Balancing of parallel U-shaped assembly lines

Abstract

A new hybrid assembly line design, called Parallel U-shaped Assembly Line system, is introduced and characterised along with numerical examples for the first time. Different from existing studies on U-shaped lines, we combine the advantages of two individual line configurations (namely parallel lines and U-shaped lines) and create an opportunity for assigning tasks to multi-line workstations located in between two adjacent U-shaped lines with the aim of maximising resource utilisation.Utilisation of crossover workstations, in which tasks from opposite areas of a same U-shaped line can be performed, is also one of the main advantages of the U-shaped lines. As in traditional U-shaped line configurations, the newly proposed line configuration also supports the utilisation of crossoverworkstations. An efficient heuristic algorithm is developed to find well-balanced solutions for the proposed line configurations. Test cases derived from existing studies and modified in accordance with the proposed system in this study are solved using the proposed heuristic algorithm. The

A nondominated sorting ant colony optimization algorithm for complex assembly line balancing problem incorporating incompatible task sets

“…This is because it is not needed to test different cycle time values manually as NSACO increments it by , systematically. It is also worthy to declare that [ ] 1 values are the same with [ ] 2 for those cases solvable by MIP model reported by Ozcan and Toklu [2]. This shows how competitive the SA proposed by Ozcan and Toklu [2] is.…”

“…Each workstation performs a set of job pieces, called tasks, assigned to it within a predetermined time, called cycle time [1], [2]. Assembly line balancing problem is determining the configuration for assignment of tasks to workstations in such a way that a performance criterion (or sometimes more than one criterion) is optimised.…”

Using metaheuristic algorithms for solving a mixed model assembly line balancing problem considering express parallel line and learning effect

“…Rabbani et al (2014) used genetic algorithm (GA) to solve MMALB, considering express parallel line that works faster and produces similar mixed products, and also they considered different alternatives for selling products. Kucukkoc and Zhang (2015) developed a heuristic algorithm for maximizing resource utilization in parallel U-shaped assembly line balancing problem. Boysen et al (2008) defined the mixed model assembly line as a varied sequential model of a standard product.…”

A mathematical model and artificial bee colony algorithm for the lexicographic bottleneck mixed-model assembly line balancing problem

“…See for example, Baykasoglu and Dereli (2009), Simaria and Vilarinho (2009), Kara and Tekin (2009), Yagmahan (2011), Xu and Xiao (2011), Chutima and Chimklai (2012, Hamzadayi and Yildiz (2012), Rabbani et al (2012), Liao et al (2012), Akpinar et al (2013), Kucukkoc et al (2013), Manavizadeh et al (2013 and Kucukkoc and Zhang (2015a, 2015b, 2014a for recently published studies on type-I problems; and Hackman et al (1989), Simaria and Vilarinho (2004), Liu et al (2004), Battini et al (2007), Ozcan et al (2011) and Yoosefelahi et al (2012) for studies published on type-II problems.…”

“…Semi-finished products pass workstations in which operations (or tasks) required to create an end product are handled by operators or machines in a sequential manner (Kucukkoc and Zhang 2015a;Satoglu and Sahin 2012)…”