A Joint Assembly Line Balancing and Feeding Problem (JALBFP) considering direct and indirect supply strategies

Abstract

In an assembly system, balancing the line and designing the part feeding setting play a fundamental role in guaranteeing efficiency and effectiveness. Although these two aspects are interrelated, they are usually performed subsequent to each other, with the part feeding decisions only being made once the line has already been balanced. However, the simultaneous solving of the assembly line balancing and part feeding problems can lead to interesting benefits. In this paper, an innovative approach for solving the Joint Assembly Line Balancing and Feeding Problem (JALBFP) is proposed, to achieve an integrated balancing of assembly tasks and parts picking/kitting and a fully synchronised assembly-feeding system. The aim is to minimise the operational system cost, including workforce, space and transportation costs. The Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model is applied to several instances and two case studies and compared to a hierarchical approach. The proposed model leads to a significant improvement in reducing the number of assembly stations required and the inventory level at the line, where space is notoriously scarce, also avoiding workforce oversizing in the feeding system. The strength of the model relies on its formulation and on its versatility, which makes it applicable to different assembly sectors.

KEYWORDS:

• Assembly line balancing
• part feeding
• optimisation
• assembly costs
• joint model
• MILP

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Martina Calzavara

Martina Calzavara is an assistant professor of Industrial Facilities Design and Industrial Logistics at the University of Padua. She is currently teaching in courses, lectures and workshops, at the University of Padua and in other Italian institutes. Her research is mainly related to industrial and logistics systems design, management and modelling. These often focus on the design and on the improvement of warehousing and assembly systems, through the mathematical modelling of both economic and ergonomics aspects. She is usually also involved in various interdisciplinary research projects with important Italian companies.

Serena Finco

Serena Finco is a Post-doctoral Researcher at the University of Padova. She holds a joint PhD in Industrial Engineering and she graduated at the University of Padova in Innovation Product Engineering. Her academic research is mainly focused on industrial and logistic system design and modelling, inventory management and human factors in manufacturing and logistics systems. She is also involved in European and Italian projects.

Daria Battini

Daria Battini is full professor of Industrial Facilities Design and Industrial Logistics at the University of Padua (Italy) and she is the Coordinator of the Doctoral Course in Mechatronics and Product Innovation Engineering. She investigates supply chain design and management, industrial system optimisation, manufacturing system management for sustainability. She is author and co-author of more than 100 publications in relevant international journals, about industrial logistics, material handling, materials management, supply chain, assembly system design. She has been guest editors of several special issues in relevant international journals and she is a member of IFAC and Euroma.

Fabio Sgarbossa

Fabio Sgarbossa is full professor of Industrial Logistics at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MTP) at NTNU (Norway) from October 2018. He was Associate Professor at University of Padova (Italy) where he also received his PhD in Industrial Engineering in 2010. He is leader of the Production Management Group at MTP and he is responsible of the Logistics 4.0 Lab at NTNU. He has been and he is involved in several European and National Projects. He is author and co-author of about 120 publications in relevant international journals, about industrial logistics, material handling, materials management, supply chain. He is member of Organising and Scientific Committees of several International Conferences, and he is member of editorial boards and associate editor in relevant International Journals.

Alessandro Persona

Alessandro Persona is full professor of industrial plants and logistic and owner of the courses in Industrial Logistics and Product Logistics at the University of Padua. He is scientific director and founder of the SSD ING-IND/17 research group of University of Padua. He oversaw the establishment and activation of the PhD course in Mechatronics and Product Innovation Engineering and of the master's degree course in Product Innovation Engineering, Degree class in Mechanical Engineering, both at University of Padua. He is Rector's Delegate in Logistics and Procurement (since October 2015), member of the University-Hospital Joint Commission, member of the Technical table for the design of the New Health Center (Intensive Care) of Padua. He was member of the Governing Council of the Galileian School of University of Padua (2013–2019). He is referee of important international journals and he has published more than 250 articles in journals and international conference proceedings.