“Full kitting is the process of clarifying requirements, getting sign-offs, the staging of materials, etc. before the initiation of tasks.” – Goldratt
Usually, the activities that allow tasks to be done without interruptions are included in the full kit list.
A doctor and her team performing the medical treatment in an operation theatre without checking the availability of necessary tools and instruments would lead to monumental failure.
A pilot taking off a flight, without checking the basic functions of the key devices and resources required to keep the passengers in the air safely, would lead to disastrous.
Similarly, the shop floor scheduler should ensure that all materials, specs, tooling, etc., are available prior to the release of the manufacturing order to the shop floor (full kitting).
Starting a task with an incomplete kit means more labor time to finish the task, longer lead time, more work-in-process, reduction of throughput, poor quality, and impairment of due date performances.
Therefore, the tasks should not be started until the ‘full kitting’ is done.
For Further Reading:
The Complete Kit Concept – http://boazronen.org/PDF/The%20Complete%20Kit%20Concept.pdf
