Original Date: 04/26/2004
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

United Defense, L.P. Armament Systems Division Aberdeen uses Point of Use Storage which places components adjacent to work stations. This reduces the time employees must travel to other locations in the plant to retrieve parts and materials.

Since its inception, United Defense, L.P. Armament Systems Division (UDLP ASD) Aberdeen has used Point of Use Storage (POUS) which places components adjacent to work stations. POUS stores needed kits and other parts at the work location where assembly takes place. This reduces the amount of time employees must travel to other locations in the plant to retrieve parts and materials. The facility also employs a backflush methodology to relieve inventory, and a cycle count system to audit inventory accuracy. Once the assembly is complete, the bill of material items are backflushed and relieved from inventory.

UDLP ASD Aberdeen maintains inventory accuracy by annually stratifying inventory based on turnover value into A, B, or C classifications. The inventory is cycle counted quarterly, bi-annually, and annually for A, B, and C classifications respectively. Each team is comprised of a parts representative who performs the counts as required. Parts representatives also meet monthly with the inventory planner to review metrics and identify issues, resolutions, and process improvements. Each team is responsible for maintaining scrap logs that are submitted to the inventory planner.

UDLP ASD Aberdeen controls inventory by using three systems POUS, backflushing, and auditing inventory accuracy enabling the facility to achieve an accurate, reliable inventory system and yielding an inventory accuracy greater than 95%. Since April 2001, UDLP ASD Aberdeen has maintained 100% on-time delivery, and accuracy for 2004 to date is 98.5%.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.