The Problem

A manufacturing partner was seeing too many incomplete or incorrect kits leave their facility. Kits were assembled by hand, and nothing in the process confirmed a kit was complete before it shipped. The only check was the operator’s own eye.

Every miss turned into rework, a customer complaint, and lost production time. The fix had to be simple enough for any operator on any shift, and repeatable enough that quality could trust it.

The Fix

Our team started on the floor, watching how operators built each kit. From there, we designed a custom checkweighing station that pairs Mettler Toledo weighing bases with Rice Lake terminals running custom programming. The operator enters the kit number. The terminal loads the target weight and tolerance for that kit’s contents. If the kit falls inside tolerance, the system prints a pass label, giving quality a traceable record for every kit.

Large monitors at the station show reference images of the correct kit layout. Operators get a visual check before the kit goes on the scale, then a weight check that confirms it. The process fits the way the team already worked, which shortened training time for new employees.

The Result

With the new system in place, our partner reduced assembly errors, cut rework, and increased throughput. Every kit now gets the same two checks no matter who built it. New operators learn the process faster, and customers receive the kit they ordered.