Design point-of-use storage and kanban pull signals that replenish assembly lines only when real consumption occurs.
Warehousing & Procurement
Line-Side Replenishment, Kitting and Milk-Run Logistics for Assembly Plants
Design line-side replenishment, kitting and milk-run logistics for assembly plants, covering point-of-use storage, kanban pull signals, kit and sequencing design, and balanced tugger train routes.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
An assembly line that stops because a line-side bin ran empty rarely fails for lack of stock in the building; it fails because the replenishment signal, the kit or the tugger route did not deliver the right part to the right point at the right moment. This course builds the internal logistics that keep an assembly line fed without turning line-side space into a second warehouse, starting with point-of-use storage sized to takt time and kanban pull signals that trigger only on real consumption. Delegates design kitting operations and just-in-sequence delivery that match the exact build order arriving at the line, then move on to milk-run route design: linking a parts supermarket to multiple line-side stops on a single balanced loop with standard work for the operator and a visual schedule that shows adherence at every stop. The course closes by measuring stockouts, schedule adherence and workload so replenishment, kitting and route design keep pace as volumes and product variants change.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Apply the fixed route, fixed time, fixed quantity principle to size line-side storage and replenishment loops.
Design a kitting operation, including station layout, kit lists and quality checks, matched to the line's build sequence.
Build a just-in-sequence delivery process synchronised to takt time and able to recover from a sequencing error.
Design a milk-run route linking a parts supermarket to multiple line-side stops on a single balanced loop.
Write standard work for milk-run operators and set a schedule that shows adherence at every stop.
Measure line-side stockouts, schedule adherence and workload to continuously rebalance kitting and milk-run design.
Who Should Attend
Industrial and manufacturing engineers designing line-side replenishment for an assembly plant.
Internal logistics and materials handling supervisors running kitting and milk-run operations.
Lean manufacturing specialists implementing kanban and pull-based replenishment on the shop floor.
Production planners coordinating line schedules with sequencing and kitting delivery.
Warehouse and parts supermarket staff supplying milk-run routes into an assembly line.
Plant logistics managers responsible for tugger train routes and line-side inventory levels.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Foundations of Line-Side Logistics for Assembly Plants
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Point-of-Use Storage and Line-Side Design
- Design point-of-use storage locations that hold only the container quantity needed between replenishment cycles.
- Apply the fixed route, fixed time, fixed quantity principle used in lean internal logistics to line-side design.
- Size line-side storage against takt time and standard container quantity rather than an informal buffer estimate.
- Separate line-side flow lanes from general warehouse aisles to protect line feeding from cross-traffic.
Session 2Kanban and Pull Signal Design
- Design a kanban card or signal that triggers replenishment only when real consumption occurs at the line.
- Size kanban loops, covering card quantity, container size and replenishment lead time, to match line consumption rate.
- Use an electronic or visual andon signal to call a tugger or picker when a line-side location runs low.
- Audit kanban loops periodically to catch a signal that no longer matches actual line consumption.
02Kitting for Assembly Lines
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Designing a Kitting Operation
- Decide which parts justify kitting against those better fed to the line as bulk point-of-use containers.
- Design a kitting station layout and pick sequence that matches the build sequence running on the line.
- Build a kit list and kit card that ties each kit to a specific work order, vehicle or product variant.
- Set quality checks that catch a missing or wrong part in a kit before it reaches the assembly line.
Session 2Sequencing and Just-in-Sequence Delivery
- Build a just-in-sequence delivery process that matches parts to the exact build order arriving at the line.
- Synchronise sequencing lead time against the line's takt time and its build schedule volatility.
- Manage a schedule change or line stoppage without breaking the sequence already committed to the pipeline.
- Recover from a sequencing error quickly enough to avoid a line stop.
03Designing and Running Milk-Run Routes
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Milk-Run Route Design
- Design a fixed milk-run route that links a parts supermarket to multiple line-side locations on a single loop.
- Set route frequency and tugger train capacity against combined line consumption across all stops on the route.
- Select load carriers, such as route trolleys or dollies, sized to the parts and quantities delivered at each stop.
- Balance workload across multiple milk-run routes so no single loop becomes a bottleneck for the plant.
Session 2Operating and Standardising Milk-Run Logistics
- Write standard work for a milk-run operator covering route sequence, timing and load-handling steps.
- Train tugger drivers on safe manoeuvring and right-of-way rules in shared plant aisles.
- Use a visual or digital route schedule that shows whether a run is on time at each stop.
- Adjust route design when a new line, product variant or volume change alters the demand pattern.
04Integrating Line-Side Logistics with the Supply Chain
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Supermarket Design and Inventory Control
- Design a parts supermarket that buffers between inbound supply and milk-run collection without becoming a second warehouse.
- Set supermarket replenishment triggers from the same kanban signals used at the assembly line.
- Size supermarket inventory to absorb realistic supply variability without holding excess buffer stock.
- Keep supermarket location and slotting aligned with the milk-run stop sequence it feeds.
Session 2Measuring and Improving Line-Side Performance
- Trace line-side stockouts and near-miss events back to their root cause in the kanban, kitting or milk-run design.
- Measure milk-run schedule adherence and tugger utilisation across every route on the plant.
- Use time and motion data to rebalance kitting and milk-run workload as volumes change.
- Involve line-side operators and logistics staff in a regular review that refines standard work and route design.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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