Assembly-Line Balancing: A

Valuable Tool for

Increasing Efficiency

Module 2
 Coverage
1. What is assembly-line balancing?
2. History – 1st time introduces.
3. How can assembly-line balancing be used in
organization?
4. Unbalance Line and Its effect.
5. Balanced Line and its effect.
6. What are the steps in balancing an assembly line?
7. Example of assembly-line balancing.
8. Assembly-Line Balancing in the real world.
9. Assembly-Line Balancing by Digital
Manufacturing.
10. Summary.
11. Suggested reading list 2
 What is assembly-line balancing?

• Assigning each task to a workstation within an

assembly line in order to meet the required
production rate and to achieve a minimum
amount of idle time.

• Line balancing is the procedure in which tasks

along the assembly line are assigned to work
station so each has approximately same amount
of work.

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 History
Ford installs first moving
assembly line 1913

In 1907, Henry Ford announced his

goal for the Ford Motor Company: to
create "a motor car for the great
multitude." At that time, automobiles
were expensive, custom-made
machines.
• Ford's engineers took the first step
towards this goal by designing the
Model T, a simple, sturdy car, offering
no factory options -- not even a choice
of color.
• The Model T, first produced in 1908,
kept the same design until the last one
-- number 15,000,000 -- rolled off the
line in 1927.
• From the start, the Model T was less Photo: Moving assembly line at Ford
expensive than most other cars, but it Motor Company's Michigan plant
was still not attainable for the
"multitude."
 How Can Assembly-Line Balancing Help
Organization?

1. Increased efficiency

2. Increased productivity

3. Potential increase in profits and decrease in costs

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 Unbalance Line and Its effect
 !? Zzz Zzz

40 sec 15 sec
10 sec 15 sec
Undesirable waiting

Overproduction
Generates waste

1. High work load in some stages (Overburden)

2. Maximizes wastes (over-processing, inventory, waiting, rework, transportation,
motion)
3. High variation
4. Restrict one piece flow
5. Maximises efficiency 6
6. Reduces Idle time
 Balanced Line and its effect

   

25 sec 25 sec 20 sec 15 sec

1. Promotes one piece flow

2. Avoids excessive work load in some stages (overburden)

3. Minimizes wastes (over-processing, inventory, waiting,

rework, transportation, motion)
4. Reduces variation
5. Increased Efficiency
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6. Minimizes Idle time
 Steps in Balancing an Assembly Line

1. List the sequential relationships among tasks and

then draw a precedence diagram.

2. Calculate the required workstation cycle time.

3. Calculate the theoretical minimum number of

workstations.

4. Choose a primary rule that will determine how

tasks are to be assigned to workstations.
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 Steps in Balancing an Assembly Line Contd.

5. Beginning with the first workstation, assign each

task, one at a time, until the sum of the task times is
equal to the workstation cycle time or until no other
tasks can be assigned due to sequence or time
restrictions.

6. Repeat step 5 for the remaining workstations until

all the tasks have been assigned to a workstation.

7. Evaluate the efficiency of the line balance.

8. Rebalance if necessary.
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 Example of Assembly-Line Balancing

Problem:

• The Model Z Bicycle is assembled in an

assembly line. Four hundred bicycles are
required each day. Production time per day is
420 minutes.
Find the balance that minimizes the number of
workstations, that stays within the workstation cycle
time limitation, and that complies with task
precedent constraints.

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 Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.
1. Building the Model Z Bicycle: Assembly Steps and Times
Task Task Time Task Description Tasks that
(in seconds) must precede

A 50 Connect the front tire to the bicycle frame. —

B 16 Insert the handle bar. A

C 14 Tighten handle bar with two screws and nuts. B

D 55 Connect the rear tire to the bicycle frame. —

E 20 Position chain mechanism to the frame. D

F 17 Attach right hand brake to handle bar. C

G 17 Attach left hand brake to handle bar. C

H 17 Attach right side pedal. E

I 17 Attach left side pedal. E

J 13 Position chain onto chain mechanism. F,G,H,I

K 14 Attach seat post. J

250 11
 Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.
1. List the sequential relationships among tasks and then
draw a precedence diagram.

Tasks Tasks that Tasks Tasks that Tasks Tasks that

must precede must precede must precede
A — E D I E
B A F C J F,G,H,I
C B G C K J
D — H E

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 Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.

1. List the sequential relationships among tasks and

then draw a precedence diagram.

50 sec. 16 sec. 14 sec. 17 sec.

A B C F

17 sec.
13 sec. 14 sec.
17 sec.
G
55 sec. 20 sec.
J K
H
D E

17 sec.

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Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.
2. Calculate the required workstation cycle time.

Convert minutes to seconds because task times are in seconds.

Production time per day 60 sec. x 420 min. 25,200

Cycle = = = = 60 sec.
Time Output per day 420 bicycles 420

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 Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.

3. Calculate the theoretical minimum number of

workstations.

Sum Total
of Task Times 250 seconds
Number of = = = 3.97 = 4 (rounded up)
workstations Cycle Time 60 seconds

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 Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.

4. Choose a primary rule that will determine how

tasks are to be assigned to workstations.

1. F o r this example, our primary Number of

Task Following Tasks
rule is to prioritize tasks based
on the largest number of
following tasks. A 6

B or D 5
2. I f there is a tie, our secondary
rule is to prioritize tasks in the C or E 4
order of the longest task time.
F, G, H, or I 2
3. I n general, select rules that
prioritize tasks according to the J 1
largest number of followers or
based on length of time K 0
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 Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.

5. Beginning with the first workstation, assign each

task, one at a time, until the sum of the task
times is equal to the workstation cycle time or
until no other tasks can be assigned due to
sequence or time restrictions.

6. Repeat step 5 for the remaining workstations until

all the tasks have been assigned to a workstation.

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 Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.
5 & 6. Balance made according to the Largest-Number-of-Following
Tasks Rule.
Stations Task Task Time Number of Remaining Feasible Task with Task with
(in seconds) Following Unassigned Remaining Most Longest
Tasks Time Tasks Followers Operating
Time

Station 1 A 50 6 10 idle None

Station 2 D 55 5 5 idle None

Station 3 B 16 5 44 C, E C, E E
E 20 4 24 C, H, I C
C 14 4 10 idle None
Station 4 F 17 2 43 G, H, I G, H, I G, H, or I
G 17 2 26 H, I, J H, I H or I
H 17 2 9 idle None
Station 5 I 17 2 43 J
J 13 1 30 K
K 14 0 16 idle None

rcsaini.blogspot.com 18
Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.
5 & 6. Precedence Graph for Model Z Bicycle.

The five workstations are identified by color.

50 sec. 16 sec. 14 sec. 17 sec.

A B C F

17 sec.
13 sec. 14 sec.
17 sec.
G
55 sec. 20 sec.
J K
H
D E

17 sec.

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Example of Assembly-Line Balancing Cont.

7. Evaluate the efficiency of the line balance.

Sum Total
250
of Task Times
Efficiency = = = 0.83 or 83%
Actual Number (5)(60)
of Workstations
x Cycle Time

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 Assembly-Line Balancing in the real world

The simple ALB problem approach is limited by some

constraints:

• Balance on existing and operating lines.

1. Workstations have spatial constraints.
2. Some workstations cannot be eliminated.
3. Need to smooth workload among workstations.

• Multiple operators per workstation.

1. Different paces among operators, different lead times within
the same workstation.

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Assembly-Line Balancing in the real world (cont.)
• Operator spatial constraints.
1. Different workstation imposed working positions.

2. More than one task to be performed in what should be the space

for one task.

• Multiple Products.
1. Coping with different products, some operations are needed for
some products but not for others.

2. Some products can introduce “peak times” in some workstations.

• Different task times performed in different shifts.

1. Particularly when introducing new employees or workers with
some degree of incapacity. 22
 Assembly-Line Balancing by Digital Manufacturing

1. Build AL in virtual environment.

2. P u t Input data e.g. No.Assembly part, Task at

each station and estimated time, Human
ergonomics etc.

3. R u n the Virtual AL and find outcome.

4. Make changes in AL in virtual world and find

best ALB outcome.
5. Build in real world.
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Assembly-Line Balancing by Digital Manufacturing
Cont.
Advantages
1. Time Saving.

2. Money Saving (Time Is Money, make

changes in virtual world).

3. Simplifies complex assembly line

balancing problems.

4. Faster, easier, and more accurate than

calculating by hand.
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 Summary

1. Assembly-Line Balancing consists of assigning each task to

a workstation to meet the required production rate and to
achieve a minimum amount of idle time.
2. Benefits of line balancing includes increased efficiency and
increased productivity.
3. Balance assembly line by determining sequential task
relationships, the required workstation cycle time, the
theoretical minimum number of workstations, workstation
assignments, and assembly line efficiency.
4. Digital Manufacturing Simplifies complex assembly line
balancing problems with faster, easier, and more accurate
than calculating by hand and its save time & money.

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