Firing sequences backward algorithm for simple assembly line balancing problem of type 1

The objective of simple assembly line balancing problem type‐1 (SALBP‐1) is to minimize the number of workstations on an assembly line for a given cycle time. Since SALBP‐1 is NP‐hard, many iterative backtracking heuristics based on branch and bound procedure, tabu search, and genetic algorithms were developed to solve SALBP‐1. In this study, a new heuristic algorithm based on Petri net approach is presented to solve the problem. The presented algorithm makes an order of firing sequence of transitions from Petri net model of precedence diagram. Task is assigned to a workstation using this order and backward procedure. The algorithm is coded in MATLAB, and its efficiency is tested on Talbot’s and Hoffmann’s benchmark datasets according to some performance measures and classifications. Computational study validates its effectiveness on the benchmark problems. Also comparison results show that the algorithm is efficiency to solve SALBP‐1.