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Flexible layouts for the mixed-model assembly of heterogeneous vehicles

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  • Andreas Hottenrott

    (Technical University of Munich)

  • Martin Grunow

    (Technical University of Munich)

Abstract

The increasing vehicle heterogeneity is pushing the widespread mixed-model assembly line to its limit. The paced, serial design is incapable of coping with the diversity in workloads and task requirements. As an alternative, the automotive industry has started to introduce flexible layouts for segments of the assembly. In flexible layouts, the stations are no longer arranged serially and no longer linked by a paced transportation system but by automated guided vehicles. This paper investigates the initial configuration of such systems. The flexible layout design problem (FLDP) is the problem of designing a flexible layout for a segment of the assembly of heterogeneous vehicles. It comprises an integrated station formation and station location problem. Moreover, the FLDP anticipates the operational flow allocation of the automated guided vehicles. We formalize the FLDP in a mixed-integer linear program and develop a decomposition-based solution approach that can optimally solve small- to mid-sized instances. In addition, we transform this solution approach to a matheuristic that generates high-quality solutions in acceptable time for large-sized instances. We compare the efficiency of flexible layouts to mixed-model assembly lines and quantify the benefits of flexible layouts which increase with vehicle heterogeneity.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Hottenrott & Martin Grunow, 2019. "Flexible layouts for the mixed-model assembly of heterogeneous vehicles," OR Spectrum: Quantitative Approaches in Management, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research e.V., vol. 41(4), pages 943-979, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:orspec:v:41:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s00291-019-00556-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s00291-019-00556-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Stefan Helber & Ton Kok & Heinrich Kuhn & Michael Manitz & Andrea Matta & Raik Stolletz, 2019. "Quantitative approaches in production management," OR Spectrum: Quantitative Approaches in Management, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research e.V., vol. 41(4), pages 867-870, December.
    2. Boysen, Nils & Schulze, Philipp & Scholl, Armin, 2022. "Assembly line balancing: What happened in the last fifteen years?," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 301(3), pages 797-814.
    3. Battaïa, Olga & Dolgui, Alexandre, 2022. "Hybridizations in line balancing problems: A comprehensive review on new trends and formulations," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).

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