IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/navres/v54y2007i6p681-691.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Modeling and analysis of a mixed‐model assembly line with stochastic operation times

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaobo Zhao
  • Jianyong Liu
  • Katsuhisa Ohno
  • Shigenori Kotani

Abstract

We consider a mixed‐model assembly line (MMAL) comprised a set of workstations and a conveyor. The workstations are arranged in a serial configuration. The conveyor moves at a constant speed along the workstations. Initial units belonging to different models are successively fed onto the conveyor, and they are moved by the conveyor to pass through the workstations to gradually generate final products. All assembling tasks are manually performed with operation times to be stochastic. An important performance measure of MMALs is overload times that refer to uncompleted operations for operators within their work zones. This paper establishes a method to analyze the expected overload times for MMALs with stochastic operation times. The operation processes of operators form discrete time nonhomogeneous Markov processes with continuous state spaces. For a given daily production schedule, the expected overload times involve in analyzing the Markov processes for finite horizon. Based on some important properties of the performance measure, we propose an efficient approach for calculating the expected overload times. Numerical computations show that the results are very satisfactory. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2007

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaobo Zhao & Jianyong Liu & Katsuhisa Ohno & Shigenori Kotani, 2007. "Modeling and analysis of a mixed‐model assembly line with stochastic operation times," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 54(6), pages 681-691, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:navres:v:54:y:2007:i:6:p:681-691
    DOI: 10.1002/nav.20241
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/nav.20241
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/nav.20241?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Candace Arai Yano & Ram Rachamadugu, 1991. "Sequencing to Minimize Work Overload in Assembly Lines with Product Options," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 37(5), pages 572-586, May.
    2. Gagnon, R. J. & Ghosh, S., 1991. "Assembly line research: Historical roots, research life cycles and future directions," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 381-399.
    3. Nick T. Thomopoulos, 1970. "Mixed Model Line Balancing with Smoothed Station Assignments," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(9), pages 593-603, May.
    4. Scholl, Armin, 1995. "Balancing and sequencing of assembly lines," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 9690, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    5. Ahmet Bolat, 1997. "Efficient methods for sequencing minimum job sets on mixed model assembly lines," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(5), pages 419-437, August.
    6. Xiaobo Zhao & Katsuhisa Ohno & Hon‐Shiang Lau, 2004. "A balancing problem for mixed model assembly lines with a paced moving conveyor," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(3), pages 446-464, April.
    7. Chung-Yee Lee & George L. Vairaktarakis, 1997. "Workforce Planning in Mixed Model Assembly Systems," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 45(4), pages 553-567, August.
    8. Sarin, Subhash C. & Erel, Erdal & Dar-El, Ezey M., 1999. "A methodology for solving single-model, stochastic assembly line balancing problem," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 525-535, October.
    9. Li-Hui Tsai, 1995. "Mixed-Model Sequencing to Minimize Utility Work and the Risk of Conveyor Stoppage," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 41(3), pages 485-495, March.
    10. Xiaobo, Zhao & Ohno, Katsuhisa, 2000. "Properties of a sequencing problem for a mixed model assembly line with conveyor stoppages," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(3), pages 560-570, August.
    11. J. L. C. Macaskill, 1973. "Computer Simulation for Mixed-Model Production Lines," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(3), pages 341-348, November.
    12. McMullen, Patrick R. & Frazier, Gregory V., 1997. "A heuristic for solving mixed-model line balancing problems with stochastic task durations and parallel stations," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 177-190, September.
    13. Yow-yuh Leu & Philip Huang & Roberta Russell, 1997. "Using beam search techniques for sequencing mixed-model assembly lines," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 70(0), pages 379-397, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mosadegh, H. & Fatemi Ghomi, S.M.T. & Süer, G.A., 2020. "Stochastic mixed-model assembly line sequencing problem: Mathematical modeling and Q-learning based simulated annealing hyper-heuristics," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 282(2), pages 530-544.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xiaobo Zhao & Katsuhisa Ohno & Hon‐Shiang Lau, 2004. "A balancing problem for mixed model assembly lines with a paced moving conveyor," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(3), pages 446-464, April.
    2. Boysen, Nils & Fliedner, Malte & Scholl, Armin, 2009. "Sequencing mixed-model assembly lines: Survey, classification and model critique," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 192(2), pages 349-373, January.
    3. Boysen, Nils & Fliedner, Malte & Scholl, Armin, 2008. "Assembly line balancing: Which model to use when," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(2), pages 509-528, February.
    4. Bautista, Joaquin & Cano, Jaime, 2008. "Minimizing work overload in mixed-model assembly lines," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 177-191, March.
    5. Battaïa, Olga & Dolgui, Alexandre, 2013. "A taxonomy of line balancing problems and their solutionapproaches," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 259-277.
    6. Becker, Christian & Scholl, Armin, 2006. "A survey on problems and methods in generalized assembly line balancing," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 168(3), pages 694-715, February.
    7. Matthießen, Lars & Drexl, Andreas & Kimms, Alf, 2000. "Constraint propagation algorithms for the car sequencing problem," Manuskripte aus den Instituten für Betriebswirtschaftslehre der Universität Kiel 531, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre.
    8. Boysen, Nils & Fliedner, Malte & Scholl, Armin, 2007. "A classification of assembly line balancing problems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 183(2), pages 674-693, December.
    9. Marcus Ritt & Alysson M. Costa & Cristóbal Miralles, 2016. "The assembly line worker assignment and balancing problem with stochastic worker availability," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(3), pages 907-922, February.
    10. Drexl, Andreas & Kimms, Alf, 1999. "Belastungsorientierte Just-in-Time Variantenfließfertigung," Manuskripte aus den Instituten für Betriebswirtschaftslehre der Universität Kiel 502, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre.
    11. Jin, Mingzhou & Luo, Yi & Eksioglu, Sandra D., 2008. "Integration of production sequencing and outbound logistics in the automotive industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(2), pages 766-774, June.
    12. Bautista, Joaquín & Cano, Alberto, 2011. "Solving mixed model sequencing problem in assembly lines with serial workstations with work overload minimisation and interruption rules," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 210(3), pages 495-513, May.
    13. Bautista, Joaquín & Cano, Alberto & Alfaro, Rocío, 2012. "Models for MMSP-W considering workstation dependencies: A case study of Nissan’s Barcelona plant," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 223(3), pages 669-679.
    14. Thiago Cantos Lopes & Celso Gustavo Stall Sikora & Adalberto Sato Michels & Leandro Magatão, 2020. "Mixed-model assembly lines balancing with given buffers and product sequence: model, formulation comparisons, and case study," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 286(1), pages 475-500, March.
    15. Ding, Fong-Yuen & Zhu, Jin & Sun, Hui, 2006. "Comparing two weighted approaches for sequencing mixed-model assembly lines with multiple objectives," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(1), pages 108-131, July.
    16. Diefenbach, Johannes & Stolletz, Raik, 2022. "Stochastic assembly line balancing: General bounds and reliability-based branch-and-bound algorithm," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 302(2), pages 589-605.
    17. Heike, G. & Ramulu, M. & Sorenson, E. & Shanahan, P. & Moinzadeh, K., 2001. "Mixed model assembly alternatives for low-volume manufacturing: The case of the aerospace industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 103-120, July.
    18. Karabati, Selcuk & Sayin, Serpil, 2003. "Assembly line balancing in a mixed-model sequencing environment with synchronous transfers," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(2), pages 417-429, September.
    19. Dhouib, K. & Gharbi, A. & Landolsi, N., 2009. "Throughput assessment of mixed-model flexible transfer lines with unreliable machines," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(2), pages 619-627, December.
    20. Golle, Uli & Rothlauf, Franz & Boysen, Nils, 2014. "Car sequencing versus mixed-model sequencing: A computational study," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 237(1), pages 50-61.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:navres:v:54:y:2007:i:6:p:681-691. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)1520-6750 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.