It means not tying up capitol in inventory and wasting valuable space on storage. It pretty much means getting rid of all costs that are not necessary. In Japan though a supplier network would consist of many companies that are owned by a larger corporation and they make parts and supplies for each other and depend on each other for their own well being. This probably helps with their quality control because the success of one is the success of another and they depend on each other in order to survive. JIT is a spin off from Total Quality Management and is dependent on it's basic elements.
Cellular layouts make for flexible resources.
A Kanban and pull production system works with the cellular layout to make things flow smoothly. Quick setups make way for small lot production, uniform production, and quality at the source, which helps to build supplier networks and eliminate waste. 1995 Boston . I will be be graduating in the spring, and I am from Overland Park Kansas.