, production becomes limited and completion time is reduced. That way, you can deliver more in less time.

Reduction of waste and costs

With production aligned with demand, the company reduces the waste of resources and avoids idle inventory, which results in devaluation of goods and entails additional maintenance and storage costs.

Improved use of manpower

Through this method you will achieve optimization of production processes. The goal is to increase the team's potential, preventing them from engaging in tasks of little productive value.

Improved quality control and management

With all execution processes controlled, the management of quality management of deliveries becomes easier.

In addition, it is also possible to obtain greater operational flexibility to deal with inventory, thus making the process of managing the quality of goods more judicious.

Tips for implementing Just in time in your company

To implement a methodology and achieve the benefits it brings, it is necessary to do it correctly, so we will see some essential topics.

Organization

It is important to organize and monitor data in real time, this boosts the productivity of employees and processes.

On the factory floor, for example, it is possible to manage machines and teams, even from a distance, adapting to the needs of each demand.

Training

To adopt a new methodology, the entire team needs to know its concept and walk in the same direction.

Therefore, it is necessary to invest in training focused on the methodology that will be applied, to avoid process failures and other production bottlenecks.

Communication

For the methodology to be efficient, make sure that the entire team knows how to apply it. Therefore, go over it continuously and reinforce the positive points and points to be improved. It is important that there is a dialogue with everyone so that everything is right.

goal setting

Just in time aims to receive orders and produce the exact amount to meet them, changing the production process from a push to pull production.

Precautions when applying Just in time

While the concept sounds attractive, it may not apply to all types of industries. In industries with little predictability of demand or that have many fluctuations, this practice is not recommended.

Some industries depend on available stock for the good performance of the company, in these cases the Just in Time philosophy may not be beneficial.

It is also necessary to assess whether your industry has the basic needs to apply this philosophy, such as loyal suppliers who will meet demand when it arises and whether there is the possibility of running with minimum stocks without affecting the quality and performance of the company. .

Relationship of Just in Time with Kanban

Kanban is a methodology that organizes the stages of a project or the realization of a demand. It can be considered a way to achieve Just in time.

It helps to control the pace of a production and signals when a new stage can be started.

One stage only begins when another ends. This ensures that only the necessary resources are used for each step of the process.

You can learn more about this subject and better understand Kanban's relationship with Just in Time in our article “Kanban: understand this methodology.”

If you liked this article and are interested in the subject, the article “Lean Manufacturing: concepts and principles”, may be relevant reading for you.

A management system that assists in Just in Time

To apply Just in Time, it is necessary to organize production in a strategic and functional way.

O BMS Manufacturing 360 is a system that enables the management of the entire production line remotely, digitally and instantly.

With the LoT system, it optimizes processes, automates production lines and analyzes data on all operational actions in your industry in real time!

It will assist you in applying Just in Time and will enable you to be efficient, cut costs and reduce waste.

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