Assembly-Line Balancing: A Valuable Tool For Increasing Efficiency

Assembly-Line Balancing:
A Valuable Tool for

Increasing Efficiency
Coverage
1. What is assembly-line balancing?
2. How can assembly-line balancing be used in
organization?
3. Unbalance Line and Its effect.
4. Balanced Line and its effect.
5. What are the steps in balancing an assembly line?
6. Example of assembly-line balancing.
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.
3
How Can Assembly-Line Balancing Help
Organization?
 Increased efficiency
 Increased productivity
 Potential increase in profits and decrease in costs
4
Unbalance Line and Its effect
 !? Zzz Zzz
Work Work Work Work

Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Station 4
10 sec
40 sec 15 sec 15 sec
Overproduction!
Generates waste Undesirable waiting
 High work load in some stages (Overburden)

 Maximizes wastes (over-processing, inventory, waiting, rework, transportation,
motion)
 High variation
 Restrict one piece flow
 Maximizes Idle time
5
 Poor efficiency
Balanced Line and its effect
   
Work Work Work Work

Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Station 4
25 sec 25 sec 20 sec 15 sec
 Promotes one piece flow
 Avoids excessive work load in some stages (overburden)
 Minimizes wastes (over-processing, inventory, waiting, rework,
transportation, motion)
 Reduces variation
 Increased Efficiency
 Minimizes Idle time 6
SMV
SMV – time that is allowed to perform the job

satisfactory.
SMV = Basic time + Allowances
Standard Minute Value
SMV = B.T + Allowances

Basic Time
The basic time for the operation is found by applying concept

of rating to relate the observed to that of a standard place of
working.
Calculated as follows:
Basic time = observed time * observed rating
100
(BT = Observed time * Observed Rating= A
constant)
100
Example..
Rating = 50 75 100 125
Observed time = 1.2 0.8 0.6 0.5
Basic Time = 1.2*50 0.8*75 0.6*100 0.5*125
100 100 100 100
= 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6

SMV calculation
Element description Obser Obser. Basic Freq. Basic
rating time Time Time/Gmt
Get bundle and sort parts 95 0.32 0.304 1/30 0.010
Match pocket flap to lining 105 0.11 0.116 1/1 0.116
Sew round flap 100 0.48 0.480 1/1 0.480
Trim threads and turn out 58 0.35 0.298 1/1 0.298

flap
Top stitch flap 90 0.56 0.504 1/1 0.504
Close bundle and place 110 0.23 0.253 1/30 0.008

aside
Total 1.416
Total basic time/garment (brought forward) 1.416
Add machine attention allowances 7%
7% of (0.480 + 0.504) = 0.07 x 0.984 = 0.069
Basic time + MAA (1.416 + 0.069) = 1.485
Add personal needs and relaxation allowances 14%
14% of 1.485 = 0.14 x 1.485 = 0.208
Standard minute Value (SMV) = Basic time + all
allowances
= 1.485 + 0.208 = 1.693
(SMV)
Production Planning
Load and capacity Planning
Successful planning requires knowledge of two
variables to determine the time required to
manufacture a contract.
Load – How much work we are putting on a section
Capacity – How much work a section is capable of
completing
In an ideal situation
>> Load = Capacity
Load and capacity
LOAD – Contract size x Work content
Capacity – The amount of work the factory or

section is capable of doing.
The scheduling rule
Balance load and capacity
Arrange the programmed of work so that the load

can be achieved
Use common units – standard minutes
Pitch Time
Reference value for synchronization in the division of

labor is called Pitch Time (PT). Pitch Time provides
average time allotted to each worker.
Bottleneck Process:
The time at which the longest time is required is called “bottleneck Process” The
state of line organization should be evaluated as “Organization Efficiency” Using
the pitch time and Bottleneck Process Time.
Pitch Time
Organization Efficiency (%) = ________________________ x 100
Bottleneck Process Time
100
= ______ X 100
140
= 71.4 % (For the aforementioned case study)
Pitch Diagram in the form of Column Graph
1st bottleneck Process

2nd bottleneck Process Loss in balance
Loss in balance
(Seconds)
160
140
120
14 0
100
ent Time
Work 80 115 110

Allotment 85
60 105 95
orkAllotm
Time
80 70
40
20
W
A B C D E F G H
Name of worker (in the order of processes)
Pitch Diagram (bar graph)

How to reduce the number of
bottleneck processes
(1) Investigate the relation between the bottleneck process and its
previous and subsequent processes to correct the line organization.
(2) Investigate whether it is possible to further divide the process.
(3) Conduct the motion study for work improvement.
(4) Make improvements to equipment, jig and tools.
(5) Mechanize the manual work.
(6) Change the positions of workers.
(7) Investigate the modification to the machining specifications.
(8) Make it a rule to lend the worker in charge of the bottleneck
process a helping hand
Control limit
(seconds)
160 Bottleneck Process
140 140
Upper Limit
120 115
W ork A llotm ent T im e
105 110
100
80 95 Lower Limit
140
85
60 80
70
40
20
A B C D E F G H
Name of worker (In order of processes)

Control limit
Target organization efficiency = 85 %
Pitch Time
Upper Limit = _________________________ X 100
Target organization efficiency
= 117.6 Seconds
Lower Limit = 2 x Pitch Time – Upper Limit

= 2 x 100 – 117.6
= 82.4 Seconds

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Assembly-Line Balancing:

A Valuable Tool for

 Assigning each task to a workstation within an

 Line balancing is the procedure in which tasks along

 Potential increase in profits and decrease in costs

Work Work Work Work

 High work load in some stages (Overburden)

Work Work Work Work

SMV – time that is allowed to perform the job

SMV = B.T + Allowances

The basic time for the operation is found by applying concept

= 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6

Get bundle and sort parts 95 0.32 0.304 1/30 0.010

Match pocket flap to lining 105 0.11 0.116 1/1 0.116

Sew round flap 100 0.48 0.480 1/1 0.480

Trim threads and turn out 58 0.35 0.298 1/1 0.298

Close bundle and place 110 0.23 0.253 1/30 0.008

LOAD – Contract size x Work content

Capacity – The amount of work the factory or

Arrange the programmed of work so that the load

Reference value for synchronization in the division of

Bottleneck Process Time

1st bottleneck Process

Work 80 115 110

Pitch Diagram (bar graph)

160 Bottleneck Process

Name of worker (In order of processes)

Lower Limit = 2 x Pitch Time – Upper Limit

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