A simulation approach to the design of an assembly line: A case study

A case study on the balancing and design of a line assembling black-and-white television receivers is reported. Task allocations are made using a cost model and considering the relatedness of tasks. The variability of task times, together with variability in the failure rates of the sets, increases in-process inventory. Consequently, the average time a set spends in the system increases. A model is therefore developed using SLAM-II to determine the in-process storage capacity for physical layout. A regression model is also developed for the average time a television spends in the system using the output obtained from the simulation model.