Shopfloor note
Kanban discs that restock
Kanban discs on the consumable cart give everyone a quick, visual way to see when restock is needed, so you avoid downtime from empty bins or missing tips.
The real cost of running out on the floor
Walking to the stores mid-weld for a missing angle grinder disc or tip ruins your rhythm, and on a busy day, you may come back to find someone else waiting for the same part. I have seen too many teams in Germiston and Durban lose an hour because nobody flagged low stocks until the last minute. When you are sharing a Consumable Cart, it’s even easier to assume the next person will sort it out.
It is especially tough during term time or shutdown prep, with apprentices and new guys not yet sure what to look for. Arguments break out when a vital disc is missing, and everyone blames the last shift. Kanban discs put a simple card in the right place, at the right time, so supply issues show up before they cause a stoppage.
If you want your bay working like the Highveld taxis, quick turnarounds and everyone knowing their role, then visible restock is the start. No WhatsApp group can replace a card you see right where you pick up your gear.
How our kanban discs work step by step
Our kanban disc system is built for South African fab floors. Each consumable slot or drawer on the Consumable Cart gets a clearly marked kanban disc: usually red for restock needed, green for all good. When you take the second-last pack of tips, or the last flap disc, you move the red disc to the front. That way, the next operator, supervisor, or storekeeper sees the warning instantly, no need for a long handover.
The discs are tough enough to survive a steel shop, and every set comes with re-usable bay tags, so you can track what’s missing. It works for welding tips, cut-off discs, wire, and even gloves. We also include a quick-start guide and sample layout for your team to copy.
- Mark each consumable slot with a kanban disc
- Move the red disc forward when stocks run low
- Check the cart for red discs at the start and end of each shift
- Restock items when a red disc is showing
- Record any shortages on your shift log
Common mistakes and how to keep it on track
Biggest slip I see: someone forgets to move the red disc or loses it under a pile of wrappers. Then the whole system falls flat because nobody trusts the signal. Another mistake is not resetting the discs after restocking, so the cart shows empty even after the stores have come by.
Sometimes a team will try to kanban everything at once, which just leads to confusion, rather start with your top five consumables, get that running smoothly, then expand. Also, don't leave the discs unlabelled. If they aren’t clearly marked, nobody will know which goes where, and you’ll end up back at square one.
Using kanban discs for toolbox talks or to raise a supply issue
Bring your kanban discs into the next toolbox talk. Show everyone how to move the disc, what each colour means, and who checks the cart during a shift. We have laminated quick-guides you can pin up next to the Consumable Cart to remind everyone.
If you keep running out of the same consumables, or your team wants to upgrade from sticky notes to a proper set-up, send us a message through our contact form. We fit and label the discs, and can help you link the system to your shift logs or workflow cards.
