OR at work in modern manufacturing

By describing the industrial assembly of a real product, methodologies and considerations are discussed for the re-alignment of discrete assembly systems in line with modern standards. Poor manufacturing procedures are highlighted, and a number of alternative strategies for system replacement are presented. A decision tree is used to categorize assembly into one of three types, and an integrated solution is proposed. The possible financial benefits, essential to maintain market position, are identified for each stage of an evolutionary cycle of continuous product design and changing manufacturing methods.