Organizing Small Parts on a Manufacturing Line

Plastic parts bins are open-front or dividable containers that hold components, hardware, and small parts at the assembly line or in the stockroom so workers can see and grab what they need. For manufacturing, the three main types are hang-and-stack bins, open-front shelf bins, and dividable grid containers. Browse the full range in the plastic parts bins collection.

What are plastic parts bins?

A plastic parts bin is a molded container built to organize production parts by SKU. Most are open at the front so a worker can reach in without lifting a lid. Quantum's parts bins securely stack while still giving access to contents, carry front, back, and side grips for easy carrying, and are waterproof and easy to clean with soap and water. They are autoclavable up to 250 degrees F and hold up in extreme cold, so they move between a wash station, a freezer, and the line. Dividers and labels are sold separately when you need to subdivide a bin or mark it.

Which type of parts bin should you use?

Pick the type by the job the bin does, not by price. The decision comes down to where the bin lives and how mixed its contents are.

Hang-and-stack bins (Quantum QUS)

These are open-front bins with a rear lip that lets them hang from louvered panels and rails, and a wide stacking ledge with an anti-slide lock so stacked bins stay stable on a bench or the floor. Use them for line-side, point-of-use parts and fast-moving components you want mounted on a panel right at the workstation. A QUS255 measures 16" deep by 11" wide by 8" high outside, 15-1/8" x 10" x 7-3/4" inside, so plan around the inside dimension when a part is a tight fit.

Open-front shelf bins (Quantum QSB)

Shelf bins have no hanger. They are sized to line a shelf in high-density rows, so you can put many part numbers in a small footprint. Use them in the stockroom and at the back of the line where visibility across a lot of SKUs matters more than mounting on a wall. They pair naturally with steel shelving with bins when you want a ready-made shelf-and-bin unit.

Dividable grid containers (Quantum DG)

Grid containers have closed walls and a grid of movable long and short dividers, so one container keeps many small part numbers sorted in separate compartments. Use them for small mixed hardware and fasteners, for kitting, and anywhere you need many SKUs sorted inside a single tote. See sizes in the dividable grid containers collection.

What sizes do plastic parts bins come in?

Parts bins run from small shelf pockets a few inches wide up to large floor bins. Dimensions below are published as depth by width by height. Order by the inside space your part needs, then confirm the outside footprint fits your panel or shelf.

The shelf-bin line alone offers 37 sizes, and there are 11 dividable grid sizes, so most parts have a close match without going custom.

Where do parts bins go in a manufacturing plant?

Match the bin to the zone. The two zones that matter are the line and the stockroom.

• Line-side, point-of-use. Mount hang-and-stack bins on louvered panels, rails, and rack systems at the workstation. The rear hanger holds the bin at eye and hand height, so the parts a worker uses every cycle sit within reach at the workstation for fast picking.
• Stockroom and back-of-line. Line shelving with open-front shelf bins to keep a large number of part numbers visible in a small footprint. This is where you stage overflow and slower-moving SKUs, then replenish the line bins from here.
• Kitting and small hardware. Use dividable grid containers on a cart or bench so one tote carries a sorted set of fasteners or a full kit to the point of assembly.

What about static-sensitive electronics?

For boards and components that static can damage, use the conductive versions of the same bins. Quantum makes ESD-safe '-CO' variants, for example the QSB100CO ESD-Safe Plastic Shelf Bin, and there are 37 conductive parts-bin SKUs in the ESD-safe containers, totes, and bins collection. They are conductive versions of the same bins, so you can spec them into an electronics line the way you would spec any shelf bin.

Frequently asked questions

What are plastic parts bins?

Plastic parts bins are molded open-front or dividable containers used to organize components, hardware, and small parts at the assembly line or in the stockroom, so workers can see and grab the right part quickly.

What bins are best for parts storage in manufacturing?

It depends on the zone. Hang-and-stack bins are best line-side on panels and rails, open-front shelf bins are best for stockroom shelving, and dividable grid containers are best for small mixed hardware and kitting.

What sizes do industrial plastic parts bins come in?

Sizes range from small shelf pockets around 12"D x 3"W x 4"H up to large hang-and-stack floor bins at 36"D x 24"W x 18"H. The shelf-bin line offers 37 sizes and the dividable grid line offers 11.

How do production bins improve assembly-line efficiency?

Point-of-use bins put the parts a worker needs within reach at the workstation, so fewer steps and less searching go into each cycle. Clear open fronts and labels also make missing or low stock obvious at a glance.

Related reading

• Assembly line storage bins for workflow
• Setting up a small parts picking system
• Grid containers for fabrication applications
• PCB storage in electronics manufacturing
• Plastic parts organizer bins for IT professionals