1. Just-in-time is an approach to repetitive manufacturing that emphasizes continual effort to remove inefficiency and waste from the production process. It is the aspect of lean production that is concerned with the flow of material through the system.

2. JIT systems achieve important benefits through the use of small lot sizes, high quality, and a team approach.

3. The main goal of a JIT system is smooth production (i.e., level use of production resources).

4. An important feature of JIT systems is the use of a pull system rather than a push system to move work through a system. Under a push system, work is moved along as it is completed; under a pull system, downstream operations signal preceding operations when they want/need work. Hence, each operation dictates need to the preceding operation; work proceeds in response to demand of following operations. See Figure 16-4 in your textbook.

5. The building blocks of JIT are product design, process design, organizational elements, and manufacturing planning and control.

6. JIT is different than the traditional approach to manufacturing. Important aspects of this are outlined in Table 16-3 in the textbook.

7. Despite the benefits of JIT, conversion to JIT requires considerable planning. See the discussion of this and possible obstacles in the textbook.

8. JIT can also be applied to services, although the majority of applications have been in manufacturing.

9. Be sure to study Table 16-4 at the end of the chapter; it provides a good overview of JIT.