You may have recently completed a Lego set gifted to you for Christmas. In our case, The Mandalorian Helmet sits on a shelf with the deserving prestige and magnificence. However, before its coronation, we had two remaining pieces at completion. In detail, we went through the instructions seeking our misstep, but we found no evidence that we missed assembling a piece. Accepting that we assembled the helmet correctly, we took the next step to understand why Lego may sometimes provide additional pieces.
This Is the Way. - The Mandalorian
Why do Legos send extra pieces?
There are a variety of articles that explain that this is common. As Lego places pieces in choreographed bags for an assembly, they fill bags based on a target weight. With the complex pieces weighing significantly more than a fumbling 1x1 piece, getting an additional large or complex piece is rare. Due to the weight inaccuracies, getting some extra smaller pieces is common. Lego accepts the risk of giving extra smaller pieces versus the price of an annoyed customer who cannot finish an assembly. Problem solved. This is the way.
Lego sets are filled with conveyor belts that fill each bag with different pieces to a pre-programmed weight. This process is accurate for large elements, but not for smaller and lighter Lego pieces. Because of this, each bag is set to be filled with slightly more pieces than necessary. Taylor Whiteman - BrickWhisper.com
Some assembly is required in job kits
If you have a mature organization that kits parts for jobs in a manufacturing department, you may experience similar scenarios. Job kits have components that are not always drop-in ready. For example, most gearboxes shipped are not filled with oil and require oil before operation. In most cases, some assembly is required when the spare parts are delivered and ready to be installed.
Sending extra pieces in job kits
Like Lego, some kitting departments may intentionally send a few extra pieces. Putting a few extra bolts, washers, and nuts in a kitted job may improve the installation efficiencies when a bolt gets dropped or the threads become mangled. But this is not always true. If parts get shipped to a production unit from a kitting processing area and there are leftover pieces, do you encourage your departments to ask why?
To Din, "This Is the Way" embodies what it means to be a Mandalorian, and it includes a code of traditions and ideals they all must uphold. They don't take off their helmets, ever, and if they do, they must atone for the sin (which Din is set on doing in season three). - Popsugar
If you have extra pieces, do the extra diligence to understand why. Like the Lego situation, encouraging your teams to dig into the assembly instructions is critical to determine if you missed something or got shipped a few extra pieces. If you are finishing a job and see an extra complex piece, there is a good chance something is missing in the assembly. Shipping extra complex pieces is atypical. This is the way.