Production batch sizes in a repetitive flexible assembly system

This article demonstrates the use of a joint production batch-size procedure for scheduling a flexible assembly system for taillight assembly at a Ford fabrication plant. This procedure can be utilised for scheduling and capacity analysis of bottle-neck operations in repetitive manufacturing situations. The approach specifies the minimum batch sizes given demand requirements and available capacity and assists in analyzing various operating parameters of setup time and uptime to understand their impact on overall operating performance.