Manufacturing is all about efficiency. The greater the efficiency of your manufacturing assembly line, the higher your quality, throughput and profitability. Leaders in all product-centric industries are constantly looking for ways to increase assembly line efficiency and eliminate risk of manufacturing downtime and assembly errors. That’s because even a small production glitch creates high levels of risk for a manufacturing operation.
For example, the lack of a single label can bring an entire assembly line to its knees. If that label is a mandated safety warning and it’s out of stock, production must stop until a fresh supply arrives. Fortunately, manufacturers who use a label kitting system don’t have this problem.
What is label kitting?
Label kitting is a simple idea that saves time and hassles: All the labels that must be adhered to a piece of equipment or machinery are printed on a single sheet. It’s a best practice for lean manufacturing, and it’s so easy to use that training workers takes minutes.
Before label kitting was introduced, companies ordered a mix of labels from multiple vendors. The colors, finishes and adhesives weren’t consistent, and assembly line workers wasted time tracking inventories for each label. With label kitting sheets, consistent product labeling is guaranteed.
Label kits couldn’t be easier to use. The labels are arranged on the sheet in the order they are to be applied. As the label kitting sheet travels down the assembly line with the chassis, the first label to be attached is peeled from the top left and the last to be adhered is on the bottom right. Label kitting immediately removes any confusion about the order of application; when the item is completely assembled, the label kitting sheet will be empty.
The benefits of label kitting systems
By adopting a label kitting system, manufacturers no longer need a worker at the end of the line to tally the number of labels on each piece to verify that none are missing. Companies can breathe easy knowing they will not face liability claims for omitting to adhere mandated warning and safety labels. And, label kitting can add efficiency to nearly any manufacturing assembly line. Label kitting sheets come in all sizes to meet a variety of manufacturers’ needs. A top-of-the-line digital press can print sheets up to 5 feet (60 inches) wide. Thanks to four-color process printing, labels with multiple colors are a snap.
Understanding industrial and durable labels
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of labels here at Taylor. Our longstanding customer relationships are the result of collaboration, observation and careful listening. We visit their production lines regularly and confer with their engineers. We ask open-ended questions like “Tell me where your problems are.” The more we know about how their business runs, the better the solutions we provide. Label kitting is just one of them.
If your business is not yet using label kitting, now is a good time to consider incorporating it into your manufacturing assembly line. Label kitting can boost efficiency, trim costs and minimize the potential for liability claims. Check with your printing partner to see how label kitting can make your manufacturing operation even better.
