An algorithm for arranging operators to balance assembly lines and reduce operator training time

Abstract

Industry 4.0 is transforming how costs, including labor costs, are managed in manufacturing and remanufacturing systems. Managers must balance assembly lines and reduce the training time of workstation operators to achieve sustainable operations. This study’s originality lies in its use of an algorithm to balance an assembly line by matching operators to workstations so that the line’s workstations achieve the same targeted output rates. First, the maximum output rate of the assembly line is found, and then the number of operators needed at each workstation is deter-mined. Training time is reduced by matching operators’ training and skills to workstations’ skill requirements. The study obtains a robust, cluster algorithm based on the concept of group technol-ogy, then forms operator skill cells and determines operator families. Four numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the algorithm’s implementation. The proposed algorithm can solve the problem of arranging operators to balance assembly lines. Managers can also solve the problem of worker absences by assigning more than one operator with the required skillset to each workstation and rearranging them as needed.