Sequencer

What is the Sequencer?

The Sequencer is a KanbanBOX module that allows you to allocate Released and/or In process cards to the resources of a specific department, in order to optimize the production sequence of each resource and provide the operators with an interface to visualize the cards assigned to their resources.

Inside KanbanBOX, every kanban loop is preassigned to a resource, so that the cards belonging to that loop are sequenced by default following a FIFO logic and with the aim of creating an automatic sequencing process that requires the operators to act only when needed.

The Sequencer allows you to sequence:

• kanban cards that are set as "Released" or "In process" in KanbanBOX;
• closed orders (i.e., synchro cards) added in KanbanBOX through an Excel file or automatically by the ERP.

The Sequencer module is activated upon request by the KanbanBOX Team.

How to visualize the Sequencer

Procedure:

1. Go to Heijunka > Sequencer.
2. Select the resources you want to show in the Sequencer and click on Show.
3. For each sequence, the Sequencer will show only the kanban cards in the statuses Released and In process belonging to that specific resource.
4. The sequence processing data are shown in the header of each resource:
   • Number of cards: number of displayed kanban cards and total number of kanban cards assigned to the resource.
   • Total Processing Time: time required to process all the kanban cards assigned to the resource.
     Please note that, to calculate the Total Processing Time, the Processing time has to be filled in all the loops with sequenced cards, otherwise KanbanBOX will return the error "Calculation error! Insert the card processing time."

It is possible to: - compact am expanded sequence page, clicking on the icon : - expand a compacted sequence page, clicking on the icon .

Search for a card or a part number among resources

In the Sequencer page, through the Search... bar, you can search for:

• a specific kanban card, inserting the kanban card ID;
• a part number, inserting the part code;
• a card with a specific card reference, inserting the card reference.

Procedure:

1. Go to Heijunka > Sequencer.
2. In the Sequencer page, click on the Search... bar at the top right section.
3. Insert the kanban card ID, the Part number or the Card reference to search for.
4. A table with all the cards that match with the research is shown: click on Go to card to be redirected to a specific card.
   

Filter resources

By default, in the sequencer page all the resources on which the user has visibility are shown (to edit the partner visibility for a user, see the guide How to set the user visibility on partners).

To filter the resources you want to see in the sequencer page:

1. Click on Filter.
2. Click on
   • a Group, to select all the resources that belong to a group;
   • the single Resources, to select one or more resources from the list;
   • Select all, to select all the resources.
3. Click on Show to confirm the selection.

Possible actions on cards from the Sequencer

By clicking on the icon in the card row, the card pop-up is opened and it is possible to perform these actions:

Action	Icon	Description
Print		To print the kanban card
Block		To block or unblock the kanban card
Out of stock		To mark the kanban card as out of stock or to remove the out of stock flag
Priority		To mark the kanban card as a priority or to remove the priority flag
Edit		To edit kanban card data
Status change		To change the kanban card status

Change of the sequence

Manual change

To move the kanban card from one resource to another, or to change the position of a kanban card within the same resource, select, drag and drop the kanban card in the new position or in the new resource:

Semi-automatic reordering

It is possible to reorder the sequence of cards according to one or more sorting criteria by clicking on the icon .

The fields by which the sequence of cards can be reordered are:

• Grouping (loop field, to group for example by type of set-up)
• Priority (card flag, to sort by cards with and without priority)
• "In process" date
• "Released" date
• Required date

In particular, the reordering:

• can be performed for each resource for which the reordering is active;
• is not reversible (once the cards are reordered, it is not possible to go back to the initial configuration);
• preserves the frozen area (if there is a frozen area of cards, these will not be reordered).

The semi-automatic reordering and the sorting criteria are configurable from the sequencer settings: Customization of the sequence aspect.

Group of cards with the same part number

The icon will appear on the kanban cards whose part number is present also in other kanban cards inside the Sequencer, more specifically:

• in another resources,
• in the same resource, but in a position not adjacent to the kanban card.

By clicking on the icon, all the resources containing cards with the same part number are listed.