Runner, Repeater, StrangerRunner, Repeater, Stranger Sorting Sheet
A kanban loop keeps two bins at the workstation. You work from one while the other refills. This sheet checks your parts before you place them into a loop.
Select candidate parts
List the parts you want to move into a kanban loop. The sheet sorts each item so you avoid stockouts and high inventory costs.
Steady demand makes the refill moment predictable.
Floor inventory ties up cash and floor space.
Long wait times force bins to become large.
| Part number | Description | Share of jobsQuestion 1 | Unit costQuestion 2 | Lead timeQuestion 3 | ClassCircle one | Method | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | %✓ | $✓ | d✓ | Two-bin | ||||
| 2 | %✓ | $✓ | d✓ | Two-bin | ||||
| 3 | %✓ | $✓ | d✓ | Two-bin | ||||
| 4 | %✓ | $✓ | d✓ | Two-bin | ||||
| 5 | %✓ | $✓ | d✓ | Two-bin | ||||
| 6 | %✗ | $✓ | d✓ | Reorder point | ||||
| 7 | %✗ | $✓ | d✓ | Reorder point | ||||
| 8 | %✗ | $✓ | d✓ | Reorder point | ||||
| 9 | %✗ | $✗ | d✗ | MRP | ||||
| 10 | %✗ | $✗ | d✗ | MRP | ||||
| 11 | %✗ | $✗ | d✗ | MRP |
Runner
Predictable draw, low unit cost, and short lead time. Put these parts into two-bin loops.
Repeater
Moderate demand or moderate cost. Manage replenishment with a reorder point.
Stranger
Infrequent demand, high unit cost, or long lead time. Order through MRP.
Most teams find about 70 Runners per 100 parts. If your count stays low, review whether your lead time limits are too strict.
Calculate bin counts with Kanban Card Calculator, then print cards with Kanban Card Configurator.
Kanban Card CalculatorKanban Card ConfiguratorMatch your controls to part demand
Blanket rules create shortages or tie up cash. When you manage every component the same way, slow movers consume floor space and fast movers starve the process. Sorting parts before you design loops protects your cash. It directs your time toward items that benefit from visual controls.
The risk of universal kanban controls
Teams often attempt to place every stock keeping unit on visual cards. This approach fails in environments with wide product variety. Infrequent parts sit in containers for months. Dust gathers on unused inventory while capital stays trapped on shelves. Cards for rare items get lost because operators handle them twice a year. Visual replenishment breaks down when workers stop trusting the signal. High-mix environments require different control mechanisms for different demand patterns.
Three distinct demand classes
This method sorts inventory into Runner, Repeater and Stranger categories. Runners arrive constantly, move through the process in steady volume, and carry short supplier lead time. Repeaters show regular demand but arrive in smaller volumes or carry moderate supply delays. Strangers appear unpredictably, carry high unit cost, or take months to source. The method fits operations where customer orders change daily and standard product lines do not exist.
How demand sorting pairs with ABC analysis
ABC analysis ranks parts by total annual spend. That financial view helps purchasing negotiate contracts, but it ignores shop floor cadence. A cheap plastic clip ranks as a C item under spend analysis. Yet if that clip runs out, the entire process stops. Runner analysis focuses on operational frequency, unit cost, and replenishment speed. You can run both systems together. ABC analysis sets vendor review schedules, while this operational tool determines physical controls.
Control methods for non-Runner inventory
Runners use a two-bin system or standard floor cards. Repeaters do not fit two bins because holding double their peak volume consumes excessive space. Instead, you manage Repeaters with a calculated reorder point and dedicated safety stock. Strangers receive neither cards nor bins. You purchase Strangers directly against sales orders inside your MRP software. Keeping Strangers inside digital planning protects floor space and avoids scrap from design changes.
Frequently asked questions
What parts qualify for a two-bin system?
Parts qualify for two-bin storage when demand is steady, unit cost is modest, and replacement containers arrive promptly from suppliers. These items fit the Runner profile. You keep one container active at the point of use while a second full container waits in reserve.
How does this method differ from ABC inventory classification?
ABC analysis ranks items by total annual spend to guide commercial purchasing terms. This tool evaluates operational velocity, order stability, and lead time. A low-value bolt can be a Runner on the floor even if ABC analysis treats it as minor spend.
Why should unpredictable components stay on MRP?
Components with irregular demand tie up cash when held as buffer stock. If you build fixed loops for rare items, parts sit idle for long periods. MRP orders them only after a customer enters a firm requirement.
How do you manage parts classified as Repeaters?
You manage Repeaters with a reorder point and calculated safety stock. Because demand fluctuates more than Runner volume, you hold enough inventory to cover lead time variability without maintaining two full physical bins on the floor.
What happens when demand patterns shift across seasons?
A part can change classification when customer volume rises or supplier delivery times lengthen. You should review parts against your parameter settings twice per year, moving stable Repeaters into two-bin loops and shifting erratic parts back to MRP control.
How many parts typically become Runners in high-mix environments?
Most high-mix facilities find that about 70 Runners emerge from every 100 examined parts. The remaining balance divides between Repeaters controlled by reorder points and Strangers managed through scheduled purchase orders.
Related tools
- Kanban Card Calculator — Size physical loops, determine card counts, and establish container quantities for the process.
- Kanban Card Configurator — Configure visual details, set container fields, and print durable shop floor cards.
- PFEP Builder — Build a plan for every part covering locations, usage, and container choices.
- EPEI Calculator — Calculate production cycle frequency across different product variants on one shared process.
- Kanban for high-mix, low-volume manufacturing — Read field guidelines for running visual pull within varied custom production environments.
- Pull system — Review the formal dictionary definition and operating mechanics of pull production systems.