Totech IC Storage Dry Cabinet (LTSD-302)

Reflections on Just-In-Time production

Just as the financial crisis made people see the problem with banks: an incredible amount of loans were made without leaving enough reserves to cover bad debts. The force majeure also highlights the fragility of global manufacturing: Manufacturing has been operating at too high an efficiency without considering the risks of its vulnerability to disruptions in the supply chain. A large part of the reason is the excessive use of so-called just-in-time production methods.

Just in time, JIT refer to producing the desired products (or parts) in the quantity required at the time required to accelerate the flow of semi-finished products, minimize inventory, and to improve a company's production efficiency. And according to this mode, it is not necessary to keep required components as stock to ensure that production is maintained in all circumstances.

JIT is what adopted by the Japan company Toyota Motor in 1960s, and it played a prominent role in helping Toyota to overcome the first energy crisis after 1973. After that, it attracted the attention of other countries' manufacturing enterprises, and gradually promoted in both Japanese and local companies in Europe and the United States.

However, in the beginning of 2020, automobile making and electronic consumable producing companies stopped working one after another due to the force majeure.

- The global fifth automaker Hyundai stopped production in their Korean factory as lack of parts made in China.
- Nissan informed that production was stopped in Japan as components shortage.
- Nintendo delayed the launch time for their popular game machine Switch in the United States and Europe as their manufacturer in Vietnam had no access to key components from China.
- Jaguar and Land Rover even expressed that some of their factories had no spare parts available and they had to take parts from China to UK in boots.
For the semiconductor industry, JIT is everywhere. Orders are placed when raw materials, components and even equipment are required and then deliver by global air and maritime transport networks to meet the schedule of production and test. Once the supply chain is broken by force majeure risk with shortage of raw materials, the production has to be stopped even if it is with high level for production automation.

In the year 2020, the manufacturing enterprises world wide will reflect and adjust the JIT mode, taking into account both short time manufacturing schedule and also keeping long term stock for steady production.

How to keep stock? Professional storage equipment is essential.

- Multiple capacity for choice as per quantity of stock items.
- Rational use of space with enough loading capacity.
- Low humidity control and ESD safe compliance.
- Long time stable operation without maintenance or replacement of consumbles.
- Keep steady inner humidity and temperature with black off.
- Audible and visual alarm system for dealing with problems in time.
- Power saving.
- Cost-effective.

Specifications