One of the biggest headaches which can plague OEM’s is scaling production when required. Flexibility can be hard to come by if there is a sudden increase in demand, and production can struggle to keep up. Component leadtimes can go out, as stocking of parts is based on forecasted demands. Kitting provides a solution to these production problems.
1. Reduced complexity in the production line
When production is scaled, the complexity involved grows exponentially. With the need to balance capacity with demand and increasing numbers of PCBs to manufacture to keep up with demand, line complexity grows with frequent changeovers, multiple board variants and thousands of components to maintain in stock.
With kitting each build is dealt with as complete sets, instead of individual parts, with built in attrition. This reduces the demand on operators to search for and verify parts in real time, making each build predictable and repeatable.
2. Faster line throughput
Without using kitting, scaling up can be difficult as capacity is constrained, by tasks such as pausing for missing or misloaded components or switching reels (and having to find stock from elsewhere).
Kitting enables components to be staged ready for production, with all the parts needed for the build located by the line. This reduces the downtime of the machine, enabling higher volume production without the proportional increase in downtime.
3. Improved material control and inventory accuracy
As production scales, component shortages, counting errors and line stoppages due to missing parts becomes more common, due to increasing complexity in stock management processes.
Kitting from Diamond Electronics introduces pre-counted, x-ray verified component sets direct to line, along with built in attrition, reducing shortages from machine errors and ensuring that line stops are minimised.
The resulting process ensures that there is easier inventory forecasting, reduced risk of over/under ordering and ensuring capacity matches’ demand.
4. Easier quality control
High volume PCB assembly can result in defects from the wrong, missing or misplaced components on a board. With outsourced kitting an OEM benefits from part validation before the build kit reaches the line, adds an extra layer of error detection and prevention. This increases capacity and allows further scaling.
5. Simplifies changeovers and product variation
Even with an OEM, PCB production often involves multiple board types, with low and medium volume variants. This adds complexity to build schedules and can increase downtime in build changeovers. By using kitting, each build is ready to go in advance, leading to faster switching between product types. This supports the high mix environment required for flexible scaling of PCB production at an OEM.
6. Aligns with lean manufacturing
Kitting allows a business to align themselves with lean manufacturing principles, such as reduced waste and smoother flow. Kitting also can align with JIT production and KANBAN processes to ensure that build production meets the demand requirements.
By aligning with lean manufacturing though kitting there is a reduction in motion waste, waiting time and overprocessing, resulting in a more efficient, scalable production system, with fewer bottlenecks.
7. Supports Parallelisation and Scaling Up
Scaling production often requires additional lines, more operators and shifts. However, OEMs with limited manufacturing capacity, rapidly scaling production to meet a sudden increase in demand can pose a massive manufacturing difficulty.
With kitting, CEM’s can receive a kit of parts required for the build, opening flexibility for the OEM to meet demand. Depending on demand requirements, the builds can be split between different CEM’s ensuring production deadlines can be met.
Within the OEM lines, there may be competition for shared inventory, causing delays. With kitting each build gets its own dedicated kit with no shared inventory, ensuring work can be distributed efficiently and build schedules meeting demand.
8. Key Takeaway
Scaling production of PCB’s is key for OEM growth and kitting is a tool which ensures scalability is flexible and efficient as it moves the complexity upstream, instead of having the issues at the production line.
Diamond electronics have over 30 years of experience simplifying complexity with kitting, enabling a tailored, flexible and efficient solution to scaling OEM production. Contact us and see how we can benefit you.
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