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A decision model for kitting and line stocking with variable operator walking distances

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a decision model to choose between kitting and line stocking at the level of single parts, while taking into account the variable operator walking distances. Different ways of feeding assembly lines, such as kitting and line stocking not only have an impact on in-plant logistics flows but also determine the amount of stock that is available at the line. This, in turn, has an impact on operator walking distances during assembly. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed integer linear programming model is developed for the assignment of parts to one of both methods, and to be able to extensively test the model, an algorithm is created for the construction of representative datasets. Findings – Parts are often kitted because of a space constraint at the line, but even without a space constraint, the shorter walking distances might give preference to kitting. An analysis is presented that demonstrates how specific part characteristics influence the chances of a p...