Assembly line balance research methods, literature and development review

With the continuous upgrading of the manufacturing system, the assembly line balancing problem (ALBP) is gradually complicated, and the researches are constantly deepened in the application theory and solution methods. In order to clarify the research direction and development status of assembly line balancing, 89 articles are read and studied. We classify ALBPs to construct the network structure of research from horizontal classification and vertical thinking. The ALBP framework is horizontally given according to the number of models (i.e. the number of products), the layout shape of the assembly line, and the data of task time. The “seven steps for scientific paper” is vertically proposed according to the research steps to comb the research path of scientific and technological literature. The horizontal and vertical extension crosses and constructs the network structure of the ALBP. Any horizontal problem intersects with any step of the vertical “seven steps for scientific paper” to form a research point. We analyze 89 articles according to the development path from the straight line to U-shaped line and then to two-sided U-shaped/parallel U-shaped assembly line, summarize the research algorithm of assembly line balance and count the number of articles, and point out the latest research direction and algorithm development trend of assembly line balance.

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Study on Multi-Specification Small-Batch Line Balancing and Optimization Base on the Streamline Balancing

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.635-637.1952 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 635-637 ◽

pp. 1952-1955 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ji Jun Xiao ◽

Shu Ou ◽

Qing Hua Zhou ◽

Hao Dong

Keyword(s):

Production Line ◽

Assembly Line ◽

Mixed Model ◽

Balance Method ◽

Line Balancing ◽

Workplace Design ◽

Work Processes ◽

Batch Production ◽

Line Balance ◽

Assembly Line Balance

Based on the principal concepts of streamline balance, this paper analyses the issue of the line balancing, through analyzing traditional assembly line balance method and having the bottleneck work processes to amend the parameters of the Workplace design, and then building up a multi-variety small-batch production line balancing mixed-model.

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A review of assembly line balancing optimisation with energy consideration using meta-heuristic algorithms

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part B Journal of Engineering Manufacture ◽

10.1177/09544054211040612 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 095440542110406

Author(s):

Ariff Nijay Ramli ◽

Mohd Fadzil Faisae Ab Rashid

Keyword(s):

Assembly Line ◽

Heuristic Algorithms ◽

Manufacturing Sector ◽

Social Factor ◽

Assembly Line Balancing ◽

Research Direction ◽

Line Balancing ◽

Efficient Performance ◽

Energy Modelling ◽

Energy Consideration

Energy utilisation is one of the global trending issues. Various approaches have been introduced to minimise energy utilisation especially in the manufacturing sector, which is the largest consumer sector. One of the approaches includes the consideration of energy utilisation in the Assembly Line Balancing (ALB) optimisation. This paper reviews the ALB with energy consideration from 2012 to 2020. The selected articles were limited to problems solved using meta-heuristic algorithms. The review mainly focusses on the soft computing aspect such as problem variant, optimisation objectives, energy modelling and optimisation algorithm for ALB with energy consideration. Based on the review, the ALB with energy consideration was able to reduce energy utilisation up to 11.9%. It was found that the contribution in future ALB with energy research will be human-oriented, either social factor consideration in optimisation or energy utilisation modelling for workers. In addition, the effort to introduce an algorithm with efficient performance must be pursued because ALB problems have become more complicated. The findings from this review could assist future researchers to align their research direction with the observed trend. This paper also provides the research gap and research opportunities in the future.

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Assembly line balancing problem

Journal of Modelling in Management ◽

10.1108/jm2-03-2017-0027 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 455-474 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Masood Fathi ◽

Dalila Benedita Machado Martins Fontes ◽

Matias Urenda Moris ◽

Morteza Ghobakhloo

Keyword(s):

Performance Measures ◽

Assembly Line ◽

Fitness Function ◽

Assembly Line Balancing ◽

Line Balancing ◽

Content Type ◽

Solution Methods ◽

Reliable Performance ◽

Constructive Heuristics ◽

Assembly Line Balancing Problem

Purpose The purpose of this study is to first investigate the efficiency of the most commonly used performance measures for minimizing the number of workstations (NWs) in approaches addressing simple assembly line balancing problem (SALBP) for both straight and U-shaped line, and second to provide a comparative evaluation of 20 constructive heuristics to find solutions to the SALBP-1. Design/methodology/approach A total of 200 problems are solved by 20 different constructive heuristics for both straight and U-shaped assembly line. Moreover, several comparisons have been made to evaluate the performance of constructive heuristics. Findings Minimizing the smoothness index is not necessarily equivalent to minimizing the NWs; therefore, it should not be used as the fitness function in approaches addressing the SALBP-1. Line efficiency and the idle time are indeed reliable performance measures for minimizing the NWs. The most promising heuristics for straight and U-shaped line configurations for SALBP-1 are also ranked and introduced. Practical implications Results are expected to help scholars and industrial practitioners to better design effective solution methods for having the most balanced assembly line. This study will further help with choosing the most proper heuristic with regard to the problem specifications and line configuration. Originality/value There is limited research assessing the efficiency of the common objectives for SALBP-1. This study is among the first to prove that minimizing the workload smoothness is not equivalent to minimizing the NWs in SALBP-1 studies. This work is also one of the first attempts for evaluating the constructive heuristics for both straight and U-shaped line configurations.

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