wHAT IS KITTING?
Kitting is the process of collecting and organizing separate but related parts for future use in the manufacturing of a product. In some cases, items with different but related SKUs are combined and given a new SKU. Kits may be stored until needed on the manufacturing assembly line or delivered directly to customers. There are many advantages to kitting such as improved productivity and faster delivery times as kits can be quickly retrieved when necessary. Kitting also organizes and improves control of the warehousing process, leading to fewer packaging and shipping errors or delays. The use of kits also allows assembly line personnel to focus on more value-added tasks rather than searching in inventory for parts. Lastly, incorporating automation into the kitting process delivers even higher efficiency gains that result in more time and cost savings.
KITTING AND SEQUENCING
In automotive manufacturing, kits of parts are delivered to the next stage of production at exactly the time that a kit is needed.
ENSURE QUALITY: QUICK AND
ACCURATE KITTING
Pick-by-Light devices have a multicoloured confirmation button so that specific colours can be assigned for each kit. This allows for the preparation of several simultaneous kits and/or several operators in the same area.
Pick-to-light display:
indicates the quantity of each item to pick.
Pick-to-light systems ensure that kits are
assembled quickly and accurately and can be delivered to the next stage of
production at the right time
INCREASE EFFICIENCY: SAVE TIME AND COST
Pick To Light devices optimise part picking time and ensures both quality and accuracy.
The operation of the system is very intuitive and speeds up training time of new employees.
KITTING COMPARE VS PICK AND PACK
The pick and pack process is simple in theory but the implementation of this process can quickly become complex. For companies that have a limited number of products, pick and pack may be a good option. However, as products become more customized with numerous colors and variations to choose from, the pick and pack method becomes too complicated to streamline and successfully execute.
Kitting, on the other hand, offers companies flexibility and efficiency that are just not feasible with pick and pack. Additionally, since kitting must occur where the part inventory resides, it is an easy part of the supply chain to contract to a third party that has the necessary expertise and experience. For this reason, it makes sense to partner with an integrated company, like Twinkle system with the wireless pick by light system, that can provide kitting as well as operations such as manufacturing and warehousing. Integrated manufacturers offer significant value for OEMs such as streamlining production schedules, improving the consistency and reliability of the final product, and minimizing the number of vendors involved in the manufacturing process. All of these steps improve efficiency and reduce risk – saving OEMs time, resources, and money.