Model for evaluating materials supply methods to assembly stations

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to develop a model that is going to be used when wanting to cost-effectively improve the productivity of material supply to assembly with consideration to improve ergonomics and quality of semi-finished products. For this approach a case company’s material supply and assembly station have been studied. By utilising interviews, observations, time measurements and the company’s archival records relevant data have been gathered to review the company’s current materials supply method and assembly station in order to compare it with new possible materials supply methods. A cost break down structure was made in order to identify the different cost drivers for the different materials supply methods. This facilitated the time measurements since they pointed out which operations/activities that should be studied. There were two main types of materials supply methods used in the comparisons, which were line stocking and materials kitting. Line stocking was the first alternative since it was their current material supply method. In materials kitting, the new material supply method, there was two sub types examined, kit carriers and kits in pallets. The conclusion was that that the kit carriers made it possible to improve the labour productivity of one assembly station and at the same time being cost-effective. The kit carriers did also improve the ergonomics for the assembler, but on the contrary worsened the ergonomics for the material handlers. It was also perceived by the assemblers and materials handlers that the quality of the materials was improved when using the kit carriers.