Process Improvement for Combining Production Lines with Work Study and Line Balancing Techniques: A Case Study of Stereo Manufacturer

Abstract

An objective of this research is to study and improve the production process to reduce the usage of production area by combining production lines. A case study factory was a stereo manufacturer which needed the area for a new production line. A methodology started from studying and analyzing each production process, then choosing the production line to be removed and finally improving the production line to receive products from the removed production line. Main concepts for analysis and improvement consisted of work study, capability analysis and line balancing. The selected production lines to be combined considered from capacity utilization rate and limitations of the equipment and machine. An improvement of the production line to receive products from the removed production line was to sequence tasks to stations by considering line balancing, cycle time and production conditions. After reducing the line and improving the process, the factory had an additional area as expected and could move the product to produce in another line without any problems. In addition, reducing the production line and moving products to be produced in another line also increased capacity utilization rate from 32 % to 55%.