Spare Parts Kitting: Reduce Repair Time by 30%

A technician starts a repair. Opens the manual. Needs 7 parts.

Walks to the warehouse. Finds 5. Two are missing. Searches another 20 minutes. Finds one. The last one is out of stock.

Sound familiar?

Technicians waste up to 30% of their time hunting for parts.

Spare parts kitting eliminates this waste. Result: 30% faster repairs.

Here's how it works.

What is Spare Parts Kitting?

Kitting is the practice of pre-assembling all parts needed for a specific job into a single "kit."

When a technician starts the job, the kit is ready. No searching. No waiting. No surprises.

The kit contains:

• All parts listed in the BOM
• Consumables (gaskets, lubricants, fasteners)
• Special tools (if needed)
• Documentation (manuals, procedures)

Why Kitting Works

Eliminates Search Time

Without kitting: 30% of repair time is finding parts. With kitting: 0% of repair time is finding parts.

That's a 30% time savings on every kitted job.

Reduces Errors

Technicians grab wrong parts. Forget parts. Use substitutes that don't work.

Kits contain exactly the right parts. Pre-verified. No guessing.

Enables Better Planning

Kitting forces advance planning. You can't kit without knowing:

• What the job requires
• What parts are available
• When the job will happen

This planning prevents mid-job surprises.

Improves Technician Focus

Technicians focus on the repair, not the logistics. Less frustration. Higher quality work.

When to Kit

Kit These Jobs:

Planned PMs with parts:

• Quarterly overhauls
• Annual inspections
• Scheduled replacements

Repetitive repairs:

• Common failures (bearing replacements, seal changes)
• Jobs done weekly or monthly

Complex jobs:

• Shutdowns/turnarounds
• Multi-day projects
• Jobs with many parts (10+)

Critical equipment:

• Anything on critical assets
• Jobs where downtime is expensive

Don't Kit These Jobs:

Simple repairs:

• 1-2 parts
• Takes longer to kit than to just grab the parts

One-off jobs:

• Unlikely to repeat
• Kit overhead not worth it

Emergency repairs:

• No time to kit
• Just grab what you need

The Kitting Process

Step 1: Identify Kit Candidates

Review your work orders. Look for:

• Jobs done repeatedly (monthly or more often)
• Jobs with 5+ parts
• Jobs with long search times
• Planned jobs (PMs, shutdowns)

These are kit candidates.

Step 2: Define Kit Contents

For each candidate, define exactly what goes in the kit.

Sources:

• BOM (bill of materials)
• OEM manuals
• Historical work orders (what was actually used)
• Technician input (what they actually need)

Include:

• All required parts
• Consumables (gaskets, lubricants, thread locker)
• Fasteners (bolts, nuts, washers — don't assume they're reusable)
• Special tools (pullers, fixtures)
• Documentation (procedure, manual section)

Step 3: Build the Kit

Kit containers:

• Tote bins (for small parts)
• Tool rolls (for tools)
• Custom foam inserts (for organized storage)
• Dedicated cabinets (for large kits)

Kit assembly:

1. Pick all parts from inventory
2. Verify quantities
3. Place in container
4. Attach documentation
5. Label kit (job ID, equipment, contents)

Step 4: Store the Kit

Options:

• Pre-built kits in warehouse: Ready when needed
• Kanban replenishment: Auto-replenish when kit is used
• Job-specific staging: Build kit when job is scheduled

Best practice: Pre-build common kits. Stage job-specific kits 24-48 hours before the job.

Step 5: Deploy the Kit

When the job starts:

1. Technician collects the kit
2. Verifies contents (quick check)
3. Takes kit to the work location
4. Does the repair
5. Returns unused parts

Step 6: Replenish

After the job:

1. Note any parts used that weren't in kit (add to BOM)
2. Note any parts in kit that weren't used (remove from BOM)
3. Replenish consumables
4. Return kit to storage

The CMMS Role

Your CMMS should support kitting:

Kit Templates

Define kit contents once. Reuse for every instance.

Auto-Kitting for PMs

When a PM is scheduled, CMMS auto-generates a kit pick list.

Inventory Integration

CMMS checks parts availability before the job. Alerts if parts are missing.

Kit Tracking

Track kit location, status (built, deployed, returned), and contents.

Consumption Tracking

Track what's used from each kit. Refine kit contents over time.

Types of Kits

1. PM Kits

For routine preventive maintenance:

• Filter change kits (filters, gaskets, fasteners)
• Lubrication kits (oils, greases, applicators)
• Inspection kits (gauges, forms, tools)

2. Repair Kits

For common failures:

• Bearing replacement kits (bearings, seals, pullers)
• Pump rebuild kits (impeller, wear rings, seals)
• Motor replacement kits (motor, coupling, hardware)

3. Shutdown Kits

For major shutdowns:

• Complete kit for each shutdown job
• Staged in advance
• Often months of preparation

4. Emergency Kits

For critical failures:

• Pre-built, always available
• "Crash kits" for mission-critical equipment
• Located near the equipment

The ROI

Time Savings

Without kitting:

• 4-hour repair job
• 30% parts search time = 1.2 hours wasted
• Total: 5.2 hours

With kitting:

• 4-hour repair job
• 0% parts search time
• Total: 4 hours

Savings: 1.2 hours per job (23%)

Cost Savings

Annual calculation:

• 500 kitted jobs per year
• 1.2 hours saved per job
• 600 hours saved per year
• At $60/hour: $36,000/year in labor savings

Plus:

• Fewer errors (wrong parts, missing parts)
• Less downtime (faster repairs)
• Better inventory control

Inventory Optimization

Kitting reveals:

• Parts used together (bundle them)
• Parts rarely used (remove from inventory)
• Parts frequently out of stock (increase safety stock)

Common Kitting Mistakes

Mistake 1: Over-Kitting

Putting too much in kits. "Just in case" parts that never get used.

Fix: Track consumption. Remove unused parts.

Mistake 2: Under-Kitting

Missing parts that are actually needed. Technician still has to search.

Fix: Debrief after each job. Add missing parts.

Mistake 3: No Documentation

Kit has parts but no instructions. Technician doesn't know what goes where.

Fix: Include procedures, manuals, diagrams in every kit.

Mistake 4: Poor Storage

Kits scattered, unorganized. Hard to find when needed.

Fix: Dedicated kit storage area. Clear labeling. Organized layout.

Mistake 5: No Replenishment

Kit used but not restocked. Next technician finds empty kit.

Fix: Auto-replenishment triggers. Kanban system.

Implementation Steps

Phase 1: Pilot (1 month)

1. Identify 5-10 kit candidates
2. Define and build kits
3. Deploy for actual jobs
4. Measure time savings
5. Gather feedback

Phase 2: Expand (2-3 months)

1. Identify 30-50 more candidates
2. Build kits
3. Train technicians
4. Establish replenishment process

Phase 3: Optimize (ongoing)

1. Refine kit contents based on usage
2. Add new kits as needed
3. Remove kits that aren't used
4. Measure and report savings

The Bottom Line

Spare parts kitting is one of the highest-ROI maintenance practices:

• 30% faster repairs
• Fewer errors
• Better planning
• Higher technician satisfaction

Start small. Kit your most common jobs. Measure the savings. Expand from there.

The technician who doesn't have to hunt for parts is a faster, happier, more effective technician.

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Want to implement kitting? OpexMX supports kit templates, auto-kitting for PMs, and consumption tracking. Build kits once, use them forever.