Set-up saving schemes for printed circuit boards assembly

Focusing on a basic printed circuit board (PCB) assembly line configuration characterized by very long set-up times, the authors examine two scheduling methods that can significantly reduce the set-up. Both methods-the Grouped Set-Up (GSU) method that has been recently introduced in the literature and the Sequence Dependent Scheduling (SDS) method, which has not been studied in this context-are based on component commonality among PCB types. Using the typical traditional scheduling method as a benchmark, the GSU and the SDS methods are compared in terms of three performance measures: line throughput, average work-in-process inventory level, and implementation complexity. Guidelines for selecting the most appropriate method for a given production environment are proposed. The analysis is illustrated using real data from a typical production line.