A development of optimal buffer allocation determination method for μ-unbalanced unpaced production line

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Date
2009
Authors
Ismail, Mohd Shihabudin
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Abstract
This research deals with a buffer allocation problem in an unpaced (asynchronous) μ-unbalanced production line. Unpaced line is referred to a line with workstations act independently and the material is not pulled by demand but in push mode. In this research, the production line is considered unpaced, μ-unbalanced but reliable. The optimal buffer allocation (OBA) needs to be determined for this particular type of production line. This subject is importance since recently many small and medium sizes products’ companies are utilizing unpaced production lines and a convenient method of determining OBA is required. OBA is referred to the optimum number of buffers to be allocated in the intermediate buffer slots between the workstations so that it can maximize throughput rate and optimize total number of work in progress (WIP) on the line. This research’s problem statement is divided into two main phases. For phase 1, a searching method using Arif’s algorithm simulation software is carried out to simulate the throughput rate for a given sets of buffer allocation shapes in the production line. Few Basic OBA Concept (BOC) represented the characteristics of OBA for a production line was summarized from the searching method. By applying these BOC, a development of OBA Determination Flow is carried out in phase 2. OBA Determination Flow which utilized 6 Steps OBA tool is used to guide the management in allocating the buffer during designing a line layout, with reference to the μ of each station in the production line. This OBA Determination Flow will summarize the flow of determining OBA for both fully balanced and μ-unbalanced line. Then, two actual case studies with different numbers of stations carried out in one of the multinational electronic company in north region of Peninsular Malaysia to validate the result from OBA Determination Flow developed. From the case studies, it is proven that the OBA decided by using the flow established giving the highest performance to the production line. Generally, OBA Determination Flow developed could be utilized as an OBA determination method for μ-unbalanced unpaced production line.
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Master
Keywords
Biological Science , μ-unbalanced , Production line
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