Kitting is a manufacturing process that pulls specific parts and components from the stockroom, then stages them in the appropriate place in the assembly area. 

For assemblies that are built in a Batch Build process, material is “Kitted” in the stockroom, transported to the workstation for assembly, then returned to the stockroom when complete.  The Kitting process starts with a “Pick List” being generated by the ERP system based on the schedule of jobs to build a product. 

Material is picked from inventory, lot numbers and serial numbers tracked if necessary, and bagged and tagged with labels printed specifically for the job. These labels identify the material, job order number, job quantity, and reference designators 

The material is then staged in the assembly area as WIP until ready to be assembled. 

Contrast this activity to a Cell Build where the material passes through receiving and incoming inspection directly to a stock location in the Cell where the assembly is in continuous production.  The stock location has the appropriate labeling for the job (typically the bubble number or reference designation). 

Cell personnel pull the material from the stock location and use it immediately in the Cell. 

This is one of the advantages of a Cell build – there is no Kitting activity, no extra bagging, labeling or delivery, it is handled at one time upon receipt.  When the product is completed and moved into the stockroom as a Finished Assembly, the inventory level is decremented at that time; there is no WIP (work-in-process).