Institute of Technology of Cambodia

Department of Industrial and Mechanical Engineering

Homework: “Line Balancing Technique &

Group Technology and Cellular Manufacturing”

Lecturer : Mr. SENG Piseth

Subject : LEAN2

Group : I5-Industrial

Student : KHECHHUN Seyhak

ID : e20190387

Academic Year: 2023-2024

 lesson 7: “Line Balancing Technique”
Homework-1:
A manufacturer wishes to create a flow line which will produce 700 pumps/day (8 hr/day). The
assembly information for the pump is outlined in the table below.
(a) Calculate the maximum cycle time
(b) Calculate the minimum number of work stations
(c) Produce the precedence diagram
(d) Produce the line design which achieves the required cycle time
(e) Calculate the idle time/cycle and the output level based upon the longest station time. Comment
upon the result.

Given: Product = 700pumps/day

Time available = 8h/day = 480mn/day
Total time each tasks = 10+28+13+12+30+40+30+21+22+12+16+18+20+40+30 = 342s
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒
(a) Calculate the maximum cycle time = 𝐷𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑

= 480/700= 0.68min/pump or 41.14s/pump

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑘𝑠
(b) Calculate the minimum number of work stations = 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒

= 342/41.14 = 8.31 adjust to 9

(c) Produce the precedence diagram
 (d) Produce the line design which achieves the required cycle time

(e) Calculate the idle time/cycle and the output level based upon the longest station time.
Comment upon the result.

➢ New cycle time = 41s or 0.68min

The new output level per day is found from:
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒
➢ New cycle time = 𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑
480
0.68 =𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑 => New Demand = 705.88pumps/day

➢ Idle time/cycle:
➢ 𝐼𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 = (41 − 40) + (41 − 41) + (41 − 40) + (41 − 40) + (41 − 30) +
(41 − 41) + (41 − 40) + (41 − 30) + (41 − 40) = 27𝑠
27
➢ 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝐼𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 = 41×9 × 100% = 7.31%

Although the expected number of stages for the operation was 9, it actually required 10 stages.
This resulted in the new cycle time being almost equal to the maximum cycle time, with a high amount
of idle time/cycle that caused balancing loss. However, the balancing loss can be mitigated by
considering the detailed design of the product layout. The design must conform to the required cycle
time, the number of stages needed, how tasks are allocated to each stage, and the arrangement of the
stages in the line. The cycle time of each task and the number of stages required depend on where the
design falls on the "long thin" or "short fat" spectrum of arrangements. This positioning affects costs,
flexibility, robustness, staff attitude, and overall efficiency.
Homework-2:
A manufacturer wishes to create a flow line which will produce 300 products/day (7 hr/day).
The assembly information for the product is outlined in the table below.
(a) Calculate the maximum cycle time
(b) Calculate the theoretical minimum number of work stations
(c) Produce the precedence diagram
(d) Produce the line design which achieves the required cycle time
(e) Calculate the idle time/cycle based upon the longest station time
(f) What approaches can be used in practice, to reduce the individual cycle time of tasks, so that the
overall efficiency of the process can be improved?

Given: Demand = 300unit

Time available = 7 h/day = (7 × 60) = 420 min/day
Total work per each tasks = 55+30+50+42+20+25+45+60+36+42+30+40+36+40 = 551s
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 420
(a) Calculate the maximum cycle time = = 300 = 1.4min/unit or 84s/unit
𝐷𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑘𝑠 551
(b) Calculate the theoretical minimum number of work stations = =
𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 84

= 6.56 work stations, adjuct to 7 work stations

(c) Produce the precedence diagram
 (d) Produce the line design which achieves the required cycle time

(e) Calculate the idle time/cycle based upon the longest station time
➢ New cycle time = 80sec or 80/60 = 1.33 min
The new output level per day is found from:
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒
➢ New cycle time = 𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑
300
1.33 = 𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑 => New Demand = 315 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑎y

➢ 𝐼𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 = (80 − 80) + (80 − 80) + (80 − 80) + (80 − 78) +(80 − 75) + (80 − 78) +
(80 − 80) = 9
➢ 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝐼𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 = 9/(80×7) × 100% = 1.60%
(f) What approaches can be used in practice, to reduce the individual cycle time of tasks, so that
the overall efficiency of the process can be improved?
We can achieve a cycle time less than the required 84 seconds with only 7 stations.
Homework-3:
A manufacturer wishes to create a flow line which will produce 1200 products/day (8 hr/day). The
assembly information for the product is outlined in the table below.
(a) Calculate the maximum cycle time
(b) Calculate the minimum number of work stations
(c) Produce the precedence diagram
(d) Produce the line design which achieves the required cycle time
(e) Calculate the idle time/cycle and the output level based upon the longest station time

Given: Demand = 1200 units

Available work = 8hr/day = 8*60min/day =480min/day
Total work each tasks = 10+20+12+15+14+20+10+15+13+12+12+9+14+23+20
= 291s
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 480
(a) Calculate the maximum cycle time = = 1200 = 0.4min/unit or 24s/unit
𝐷𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑘𝑠 291
(b) Calculate the minimum number of work stations = =
𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 24

12.12, adjust to 12 work stations

(c) Produce the precedence diagram
(d) Produce the line design which achieves the required cycle time

(e) Calculate the idle time/cycle and the output level based upon the longest station time
➢ New cycle time = 23sec or 23/60 = 0.38 min
The new output level per day is found from:
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒
➢ New cycle time =
𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑
1200
0.38 = 𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑 => New Demand = 1200/0.38 = 1263 units 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑦
➢ Idle time/cycle: 𝐼𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 = (23 − 22) + (23 − 20) + (23 − 15) + (23 − 14) +(23 − 20) +
(23 − 22) + (23 − 15) + (23 − 13) +(23 − 21) + (23 − 14) + (23 − 23) + (23 − 20) = 57s
➢ 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝐼𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 = 57/ (24×12) × 100% = 19.79%
Homework-4:
A manufacturer has analyzed their sales figures and found that the average requirement for a particular
department is 1610 products per week. The factory operates this department, 5 days per week for a
total of 30 hours. During this time, workers take breaks for 15 minutes each morning. They also have
a lunch break of 30 minutes on Mondays to Thursdays. There is no lunch break on Friday as the
workers start and finish early on Fridays.
The assembly information for the product is given in the following table. (a)
Calculate the working hours available per week
(b) Calculate the maximum cycle time to achieve the output required
(c) Calculate the minimum number of work stations
(d) Produce the precedence diagram
(e) Produce the line design which achieves the required cycle time
(f) Calculate the line efficiency based upon the longest station time and comment upon the results.

Given: Demand = 1610 units per week

Total time each task = 51+25+7+40+24+10+20+35+30+6+6+15+15+8+8 = 300s

a) Calculate the working hours available per week working hours

= total working time – break times – lunch
= 30 hours – (0.25 × 5) hours – (0.5 × 4) hours = 26.75 hours
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 26.75∗60𝑚𝑖𝑛
b) Calculate maximum cycle time = = = 1𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 60𝑠 /𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡
𝐷𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑 1610
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑘𝑠 300
c) Calculate the minimum number of work station = = = 5 work
𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 60

stations
 d) Precedence Diagram

e) Produce the line design which achieves the required cycle time

Based on the precedence diagram, it not possible to use stages to meet the maximum cycle time of
60 s. Thus, the required number of stages to meet the work content is 6 stages.
f) Calculate the idle time/cycle and the output level based upon the longest station time.
Comment upon the result.
New cycle time based on the longest station time = 59 sec or 1 min
Therefore, Idle time/cycle = (59 – 51) + (59 – 47) + (59 – 55) + (59 – 57) + (59 – 31) = 54s
Balancing loss = (54) / (6 × 59) × 100% = 16.66%
𝐿𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 300/ (5×59) = 0.84%
The high idle time/cycle has resulted in a loss of balance. However, this loss can be compensated
by carefully considering the design details of the product layout. This includes conforming to the
cycle time required for the design, determining the number of stages needed, allocating tasks to the
stages in the line, and arranging the stages in the line. The cycle time of each task and the number of
stages needed are determined by where the design lies on the long thin or short fat spectrum of
arrangements. This positioning affects costs, flexibility, robustness, staff attitude to work, and
overall efficiency.
 Lesson 9: “Group Technology and Cellular Manufacturing”

Answer:

Product family
A B C D E F G H
1 1 1
2 1 1 1
3 1 1 1
Resource 4 1 1 1
5 1 1 1
6 1 1
7 1 1
8 1 1 1

Product family
128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
A B C D E F G H
1 1 1 5
2 1 1 1 146
3 1 1 1 73
Resource 4 1 1 1 37
5 1 1 1 146
6 1 1 33
7 1 1 18
8 1 1 1 73
 Product family
128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
A B C D E F G H
2 1 1 1 146
5 1 1 1 146
3 1 1 1 73
Resource 8 1 1 1 73
4 1 1 1 37
6 1 1 33
7 1 1 18
1 1 1 5

Product family
128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
1 A B C D E F G H
2 2 1 1 1 146
4 5 1 1 1 146
8 3 1 1 1 73
Resource 16 8 1 1 1 73
32 4 1 1 1 37
64 6 1 1 33
128 7 1 1 18
256 1 1 1 5
6 24 96 6 24 288 134 376
Product family
128 16 64 8 32 2 4 1
1 A D B E C G F H
2 2 1 1 1 146
4 5 1 1 1 146
8 3 1 1 1 73
Resource 16 8 1 1 1 73
32 4 1 1 1 37
64 6 1 1 33
128 7 1 1 18
256 1 1 1 5
6 6 24 24 96 134 288 376

Product family
128 16 64 8 32 2 4 1
1 A D B E C G F H
2 2 1 1 1 146
4 5 1 1 1 146
8 3 1 1 1 73
Resource 16 8 1 1 1 73
32 4 1 1 1 37
64 6 1 1 33
128 7 1 1 18
256 1 1 1 5
6 6 24 24 96 134 288 376

Using the ROC technique, the process has 3 cells. Cell 1 has component families A, B, and E.
Cell 2 has component families C, D, and G. Cell 3 involves rows F and H.
Answer:

Part
16 8 4 2 1
4 10 11 12 14
1 1 1 1 22
2 1 1 9
3 1 1 1 22
4 1 1 1 22
5 1 1
6 1 1 1 1 1 31
7 1 1 9
Resource
8 1 1 18
9 1 1 1 22
10 1 1 1 22
11 1 1 9
12 1 1 1 22
13 1 1 9
14 1 1 9
 Part
16 8 4 2 1
4 10 11 12 14
6 1 1 1 1 1 31
1 1 1 1 22
3 1 1 1 22
4 1 1 1 22
9 1 1 1 22
10 1 1 1 22
12 1 1 1 22
Resource
8 1 1 18
2 1 1 9
7 1 1 9
11 1 1 9
13 1 1 9
14 1 1 9
5 1 1

Part
16 8 4 2 1
4 10 11 12 14
1 6 1 1 1 1 1 31
2 1 1 1 1 22
4 3 1 1 1 22
8 4 1 1 1 22
16 9 1 1 1 22
32 10 1 1 1 22
64 12 1 1 1 22
Resource
128 8 1 1 18
256 2 1 1 9
512 7 1 1 9
1024 11 1 1 9
2048 13 1 1 9
4096 14 1 1 9
8192 5 1 1
255 7937 127 255 16128
 Part
16 8 4 2 1
11 4 12 10 14
1 6 1 1 1 1 1 31
2 1 1 1 1 22
4 3 1 1 1 22
8 4 1 1 1 22
16 9 1 1 1 22
32 10 1 1 1 22
64 12 1 1 1 22
Resource
128 8 1 1 18
256 2 1 1 9
512 7 1 1 9
1024 11 1 1 9
2048 13 1 1 9
4096 14 1 1 9
8192 5 1 1
127 255 255 7937 16128

The result indicates that the matrix is fully sorted as two distinct groupings. This operation has
now exposed two likely cells:
➢ Cell 1 contains product families 11, 4, 12 and resource types 6, 1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 8
➢ Cell 2 contains product families 10 &14 and resource types 6, 2, 7, 11, 13, 14, and 5
It is exact that both cells required the use of resource type 6, therefore to overcome this problem and
to maintain the autonomy of each cell. Any one of the following options can be used:
a. Calculate how many of each resource type 6 was needed in each cell and compare this to how
many the organization has, i.e., if each cell needed one each of resources types 6 and we have two
then we would allocate one to each cell and the problem is solved.
b. If there is only one resource type 6 then we would have to consider buying another.
c. If the cost of purchasing was too high then we could attempt to find a different resource type
on which to transfer the load from resource type 6 in one of the cells. If none of these options worked,
we would have to consider sending the parts from one cell to the host cell which contained resource
type 6.
Question-3
(a) Critically discuss the key benefits which are realized when a manufacturer moves from a
“process” layout to a “cellular” layout.
(b) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with the cellular layout
Answer:
(a) Critically discuss the key benefits which are realized when a manufacturer moves from a
“process” layout to a “cellular” layout.
Cellular manufacturing is an application of group technology in which dissimilar machines or
process have been aggregated into cells, each of which is dedicated to the production of a part or
product family or a limited group of families. The key benefits when a manufacturer moves from
a “process” layout to a “cellular” layout.
➢ Improving 61% of reducing throughput time (manufacturing lead time).
➢ Reduce work in process 48% in average
➢ Improve part and/or product quality 28% in average
➢ Reduce 50% response time for customer orders.
➢ Increase 61% move distance
➢ Increase manufacturing flexibility
➢ Reduce units costs 16%
➢ Simplify production planning and control
➢ Facilitate employee involvement
➢ Reduce setup times 44%
➢ Reduce finished goods inventory 39% in the manufacture.
(b) Discuss the advantage and disadvantages associated with the cellular layout
Advantages:
➢ Quick and simple to perform
➢ Low cost method as no specialist equipment or training is needed
➢ No need for resource or product technical expertise
➢ Less time required than a complete parts classification and coding procedure
Disadvantage:
➢ It does not consider the number of resources available. A separate calculation has to be
carried out to determine the number of each resources type needed in each cell.
➢ It does not consider the geometry/features or parts to be produced. This may prove
problematic when material handling devices and transport systems are considered.
➢ Resource and data has to be verified or the output from the analysis is meaningless.
➢ Data used are derived for existing production route sheets