Assembly Line

Illustration 1
A production line operating 450 minutes per
day is to have an output of 250 units per
day. Find the cycle time.
Illustration 2
The precedence diagram for assembly activities A through
H is shown below, with the element time requirements
shown in minutes. The line operates 7 hours per day, and
an output of 600 units per day is desired. Compute cycle
time and (b) the theoretical minimum number of stations.
Illustration 3
Using the data and precedence diagram from Illustration 2
(a) group the assembly-line tasks into an appropriate
number of workstations using the longest task-time rule,
and (b) compute the line efficiency and (c) the idle time (d)
Balance delay.
Illustration 4
Suppose the activities shown in Fig.A are to be grouped
into a three-station assembly line.
(I) What is the target cycle time?
(II)Which grouping of activities results in the largest
output per hour?
(III) What output will result in a 7 -hour day?
Line Balancing Rules
Longest task time- Choose the available task with longest
task time
Most following tasks (successors) Choose the available
task with largest number of following tasks(successors).
Ranked positional weights-Choose the available task for
which sum of following task times is the largest.
Shortest task time - Choose the available task with
shortest task time
Least number of following tasks(successors)- Choose the
available task with least number of following
tasks(successors)


Illustration 5
Tasks A through I have the predecessor and time requirements
shown in Table. Output is to be 200 units per day, and operating
time is 450 minutes per day. Using the most successors rule to
assign tasks to work centers, and the longest task-time rule as a
tie breaker, (0) group the tasks into work centers, WCs, and
compute (b) the line efficiency, (c) the idle time, and (d) the
balance delay.

Task Predecessor Time (see)
A None 40
B A 20
C None 60
D C 40
E D 30
F None 35
G F 45
H G 60
I H 40

Illustration-6
An electric appliance assembly area is as shown in Fig. A with
potential workstations A through F. The tasks that must be done,
along with their respective times, are indicated in the precedence
diagram, Fig. B The machine scan is automatic and can come any
time after task 2. The manufacturer desires an output of 367 units per
8-hour day and stops the line for a 20-minute break in the middle of
the morning and the afternoon. (a) Group the assembly-line tasks into
appropriate workstations using the longest task time rule, and (b)
compute the line efficiency.
Fig. A Fig. B
Illustration-7
Robotic Controls Corp. uses a robotic-controlled flexible production
system to assemble the robots it sells. Five robots are available and
must complete the tasks specified in Table.
(a) Draw a precedence diagram. (b) What is the theoretical minimum
(target) cycle time if all five robots are fully utilized in a five-station
assembly line? (c) Group the tasks into the most efficient five-station
assembly line. (d) What is the cycle time? (e) What is the line
efficiency?
Table

Task
Time
(sec)
Preceding
Task(s)
A 10 None
B 24 None
C 17 A
D 49 A
E 12 C
F 14 C
G 27 8
H 9 E
I 20 F, G
J 23 D, H, I
K 36 I
L 18 J, K