Mixed-model assembly line balancing and sequencing

Abstract

Assembly line balancing is a growing area of significance to the optimization research of operations management. It has been long since manufacturers introduced mass production as a means of cost savings. The strategic shift from mass production to the mass customization of products took effect due to the diversified customer needs for greater product variability and shorter life cycle. Mixed-model assembly lines ate utilized to create such diversity within a generic product to complete within the current comsumer centric market. Important issues associated to mixed-model assembly lines are balancing and sequencing of the line. Balancing refers to a proper work load balance of the tasks of diversified variants to different workstations whereas; sequencing implies an optimized scheduling of variants to be produced by the line. The thesis dealed with the balancing and sequencing of a mixed-model assembly line of n models considering pre-defined workstations number on the line. A methodology was proposed for solving the mixed-model assembly line balancing problem.