Multi-criteria Assembly Line Design and Configuration Using Heuristics—An Automotive Case Study

This paper is based on the case study of an automotive component production assembly line that was undertaken in order to design an efficient version of the assembly line against multiple user-defined criteria. Some of the criteria used in the design are investment cost, machine utilization, operator utilization, availability and annual production volume. The productivity of an assembly line is directly influenced by determining a company’s position in the market. The production line’s balance would undoubtedly aid personnel and facilities in increasing operational efficiency. The design of a manufacturing line is a difficult and complex problem to tackle. Computer simulation and modelling optimize and predict the layout of the production line, and it can shorten the R&D cycle. The method is evaluated and tested on this case study, inspired by a real automotive assembly line.