Improved moth flame optimization algorithm to optimize cost-oriented two-sided assembly line balancing

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 638-663
Author(s):  
Mohd Fadzil Faisae Ab. Rashid ◽  
Ahmad Nasser Mohd Rose ◽  
Nik Mohd Zuki Nik Mohamed ◽  
Fadhlur Rahman Mohd Romlay
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Benchmark Problems ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Power Cost ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Line Design

Purpose This paper aims to propose an improved Moth Flame Optimization (I-MFO) algorithm to optimize the cost-oriented two-sided assembly line balancing (2S-ALB). Prior to the decision to assemble a new product, the manufacturer will carefully study and optimize the related cost to set up and run the assembly line. For the first time in ALB, the power cost is modeled together with the equipment, set up and labor costs. Design/methodology/approach I-MFO was proposed by introducing a global reference flame mechanism to guide the global search direction. A set of benchmark problems was used to test the I-MFO performance. Apart from the benchmark problems, a case study from a body shop assembly was also presented. Findings The computational experiment indicated that the I-MFO obtained promising results compared to comparison algorithms, which included the particle swarm optimization, Cuckoo Search and ant colony optimization. Meanwhile, the results from the case study showed that the proposed cost-oriented 2S-ALB model was able to assist the manufacturer in making better decisions for different planning periods. Originality/value The main contribution of this work is the global reference flame mechanism for MFO algorithm. Furthermore, this research introduced a new cost-oriented model that considered power consumption in the assembly line design.

Assembly line design considering line balancing and part feeding

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Nourmohammadi ◽  
Hamidreza Eskandari
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Decision Problems ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Test Problems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Line Design ◽  
Part Feeding

Purpose This paper aims to optimize the configuration of assembly lines (ALs) considering the two long-term decision problems within the line balancing and part feeding (PF) contexts, when the supermarket concept is applied in PF. Design/methodology/approach To this purpose, a bi-level mathematical model is proposed to deal with the assembly line balancing problem (ALBP) and supermarket location problem (SLP) during the strategic decision-making phase of ALs’ configuration. The proposed model is applied on the known test problems taken from the ALBP literature to verify its performance. Findings The computational results verify that when the proposed structure is applied, the resulting AL configurations are optimized from both ALBP and SLP considerations in terms of the number of stations and line efficiency as well as supermarket transportation and installation costs. Originality/value No study has yet dealt with the long-term decision problem of configuring ALs considering both ALBP and SLP. Also, this study validates the effect of the ALBP on the SLP solutions as two long-term interrelated decision problems.

Reconfiguration of assembly line balancing–an automobile case study solved by the exact solution procedure

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashish Yadav ◽  
Shashank Kumar ◽  
Sunil Agrawal
Keyword(s):  
Cycle Time ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Mixed Integer ◽  
Second Step ◽  
Automobile Plant ◽  
Content Type

PurposeMulti-manned assembly lines are designed to produce large-sized products, such as automobiles. In this paper, a multi-manned assembly line balancing problem (MALBP) is addressed in which a group of workers simultaneously performs different tasks on a workstation. The key idea in this work is to improve the workstation efficiency and worker efficiency of an automobile plant by minimizing the number of workstations, the number of workers, and the cycle time of the MALBP.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-integer programming formulation for the problem is proposed. The proposed model is solved with benchmark test problems mentioned in research papers. The automobile case study problem is solved in three steps. In the first step, the authors find the task time of all major tasks. The problem is solved in the second step with the objective of minimizing the cycle time for the sub-tasks and major tasks, respectively. In the third step, the output results obtained from the second step are used to minimize the number of workstations using Lingo 16 solver.FindingsThe experimental results of the automobile case study show that there is a large improvement in workstation efficiency and worker efficiency of the plant in terms of reduction in the number of workstations and workers; the number of workstations reduced by 24% with a cycle time of 240 s. The reduced number of workstations led to a reduction in the number of workers (32% reduction) working on that assembly line.Practical implicationsFor assembly line practitioners, the results of the study can be beneficial where the manufacturer is required to increased workstation efficiency and worker efficiency and reduce resource requirement and save space for assembling the products.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to apply a multi-manned assembly line balancing approach in real life problem by considering the case study of an automobile plant.

Parallel two-sided assembly line balancing with tools and tasks sharing

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 833-846
Author(s):  
Ashish Yadav ◽  
Ramawatar Kulhary ◽  
Rupesh Nishad ◽  
Sunil Agrawal
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Solution Procedure ◽  
Performance Measure ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Benchmark Problems ◽  
Test Problems ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing Problem

Purpose Parallel two-sided assembly lines are usually designed to produce large-sized products such as trucks and buses. In parallel two-sided assembly lines, both left and right sides of the line are used for manufacturing one or more products on two or more assembly lines located parallel to each other. The purpose of this paper is to develop a new mathematical model for the parallel two-sided assembly line balancing problem that helps to evaluate and validate the balancing operations of the machines such as removal of tools and fixtures and reallocating the operators. Design/methodology/approach The proposed approach is explained with the help of an example problem. In all, 22 test problems are formed using the benchmark problems P9, P12, P16 and P24. The results obtained are compared among approaches of the task(s) shared, tool(s) shared and both tool(s) and task(s) shared for effect on efficiency as the performance measure. The solution presented here follows the exact solution procedure that is solved by Lingo 16 solver. Findings Based on the experiments, line efficiency decreases when only tools are shared and increases when only tasks are shared. Results indicate that by sharing tasks and tools together, better line efficiency is obtained with less cost of tools and fixtures. Practical implications According to the industrial aspect, the result of the study can be beneficial for assembly of the products, where tools and tasks are shared between parallel workstations of two or more parallel lines. Originality/value According to the author’s best knowledge, this paper is the first to address the tools and tasks sharing between any pair of parallel workstations.

A multi-manned assembly line balancing problem with classified teams: a new approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Yilmaz ◽  
Mustafa Yilmaz
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Test Problems ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Line Test ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing Problem ◽  
First Time

Purpose – Within team-oriented approaches, tasks are assigned to teams before being assigned to workstations as a reality of industry. So it becomes clear, which workers assemble which tasks. Design/methodology/approach – Team numbers of the assembly line can increase with the number of tasks, but at the same time, due to physical situations of the stations, there will be limitations of maximum working team numbers in a station. For this purpose, heuristic assembly line balancing (ALB) procedure is used and mathematical model is developed for the problem. Findings – Well-known assembly line test problems widely used in the literature are solved to indicate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed approach in practice. Originality/value – This paper draws attention to ALB problem in which workers have been assigned to teams in advance due to the need for specialized skills or equipment on the line for the first time.

Recent trend in mixed-model assembly line balancing optimization using soft computing approaches

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 622-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhamad Magffierah Razali ◽  
Nur Hairunnisa Kamarudin ◽  
Mohd Fadzil Faisae Ab. Rashid ◽  
Ahmad Nasser Mohd Rose
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Research Trend ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Publication Number ◽  
The Future ◽  
Mixed Model Assembly Line ◽  
Mixed Model Assembly

Purpose This paper aims to review and discuss four aspects of mixed-model assembly line balancing (MMALB) problem mainly on the optimization angle. MMALB is a non-deterministic polynomial-time hard problem which requires an effective algorithm for solution. This problem has attracted a number of research fields: manufacturing, mathematics and computer science. Design/methodology/approach This paper review 59 published research works on MMALB from indexed journal. The review includes MMALB problem varieties, optimization algorithm, objective function and constraints in the problem. Findings Based on research trend, this topic is still growing with the highest publication number observed in 2016 and 2017. The review indicated that the future research direction should focus on human factors and sustainable issues in the problem modeling. As the assembly cost becomes crucial, resource utilization in the assembly line should also be considered. Apart from that, the growth of new optimization algorithms is predicted to influence the MMALB optimization, which currently relies on well-established algorithms. Originality/value The originality of this paper is on the research trend in MMALB. It provides the future direction for the researchers in this field.

Assembly Line Balancing in Manufacturing Processes: Using Simulation Model

2013 ◽  
Vol 748 ◽  
pp. 1183-1187
Author(s):  
Ali A.J. Adham ◽  
Hamzah Bin Zainuddin ◽  
Fadilah Binti Siali ◽  
Noor Azlinna Binti Azizan
Keyword(s):  
Simulation Model ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Production Cycle ◽  
Manufacturing Processes ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing Problem ◽  
Line Design ◽  
Optimum Balance

Assembly line design is an important part of the production system in manufacturing processes. An assembly line, which consists of a sequence of workstations, is an efficient method of manufacturing high-volume products such as automobile parts and microcomputers. In designing an assembly line, it is common practice to "balance" the line so that a more uniform flow is maintained. The Assembly Line Balancing (ALB) scheduler evaluates the effect of the different online sequence of parts on production cycle, balances workload and utilization ratio, minimizes span of the assembly line. The simulation model approach in this study to obtain the scenarios which are reducing the unbalancing time. The simulator presented herein, named Assembly Line Simulator (ALS), can be used as supporting tool in finding solutions of the assembly line balancing problem. Throughout the scenarios of the optimum method will be chosen which scenario is represented minimum idle time it will be the optimum balance of the assembly line.

An immune genetic algorithm for simple assembly line balancing problem of type 1

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han-ye Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Immune Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing Problem ◽  
Simple Assembly ◽  
First Time

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop an immune genetic algorithm (IGA) to solve the simple assembly line balancing problem of type 1 (SALBP-1). The objective is to minimize the number of workstations and workstation load for a given cycle time of the assembly line. Design/methodology/approach This paper develops a new solution method for SALBP-1, and a user-defined function named ψ(·) is proposed to convert all the individuals to satisfy the precedence relationships during the operation of IGA. Findings Computational experiments suggest that the proposed method is efficient. Originality/value An IGA is proposed to solve the SALBP-1 for the first time.

Balancing a mixed-model assembly line with unskilled temporary workers: algorithm and case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 511-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongwook Kim ◽  
Dug Hee Moon ◽  
Ilkyeong Moon
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Hybrid Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Temporary Workers ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mixed Model Assembly Line ◽  
Mixed Model Assembly

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the process of balancing a mixed-model assembly line by incorporating unskilled temporary workers who enhance productivity. The authors develop three models to minimize the sum of the workstation costs and the labor costs of skilled and unskilled temporary workers, cycle time and potential work overloads.Design/methodology/approachThis paper deals with the problem of designing an integrated mixed-model assembly line with the assignment of skilled and unskilled temporary workers. Three mathematical models are developed using integer linear programming and mixed integer linear programming. In addition, a hybrid genetic algorithm that minimizes total operation costs is developed.FindingsComputational experiments demonstrate the superiority of the hybrid genetic algorithm over the mathematical model and reveal managerial insights. The experiments show the trade-off between the labor costs of unskilled temporary workers and the operation costs of workstations.Originality/valueThe developed models are based on practical features of a real-world problem, including simultaneous assignments of workers and precedence restrictions for tasks. Special genetic operators and heuristic algorithms are used to ensure the feasibility of solutions and make the hybrid genetic algorithm efficient. Through a case study, the authors demonstrated the validity of employing unskilled temporary workers in an assembly line.

Assembly line balancing by computer: a case study

1974 ◽  
Vol 53 (9) ◽  
pp. 321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff Buxey ◽  
Martin Burke
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Line Balancing

An improved immune clonal selection algorithm for bi-objective robotic assemble line balancing problems considering time and space constraints

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1868-1892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binghai Zhou ◽  
Qiong Wu
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Clonal Selection ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Robotic Assembly ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Clonal Selection Algorithm ◽  
Selection Algorithm ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multi Objective

Purpose The extensive applications of the industrial robots have made the optimization of assembly lines more complicated. The purpose of this paper is to develop a balancing method of both workstation time and station area to improve the efficiency and productivity of the robotic assembly lines. A tradeoff was made between two conflicting objective functions, minimizing the number of workstations and minimizing the area of each workstation. Design/methodology/approach This research proposes an optimal method for balancing robotic assembly lines with space consideration and reducing robot changeover and area for tools and fixtures to further minimize assembly line area and cycle time. Due to the NP-hard nature of the considered problem, an improved multi-objective immune clonal selection algorithm is proposed to solve this constrained multi-objective optimization problem, and a special coding scheme is designed for the problem. To enhance the performance of the algorithm, several strategies including elite strategy and global search are introduced. Findings A set of instances of different problem scales are optimized and the results are compared with two other high-performing multi-objective algorithms to evaluate the efficiency and superiority of the proposed algorithm. It is found that the proposed method can efficiently solve the real-world size case of time and space robotic assembly line balancing problems. Originality/value For the first time in the robotic assembly line balancing problems, an assignment-based tool area and a sequence-based changeover time are took into consideration. Furthermore, a mathematical model with bi-objective functions of minimizing the number of workstations and area of each station was developed. To solve the proposed problem, an improved multi-objective immune clonal selection algorithm was proposed and a special coding scheme is designed.

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