Development of a modular garment assembly line simulator

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 645-659
Author(s):  
Eung Tae Kim ◽  
Sungmin Kim
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Productivity Improvement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Production Methods ◽  
Final Assembly ◽  
Time Required ◽  
Actual Shape ◽  
Line Design ◽  
The Given ◽  
Optimum Production

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to develop a modular garment assembly line simulator that can be used for various production methods such as traditional mass production or modern small quantity batch production.Design/methodology/approachFor realistic simulation, the actual shape and sewing information of the garment patterns were used. The assembly line consists of process units including the cutter, preprocessor, module assembly, final assembly, finish, and stack units. Any number of units can be arranged and connected to form various layouts. The simulation can be run at an arbitrary speed.FindingsThis system can be used to estimate the time required to process the given order for a specific layout. Therefore, it can be utilized as the basis for optimum production line design.Originality/valueThis system is expected to be utilized by garment manufacturers for obtaining the productivity improvement, production cost reduction, and increased competitiveness.

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.

Assembly line productivity improvement as re-engineered by MOST

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (7) ◽  
pp. 977-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.N. Mustafizul Karim ◽  
Saravanan Tanjong Tuan ◽  
H.M. Emrul Kays
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Hand Tools ◽  
Rear Window ◽  
Productivity Improvement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Standards ◽  
Work Method

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address and solve operational problems of an automotive industry in reaching production target by adopting Maynard Operation Sequence Technique (MOST) as lean and productivity improvement strategies. Design/methodology/approach In the undertaken case of auto-car rear window assembly line, a recurring production shortfall in fulfilling the daily demand is seemingly due to inappropriate work method. Initial observation of the operations led to suspect certain lapses in initiatives to adopt the time standards, to reduce or eliminate non-value added motions, to design suitable aisle and to assign tasks among workstations in a balanced manner. Subsequently an attempt is made to pinpoint the causes of poor performance and the bottlenecks through process flow analysis and time study by applying MOST. The elemental tasks are closely examined for possible reduction of workstation times by choosing efficient work methods with ergonomic features. Thus appropriate hand tools, jigs and fixture with nominal investment are prescribed to incorporate in the assembly works. The operational changes as steered by the MOST application have enhanced the workflow with a shorter cycle time which led to a substantial increase in productivity. Findings The productivity of the assembly line is increased by more than 29 percent from the earlier capacity through the MOST application which is deemed to meet the current level of demand. Originality/value The adopted framework for recognizing the effectiveness of MOST to expose and rectify the flaws in work methods without much investment is expected to be beneficial for a manufacturer in securing the competitiveness.

Sequencing Mixed-Model Assembly Line under a JIT-Approach‌

2011 ◽  
Vol 110-116 ◽  
pp. 4324-4329
Author(s):  
Neda Beitollahi Tavakoli ◽  
Parviz Fattahi
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Shop Floor ◽  
Final Assembly ◽  
Floor Systems ◽  
Mixed Approach ◽  
Mixed Model Assembly Line ◽  
Line Design ◽  
Mixed Model Assembly

Mixed-model assembly line is known to be a special case of production lines where various and different models of the same products are inter-mixed to be assembled on the same line. Using mixed model assembly line involves not only the traditional problems of assembly line design (i.e., determining the line cycle time, the number and sequence of stations of the line, and balancing the line) but also determining the sequence in which products will be scheduled for assembly. In each station, some components are assembled in the final products. Under just in time (JIT) approach; an objective is to have a fairly constant usage rate for each component going into final assembly to facilitate the use of Kanban or other JIT shop-floor systems. In this paper, a mixed approach, the sequencing mixed-model assembly line problem with a JIT-supply of required materials, ‌is studied and a mathematical model is proposed for solving it. The results are compared with a traditional approach. Some experiments are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed model.

Inspector Robot – A new collaborative testing system designed for the automotive final assembly line

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 370-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Müller ◽  
Matthias Vette ◽  
Matthias Scholer
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Process Capability ◽  
Industrial Robots ◽  
Testing System ◽  
Leak Test ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Collaborative Testing ◽  
Water Leak ◽  
Final Assembly ◽  
Manual Labour

Purpose – The paper aims to deliver an approach of how lightweight robot systems can be used to automate manual processes for higher efficiency, increased process capability and enhanced ergonomics. To show how these systems can be utilized in practice, a new collaborative testing system for an automated water leak test was designed using an image processing system utilized by the robot. Design/methodology/approach – The “water leak test” in an automotive final assembly line is often a significant cost factor due to its labour-intensive nature. This is particularly the case for premium car manufacturers as each vehicle is watered and manually inspected for leakage. This paper delivers an approach that optimizes the efficiency and capability of the test process by using a new automated in-line inspection system whereby thermographic images are taken by a lightweight robot system and then processed to locate the leak. Such optimization allows the collaboration of robots and manual labour which, in turn, enhances the capability of the process station. Findings – This paper examines the development of novel applications for lightweight robotic systems and provides a suitable process whereby the systems are optimized in technical, ergonomic and safety-related aspects. Research limitations/implications – A new automated testing process in combination with a processing algorithm was developed. Practical implications – To optimize and validate the system, it was set up in a true to reality model factory and brought to a prototypical status. Several original equipment manufacturers showed great interest in implementing the system in their assembly line. Social implications – The direct human–robot collaboration allows humans and robots to share the same workspace without strict separation measures which is a great advantage compared with traditional industrial robots. The workers benefit from a more ergonomic workflow and are relieved from unpleasant, repetitive and burdensome tasks. Originality/value – A lightweight robotic system was implemented in a continuous assembly line as a new area of application for these systems. The automated water leak test gives a practical example of how to enrich the assembly and commissioning lines, which are currently dominated by manual labour, with new technologies. This is necessary to reach a higher efficiency and process capability while maintaining a higher flexibility potential than fully automated systems.

scholarly journals Productivity Improvement of Assembly Line of Cotton Ginning Machines

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 63-68
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Work Study ◽  
Productivity Improvement ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Machine Productivity ◽  
Measure Analysis ◽  
Bottle Neck ◽  
Study Techniques ◽  
Time Required ◽  
And Control

Problem-solving and ongoing procedure enhancements are key elements to obtaining quality improvement in business operations. Many process and machine improvement strategies have been suggested and implemented in organizations, where define, measure, analysis, improve and control is mostly applied. Here we aimed at improving the machine productivity of assembly line in a cotton ginning assembly line in an Industry. The tool which is used to improve the productivity of assembly line are time study and method study. Based on this, the study provides data of time required for each assembly processes, sequence of each operations and flow of the product in assembly line. The present study has been done at an industry, a leading manufacturer of cotton ginning machine. The aim of the study is to identify the various problems on the assembly line which causes unnecessary delay in the operations. The problem is found in the assembly line and is solved by work study techniques and it is found that cycle time of bottle neck operation was reduced by 40.08 % per trolley.

A Productivity Improvement of a Packing Line

2015 ◽  
Vol 789-790 ◽  
pp. 1240-1244
Author(s):  
Peeyapach Jitchaiyaphum ◽  
Suksan Prombanpong
Keyword(s):  
Production Line ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Waste Reduction ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Customer Demand ◽  
Productivity Improvement ◽  
Manual Assembly ◽  
Line Design

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a productivity improvement through waste reduction and line balancing. One of the obstacles of a manual assembly line nowadays is an awkward line design with over manpower, a lot of wastes, and low balance efficiency. As a result, the production line may not satisfy customer demand and ends up with low production line efficiency. This is due to the fact that this type of production line is operated by human and the customer demand or requirements are frequently fluctuated. Human workers are prone to make mistakes, inefficient, and unorganized. Thus, the major causes of production line down time are discussed with suggestion of remedy actions to improve the productivity. In addition, calculation of line balancing is demonstrated. One of the actual manual assembly lines will be used as a case study. It is found that after improvement line balance efficiency is increased from 46.49 to 86.66 percent with the productivity improvement of 159 percent.

A genetic algorithm approach for balancing two-sided assembly lines with setups

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 827-839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yilmaz Delice
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Setup Time ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sequence Dependent ◽  
Time Required ◽  
First Time

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the sequence-dependent forward setup time (FST) and backward setup time (BST) consideration for the first time in two-sided assembly lines. Sequence-dependent FST and BST values must be considered to compute all of the operational times of each station. Thus, more realistic results can be obtained for real-life situations with this new two-sided assembly line balancing (ALB) problem with setups consideration. The goal is to obtain the most suitable solution with the least number of mated stations and total stations. Design/methodology/approach The complex structure it possesses has led to the use of certain assumptions in most of the studies in the ALB literature. In many of them, setup times have been neglected or considered superficially. In the real-life assembly process, potential setup configurations may exist between each successive task and between each successive cycle. When two tasks are in the same cycle, the setup time required (forward setup) may be different from the setup time required if the same two tasks are in consecutive cycles (backward setup). Findings Algorithm steps have been studied in detail on a sample solution. Using the proposed algorithm, the literature test problems are solved and the algorithm efficiency is revealed. The results of the experiments revealed that the proposed approach finds promising results. Originality/value The sequence-dependent FST and BST consideration is applied in a two-sided assembly line approach for the first time. A genetic algorithm (GA)-based algorithm with ten different heuristic rules was used in this proposed model.

A novel optimization approach for segmented rabbit chase oriented U-type assembly line design: an application from lighting industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-510
Author(s):  
Emre Cevikcan ◽  
Mehmet Bulent Durmusoglu
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Programming ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Walking Distance ◽  
Programming Approach ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Space Requirement ◽  
Mathematical Programming Approach ◽  
Line Design ◽  
Led Luminaire

Purpose Rabbit chase (RC) is used as one of the most effective techniques in manufacturing systems, as such systems have high level of adaptability and increased productivity in addition to providing uniform workload balancing and skill improving environment. In assembly systems, RC inspires the development of walking worker assembly line (WWAL). On the other hand, U-type assembly lines (UALs) may provide higher worker utilization, lower space requirement and more convenient internal logistics when compared to straight assembly lines. In this context, this study aims to improve assembly line performance by generating RC cycles on WWAL with respect to task assignment characteristics of UAL within reasonable walking distance and space requirement. Therefore, a novel line configuration, namely, segmented rabbit chase-oriented U-type assembly line (SRCUAL), emerges. Design/methodology/approach The mathematical programming approach treats SRCUAL balancing problem in a hierarchical manner to decrease computational burden. Firstly, segments are generated via the first linear programming model in the solution approach for balancing SRCUALs to minimize total number of workers. Then, stations are determined within each segment for forward and backward sections separately using two different pre-emptive goal programming models. Moreover, three heuristics are developed to provide solution quality with computational efficiency. Findings The proposed mathematical programming approach is applied to the light-emitting diode (LED) luminaire assembly section of a manufacturing company. The adaptation of SRCUAL decreased the number of workers by 15.4% and the space requirement by 17.7% for LED luminaire assembly system when compared to UAL. Moreover, satisfactory results for the proposed heuristics were obtained in terms of deviation from lower bound, especially for SRCUAL heuristics I and II. Moreover, the results indicate that the integration of RC not only decreased the number of workers in 40.28% (29 instances) of test problems in U-lines, but also yielded less number of buffer points (48.48%) with lower workload deviation (75%) among workers in terms of coefficient of variation. Practical implications This study provides convenience for capacity management (assessing capacity and adjusting capacity by changing the number of workers) for industrial SRCUAL applications. Meanwhile, SRCUAL applications give the opportunity to increase the capacity for a product or transfer the saved capacity to the assembly of other products. As it is possible to provide one-piece flow with equal workloads via walking workers, SRCUAL has the potential for quick realization of defects and better lead time performance. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, forward–backward task assignments in U-type lines have not been adapted to WWALs. Moreover, as workers travel overall the line in WWALs, walking time increases drastically. Addressing this research gap and limitation, the main innovative aspect of this study can be considered as the proposal of a new line design (i.e. SRCUAL) which is sourced from the hybridization of UALs and WWAL as well as the segmentation of the line with RC cycles. The superiority of SRCUAL over WWAL and UAL was also discussed. Moreover, operating systematic for SRCUAL was devised. As for methodical aspect, this study is the first attempt to solve the balancing problem for SRCUAL design.

Application of visual management panel on an airplane assembly station

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 1045-1062
Author(s):  
Felipe Alberto Bastos Siaudzionis Filho ◽  
Heráclito Lopes Jaguaribe Pontes ◽  
Marcos Ronaldo Albertin ◽  
Raphael Luiz Maia de Lima ◽  
Thais de Castro Moraes
Keyword(s):  
Lean Manufacturing ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Aviation Industry ◽  
Materials Management ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Final Assembly ◽  
The City

PurposeThe management of materials consists of an important analysis for industries as there are factors in several areas that should be considered. For this, it should take into account logistical factors, quality and production, because one piece delivered in a large lead time or outside the technical quality standards, imply delays in the project or rework. In this context, the importance of creating a control method of input and output of tools in an aviation industry in the city of Toulouse, France, was seen due to the amount of many incomplete arrivals or inappropriate material for use. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a philosophy of lean manufacturing tools and visual management (VM). A VM panel with information documents of all tools used in an assembly station of a model airplane was applied. With all data collected to carry out the project, the panel was created with the most relevant information of each tool and applied to an assembly station. That done, the production supervisors, mechanical and electrical supervisors were trained in the operation. Despite a change of management, it was realized that all supported the change due to the ease of understanding of the method and a good VM.FindingsAt the end of the work, materials management became more simplified, operators were more satisfied because of the non-occurrence of tools mistakes and the control time decreased from 120 to 15 minutes.Research limitations/implicationsThe application of this project has begun in an assembly station; however, it has been validated to be applied throughout the facility and its applications are being studied for other industries with different models.Practical implicationsThis project developed a visual panel for support visual communication of the airplane assembly line. Its usage eliminates tools lost, inefficiencies and decreases lost time with tools selection.Originality/valueThis work proposes a way to simplify the management tools for assembly station plane using a VM panel based on the lean philosophy. The study was conducted at the Final Assembly Line of an aircraft model from a unit of an aircraft company.

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