First steps
- Measure OTD by supplier.
- Check capacity against demand.
- Agree a pull system and safety stock.
How to measure success
OTD (%) and premium freight cost. Record the value before you start, so the effect of every action can be shown.
When these methods are the wrong choice
- Supplier scorecard: Selecting a new supplier.
- Run at rate: Quality problems without a capacity question.
- Kanban / pull: Very irregular, one-off demand.
- 8D report: Small internal issues where one person can fix the cause in a day.
- Value stream mapping: A problem at one machine.
The methods in one line
| Method | What it is |
|---|---|
| Supplier scorecard | Monthly rating of quality (PPM), delivery (OTD) and response, with classes A / B / C. |
| Run at rate | Production trial at the quoted cycle time that proves the line can deliver the volume. |
| Kanban / pull | Replenishes material by actual consumption with cards or signals and fixed limits. |
| 8D report | Team-based method for customer complaints: containment, root cause for occurrence and non-detection, verified corrective action, prevention. |
| Value stream mapping | Maps material and information flow end to end and shows waiting, inventory and lead time. |