Assembly Line Balancing

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Manufacturing Operations Management 1 Yoke Flange Layout Assignment, Assembly Line Balancing To decide which machines are to be scrapped while maintaining enough capacity to meet demand a technique called assembly line balancing is to be used. Here the capacity of each station is calculated and compared with the required capacity and the capacity of the other stations to devise a solution that both meets requirements and minimises idle time.

To analyse the current set up a spreadsheet showing the capacity of each station was produced. To allow for worn machinery and maintenance time an efficiency rate and maintenance allowance were deducted.

station weekly time time allowance for maintenance Number of machines efficiency rate Units per mc/hour units produced 10 75 1 4 0.98 13 3771 20 (Ryder) 75 2 4 0.95 6 1664 20(Wickman) 75 2 4 0.98 6 1716 20 (total) 3380 30 (new) 75 1 3 0.98 12 2610 30 (worn) 75 1 3 0.85

12 2264 30 (total) 4874 40 75 1 2 0.98 29 4206 50 (Detroit) 75 3 1 0.98 60 4233 50 (Cincinnati) 75 1 4 0.6 9 1598 50 (total) 5831 60 75 0.5 2 0.95 19 2689 70 75 0.25 4 0.95 19 5396 The future capacity of the line was predicted at 2800 units per week. Most stations were over capacity, so had the possibility of removing machines. Station 60 was under capacity so extra hours of overtime would have to be added.

Machines were then removed so each station would meet capacity with the minimum number of machines. Also an overtime allowance was added for station 60. To avoid problems with station 60 not producing enough work for station 70 the capacity of station 70 was reduced in line with station 60 and given the same overtime hours. In the...