Classification of assembly parts for procurement processes and production logistics

Many possibilities exist to provide the needed parts at an assembly system. They derive from variations of the material flow from supplier to customer and the related flow of information. The flows of material and information determine the processes in procurement and production logistics. These processes are economically significant. Nevertheless, today companies are not enabled to comprehensively and thoroughly design the best processes for the staging of material in an efficient way, for example as a part of value stream engineering. Existing methods (e.g., ABC analysis) do not consider all influencing factors from the material flow system. The concept of a multi-criteria and process based approach classifies assembly parts in order to choose the best possibilities and to provide the needed parts in an assembly system. It includes quantitative and qualitative analyses. First experiences of the application are promising to result in a effective, systematic and efficiently applicable methodology.