A growing number of product variants, which is reality for many assembling
and manufacturing companies, often result in more part numbers. These part
numbers need to be delivered to the assembly process. Delivering them in the
traditional way with continuous supply and lineside stores becomes a problem
since the increasing number of parts demands an increase in lineside storage
space. An increase in lineside storage space and part numbers creates longer
operator walking and searching times at the assembly line. One way to
decrease the lineside storage space and operator walking and searching times
is to deliver parts in kits. In manufacturing systems, the practice of
delivering components and subassemblies to the shop floor in predetermined
quantities that are placed together in specific containers is generally known
as "kitting". Theory explains a number of benefits and limitations with
kitting, however most of the theory is found from research in parallelised
assembly systems and assembly with small parts. It is therefore of great
interest to investigate if these theories also apply to the situation at
Caterpillar BCP-E, Leicester (CAT), with assembly lines with high end product
variation. Since most assembly plants are turning to the theories of Lean
production it is also of interest to see if kitting is applicable in Lean
environments.
The purpose of this study is to analyse the business case and feasibility for
CAT to implement a kitting process for delivery of material to lineside Point
of Use (POU).
To fulfil the purpose a case study at the engine subassembly area at CAT has
been made. Within the case study a quantitative analysis in the form of a
mathematical model has been performed. The results of the mathematical model
has been analysed in a qualitative way to form the final results and
conclusions.
The study shows that kitting can be beneficial in high variation assembly
lines. Kitting provides the opportunity to decrease lineside storage,
lineside inventory value, lineside replenishments and operator walking times.
However kitting increases the number of part handlings, space for kitting and
time for kitting. Kitting also provide opportunities of a more intangible
nature such as the possibility of increasing shop floor control, end product
quality and ease of educating new personnel. The results show that the
benefits of a kitting process is very much dependant on the needs of the
specific factory. Performing some kind of multi criteria decision making
process before implementing a kitting process to find out these specific
needs is therefore of importance. In this study an Analytical Hierarchy
Process was performed to find out the needs of CAT.
The results show no indication that kitting does not coincide with Lean
theories. On the contrary kitting is a way to move waste from one of the most
common bottlenecks, the assembly line. In order to not just move the problem,
but to facilitate or eliminate it, it is of greatest importance to design the
kitting process in an efficient way, both for the logistic and operation
fu...
