Adjusting the production sequence is a popular way of handling production lines with a product-dependent workload. This post is part of rather long series on Mixed Model Sequencing. In the last post I discussed the basics of sequencing and the calculation of the takt time. This post describes the basics of adjusting workload and buffering – but still for a simple case of only one imbalanced station. Subsequent posts will get more serious with multiple imbalances. But let’s continue with our simple single imbalance example.
Sequencing
Mixed Model Sequencing – Basic Example Introduction
Your products may have different work content on your production line, which may make your line less efficient. One possible solution is Mixed Model Sequencing, a way to adjust the sequencing of your products to make the average work content stable. In previous posts I looked at the basics, at how to avoid the problem in the first place and how to play with capacity. However, especially for large complex lines (i.e., automotive), sequencing is often a suitable approach to manage different work contents.
Mixed Model Sequencing – Adjust Capacity
Production lines with a product mix may have different workloads at different stations for different products. This can cause waste. In this third post in the series I will look at options on how to adjust the available capacity to ease this problem. In my next post I will look at Mixed Model Sequencing to adjust workload differences.
Mixed Model Sequencing – Just Make the Problem Go Away
Your production line may have different workloads for different product variants. This unevenness causes waste and overburden. In this series of posts I will look at ways to address this unevenness. The first post was an introduction to the topic. This second post will look at ways to simply eliminate the problem – although this may not be feasible for many cases. In the next posts I will look at adjusting the capacity and finally at adjusting the product sequence through Mixed Model Sequencing.
Mixed Model Sequencing – Introduction
In a mixed model production line, different products may have different work content at different stations. Hence, some stations may need a longer or shorter time depending on the product. This requires careful planning of the assembly line. If this is not taken into account, it may cause significant idle time with all stations along the line. This is the first of a (very) long series of posts looking at Mixed Model Sequencing (i.e., the behavior of unbalanced workloads, and different ways to address these issues).
Production Sequences: FCFS, EDD, and Others
In my last post I looked at delivery sequences like FIFO, LIFO, etc. This second post looks at simple production sequences where you do have to deal with limited production capacity. If you cannot make everything at once, you need a sequence in which you process the parts.
Delivery Sequences: FIFO, LIFO, and Others
Sometimes, when you need a part or product from your inventory, you may have more than one item in stock. Which one do you pick? In this blog post I want to present a few strategies for choosing which item to take. The most famous one is FIFO, but there are more options available. In my next post I will present similar strategies if you need to start production before the item becomes available.