Kanban card generator PDF

Method

2-bin vs 3-bin vs CONWIP Kanban: which one to use?

2-bin Kanban is the simplest: one active bin, one reserve. When the active bin empties, the team consumes the reserve and the card goes to ordering. This is the standard for most SMB workshops. 3-bin Kanban adds a safety bin — useful when supplier lead time is long or irregular (over 2 weeks). CONWIP (Constant Work In Progress) caps total parts in circulation: relevant for assembly lines, not for spare-parts inventory. For 90% of workshops and garages, 2-bin is enough — that is what this tool prepares.

• Lead time under 1 week: 2-bin is enough
• Lead time 1 to 4 weeks or peaky demand: 3-bin with safety stock
• Continuous production flow: consider CONWIP as a complement

Math

Calculate minimum level and reorder quantity (formula + example)

Classic rule: Minimum level = Average daily consumption × Lead time × (1 + safety margin). Example: a workshop consumes 50 stainless screws per day. Supplier delivers in 5 days. With a 30% safety margin: 50 × 5 × 1.3 = 325 screws. Reorder quantity then depends on ordering cost vs holding cost (Wilson formula) — in practice 2 to 4 weeks of consumption is a good rule of thumb. For the screws: 50 × 14 = 700 units per order, rounded to supplier pack sizes (box of 500 or 1,000).

Color code

Why add an urgency color to the card

A Kanban card without visual hierarchy ends up in the same tray as every other one. A color code fixes that in 2 seconds: green = relaxed lead time (over 10 days), orange = critical (delivery in 3-10 days), red = urgent (imminent stockout, delivery under 3 days). The owner who opens the tray in the morning sorts at a glance. This tool prints the colored band at the top of each card based on your choice. Tip: pair each color with a relative minimum level — red at 0.5× weekly use, orange at 1×, green at 2×.

Wet shop

Print and laminate for humid workshops or kitchens

A regular paper Kanban card does not last 3 months in a mechanic shop: oil, grease, condensation. Three protection levels by environment. Level 1 (dry workshop, store): 120 g/m² laser paper. Level 2 (garage, kitchen, cellar): A6 transparent plastic sleeve, or hot lamination (machines from $30-50). Level 3 (cold room, industrial workshop): self-adhesive polypropylene labels ($5-15 per A4 sheet from Avery or Amazon Pro). Do not skimp — an unreadable card is worse than no card.

Maturity

From paper Kanban to scanned Kanban: 4 maturity levels

Level 1 — Classic paper cards: the operator drops the card in a tray, the owner orders at end of day. Level 2 — Paper cards + QR code (this tool): the card keeps its physical form, the QR prepares the transition. Level 3 — Smartphone scan: the operator scans the QR with ApsionScan, the alert reaches the owner instantly, who orders from anywhere. Level 4 — Auto-replenishment: ApsionScan detects the minimum level, triggers a pre-filled order to the supplier (email or EDI). Most SMB workshops gain a lot just by moving from level 1 to level 3.

Practical tips

Five classic pitfalls and how to avoid them

First trap: not printing supplier lead time on the card — the operator does not know how worried to be. Second: forgetting bin number or location — the card is right but restock goes to the wrong shelf. Third: a tight minimum level computed without safety margin — frequent stockouts on any peak. Fourth: no visual urgency hierarchy — the owner cannot prioritize. Fifth: leaving cards lying around without marking them "ordering in progress" — the same restock gets triggered twice.