Cellular Manufacturing

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ORIGINS
FLANDERS PRODUCT ORIENTED
DEPARTMENTS FOR STANDARIZED
PRODUCTS WITH MINIMAL
TRANSPORTATION (1925)
SOKOLOVSKI/MITROFANOV: PARTS
WITH SIMILAR FEATURES
MANUFACTURED TOGETHER

BASIC PRINCIPLE
SIMILAR THINGS SHOULD
BE DONE SIMILARLY
THINGS
PRODUCT DESIGN
PROCESS PLANNING
FABRICATION &ASSEMBLY
PRODUCTION CONTROL
ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS

TENETS OF GROUP TECHNOLOGY

DIVIDE THE MANUFACTURING

FACILITY INTO SMALL GROUPS
OR CELLS OF MACHINES (1-5)
THIS IS CALLED CELLULAR

MANUFACTURING

SYMPTOMS FOR RELAYOUT

Symptoms that
allow us to detect the need for a re-layout:

Congestion and bad utilization of space.

Excessive stock in process at the facility.
Long distances in the work flow process.
Simultaneous bottle necks and workstations with idle time.
Qualified workers carrying out too many simple operations.
Labor anxiety and discomfort. Accidents at the facility.
Difficulty in controlling operations and personnel.

What is Group Technology (GT)?

GT is a theory of management based on
the principle that similar things should be
done similarly
GT is the realization that many problems
are similar, and that by grouping similar
problems, a single solution can be found
to a set of problems thus saving time and
effort
GT is a manufacturing philosophy in
which similar parts are identified and
grouped together to take advantage of

Implementing GT
Where to implement GT?
Plants using traditional batch
production and process type layout
If the parts can be grouped into part
families
How to implement GT?
Identify part families
Rearrange production machines into
machine cells

Types of Layout
In most of todays factories it is possible to
divide all the made components into families
and all the machines into groups, in such a way
that all the parts in each family can be
completely processed in one group only.
The three main types of layout are:
Line (product) Layout
Functional Layout
Group Layout

Line (product) Layout

It involves the arrangements of machines in one line, depending on
the sequence of operations. In product layout, if there is a more than
one line of production, there are as many lines of machines.
Line Layout is used at present in simple process industries, in
continuous assembly, and for mass production of components
required in very large quantities.

Functional Layout
In Functional Layout, all machines of the
same type are laid out together in the same
section under the same foreman. Each foreman
and his team of workers specialize in one
process and work independently. This type of
layout is based on process specialization.

Group Layout
In Group Layout, each foreman and his team
specialize in the production of one list of parts
and co-operate in the completion of common
task. This type of layouts based on component
specialization.

:The Difference between group and functional layout

Evaluation criteria of Cell

Design
Evaluations of cell system design are
incomplete unless they relate to the
Cell Design.
A few typical performance variables
related to system operation are:
Equipment utilization (high)
Work-in-process inventory (low)
Queue lengths at each workstation
(short)
Job throughput time (short)
Job lateness (low)

Cell Formation Approach

Machine - Component Group
Analysis:
Machine - Component Group Analysis
is based on production flow
analysis

Machine - Component
Group Analysis
Production flow analysis involves four
stages:
Stage 1: Machine classification.
Machines are classified on the basis
of operations that can be performed
on them. A machine type number is
assigned to machines capable of
performing similar operations.

Machine - Component
Group Analysis
Production flow analysis involves four
stages:
Stage 2:Checking parts list and
production route information.
For each part, information on the
operations to be undertaken and the
machines required to perform each
of these operations is checked
thoroughly.

Machine - Component
Group Analysis
Production flow analysis involves four
stages:
Stage 3: Factory flow analysis.
This involves a micro-level
examination of flow of components
through machines. This, in turn,
allows the problem to be
decomposed into a number of
machine-component groups.

Machine - Component
Group
Analysis
Production flow analysis involves four
stages:
Stage 4:Machine-component group
analysis.
An intuitive manual method is
suggested to manipulate the matrix to
form cells. However, as the problem
size becomes large, the manual
approach does not work. Therefore,
there is a need to develop analytical
approaches to handle large problems
systematically.

Machine - Component
Group Analysis
Example: Consider a problem of 4 machines
and 6 parts. Try to group them.
Components

Machines

M1

M2

M3

M4

Machine - Component
Group Analysis
Solutio
n
Machine
2

Components

M3

M4

s
M1

M2

Cellular Layout
Process (Functional) Layout

Group (Cellular) Layout

A cluster
or cell

T
T
M
M

T
T
M
M

T
T
D
D

CG
SG
D
D

Similar resources placed

together

CG

SG

SG

CG

CG

D
D

SG

Resources to produce similar

products placed together

Group Technology
(CELL) Layouts

One of the most popular hybrid layouts uses

Group Technology (GT) and a cellular layout
GT has the advantage of bringing the efficiencies
of a product layout to a process layout
environment

Process Flows before the Use of

GT Cells

Process Flows after the Use of GT

Cells

Designing Product
Layouts
Designing product layouts requires
consideration of:
Sequence of tasks to be performed by
each workstation
Logical order

Speed considerations line

balancing

Designing Product Layouts

cont
Step 1: Identify tasks & immediate
predecessors
Step 2: Determine TAKT TIME
Step 3: Determine cycle time
Step 4: Compute the Theoretical Minimum
number of Stations
Step 5: Assign tasks to workstations (balance
the
line)
Step 6: Compute efficiency, idle time & balance

Step 1: Identify Tasks &

Immediate Predecessors

Layout Calculations
Step 2: Determine TAKT TIME
Vicki needs to produce 60 pizzas per hour
TAKT TIME= 60 sec/unit

Step 3: Determine cycle time

The amount of time each workstation is
allowed to complete its tasks
Cycle time (sec./unit )

available time sec./day

60 min/hr x 60 sec/min

60 sec./unit
desired output units/hr
60 units/hr

Limited by the bottleneck task (the longest

task in aavailable
process):
time
3600 sec./hr.

Maximum output

bottleneck task time

50 sec./unit

72 units/hr, or pizzas per hour

Layout Calculations
Step 4: Compute the theoretical minimum

number of stations

TM = number of stations needed to

achieve 100% efficiency (every second is
used)
TM

task times
cycle time

165 seconds
2.75, or 3 stations
60 sec/station

Always round up (no partial

workstations)
Serves as a lower bound for our analysis

Layout Calculations
Step 5: Assign tasks to workstations
Start at the first station & choose the longest eligible task
following precedence relationships
Continue adding the longest eligible task that fits without going
over the desired cycle time
When no additional tasks can be added within the desired cycle
time, begin assigning tasks to the next workstation until finished

Workstation
1

Eligible task
A
B
C
D
E, F, G
E, F
F
H
I

Task Selected
A
B
C
D
G
E
F
H
I

Task time
50
5
25
15
15
12
10
18
15

Idle time
10
5
35
20
5
48
38
20
5

Last Layout
Calculation
Step 6: Compute efficiency and balance

delay
Efficiency (%) is the ratio of total
productive time
divided
by total time
t
165
sec.

Efficiency (%)

NC

3 stations x 60 sec.

100 91.7%

Balance delay (%) is the amount by which

the line falls short of 100%
Balance delay 100% 91.7% 8.3%

Other Product Layout

Considerations
Shape of the line (S, U, O, L):

Share resources, enhance communication &

visibility, impact location of loading & unloading

Paced versus Un-paced lines

Paced lines use an automatically enforced cycle

time

Number of Product Models produced

Single
Mixed-model lines

LINE BALANCING

The Line Balancing

Problem
The problem is to arrange the
individual processing and assembly
tasks at the workstations so that the
total time required at each
workstation is approximately the
same.
Nearly impossible to reach perfect
balance

Things to consider
Sequence of tasks is restricted, there
is a required order
Called precedence constraints
There is a production rate needed,
i.e. how many products needed per
time period
Design the line to meet demand and
within constraints

Terminology and
Definitions

Minimum Work Element

Total Work Content
Workstation Process time
Cycle Time
Precedence Constraints
Balance Delay

Minimum Work Element

Dividing the job into tasks of a
rational and smallest size
Example: Drill a hole, cant be
divided
Symbol Time for elementTj:ej

is a constant

Tej

Total Work Content

Aggregate of work
elements

Twc Tej
j 1

Workstation Process time

The amount of time for an individual
workstation, after individual tasks
have been combined into stations
Sum of task times = sum of
workstation times

Cycle time
Time between parts coming off the
line
Ideally, the production rate, but may
need to be adjusted for efficiency
and down time
Established by the bottleneck
station, that is station with largest
time

Precedence Constraints
Generally given, determined by the
required order of operations
Draw in a network style for
understanding
Cannot violate these, an element
must be complete before the next
one is started

Balance Delay
Measure of line
inefficiency due
to imbalances
in station times

nTc Twc
d
nTc

Line Balancing Example

EXAMPLE
Green Grasss plant manager just received marketings
latest forecasts of fertilizer spreader sales for the next year.
She wants its production line to be designed to make 2,400
spreaders per week. The plant will operate 40 hours per
week.
a. What should be the lines cycle time or throughput
rate per hour be?
Throughput rate/hr = 2400 / 40 = 60 spreaders/hr
Cycle Time = 1/Throughput rate= 1/60 = 1 minute =
60 seconds

Line balancing Example

Assume that in order to produce the new fertilizer spreader
on the assembly line requires doing the following steps in the
order specified:
Work
Element

Description

Time
(sec)

Immediate
Predecessor(s)

Bolt leg frame to hopper

40

None

Insert impeller shaft

30

Attach axle

50

Attach agitator

40

Attach drive wheel

Attach free wheel

25

Mount lower post

15

Attach controls

20

D, E

Mount nameplate

18

F, G

Total 244

b. What is the total number of stations or machines

required?
TM (total machines) = total production time / cycle time = 244/60 =

Draw a Precedence
Diagram

SOLUTION
The figure shows the complete diagram. We begin with
work element A, which has no immediate predecessors.
Next, we add elements B and C, for which element A is the
only immediate predecessor. After entering time standards
and arrows showing precedence, we add elements D and E,
D
and so on. The diagram simplifies
H
interpretation. Work element F,
40
B
20
for example, can be done
E
30
anywhere on the line after
6
A
element C is completed.
F
40
However, element I must
C
25
await completion of
50
I
elements F and G.
Precedence Diagram for
Assembling the Big
Broadcaster

G
15

18

Allocating work or activities to

stations or machines

The goal is to cluster the work elements into

workstations so that
1. The number of workstations required is minimized
2. The precedence and cycle-time requirements are not
violated

The work content for each station is equal (or nearly so,
but less than) the cycle time for the line

Finding a Solution
The minimum number of workstations is 5 and
the cycle time is 60 seconds, so Figure 5
represents an optimal solution to the problem
D
B

30

20

A
40

40

F
C

25

50

Firtilizer Precedence Diagram Solution

I
G
15

18

Calculating Line Efficiency

c. Now calculate the efficiency measures of a five-station
solution:
t
Efficiency =
nc

244
(100) = = 81.3%
5(60)

Balance delay (%) = 100 Efficiency = 100% 81.3% = 18.7%

Idle time = nc t = 5(60) 244 = 56 seconds

A Line Process
The desired output rate is matched to
the staffing or production plan
Line Cycle Time is the maximum time
allowed for work at each station is
c=

1
r

where
c = cycle time in hours
r = desired output rate

A Line Process
The theoretical minimum number of
stations is
t
TM = c

where
t =
total time required to
assemble each unit

A Line Process
Idle time, efficiency, and balance
delay
Idle time = nc t
where
n = number of stations

Efficiency (%) =

t
nc (100)

Balance delay (%) = 100 Efficiency

Solved Problem 2
A company is setting up an assembly line to produce 192
units per 8-hour shift. The following table identifies the work
elements, times, and immediate predecessors:
Work Element
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H

Time (sec)
40
80
30
25
20
15
120
145

Immediate Predecessor(s)
None
A
D, E, F
B
B
B
A
G

Solved Problem 2
a. What is the desired cycle time (in seconds)?
b. What is the theoretical minimum number of stations?
c. Use trial and error to work out a solution, and show your
solution on a precedence diagram.
d. What are the efficiency and balance delay of the solution
found?
SOLUTION
a. Substituting in the cycle-time formula, we get
c=

1
r

8 hours
(3,600 sec/hr) = 150 sec/unit
=192 units

Solved Problem 2
b. The sum of the work-element times is 720 seconds, so
t
720 sec/unit
TM = c =
150 sec/unit-station

which may not be achievable.

= 4.8

or 5 station

Solved Problem 2
c. The precedence diagram is shown in Figure 7.6. Each row
in the following table shows work elements assigned to
each of the five workstations in the proposed solution.
D
25

Work
Element

Immediate
Predecessor(s)

None

D, E, F

80

20

30

C, I

40
G
e 7.6 Precedence Diagram
120

15

115

145

130

Solved Problem 2
Station
S1

S2

S3
S4

Candidate(s)

Choice

Work-Element
Time (sec)

Cumulative
Time (sec)

Idle Time
(c= 150 sec)

40

40

110

80

120

30

D, E, F

25

145

E, F, G

120

120

30

E, F

20

140

10

F, H

145

145

F, I

130

130

20

15

145

30

30

120

115

145

D
25

S5

80

20

30

40

115

A
G
120

15
H
145

I
130

Solved Problem 2
d. Calculating the efficiency, we get

t
Efficiency (%) =
nc

720 sec/unit
(100)
=
5(150 sec/unit)

= 96%
Thus, the balance delay is only 4 percent (10096).

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