Hybrid genetic algorithm for solving the problem of balancing an assembly line

The problem of balancing an assembly line has been traditionally thought of as a facilities design and layout problem, and assigning tasks to workstations has traditionally been a one-shot decision made at the time the plant is constructed and the line is set up. However, the nature of the modern factory is changing. New plants should be designed with flexibility in mind, allowing new lines to be brought up and old ones restructured. In such an environment, line balancing is more like a dynamic scheduling problem than a one-shot facilities layout problem. In this paper, a new hybrid genetic algorithm for balancing an assembly line is proposed. It is proved to be effective and workable with an example.