Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Optimization of line configuration and balancing for flexible machining lines

  • Advanced Manufacturing Technology
  • Published:
Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering Submit manuscript

Abstract

Line configuration and balancing is to select the type of line and allot a given set of operations as well as machines to a sequence of workstations to realize high-efficiency production. Most of the current researches for machining line configuration and balancing problems are related to dedicated transfer lines with dedicated machine workstations. With growing trends towards great product variety and fluctuations in market demand, dedicated transfer lines are being replaced with flexible machining line composed of identical CNC machines. This paper deals with the line configuration and balancing problem for flexible machining lines. The objective is to assign operations to workstations and find the sequence of execution, specify the number of machines in each workstation while minimizing the line cycle time and total number of machines. This problem is subject to precedence, clustering, accessibility and capacity constraints among the features, operations, setups and workstations. The mathematical model and heuristic algorithm based on feature group strategy and polychromatic sets theory are presented to find an optimal solution. The feature group strategy and polychromatic sets theory are used to establish constraint model. A heuristic operations sequencing and assignment algorithm is given. An industrial case study is carried out, and multiple optimal solutions in different line configurations are obtained. The case studying results show that the solutions with shorter cycle time and higher line balancing rate demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. This research proposes a heuristic line configuration and balancing algorithm based on feature group strategy and polychromatic sets theory which is able to provide better solutions while achieving an improvement in computing time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. SZADKOWSKI J. Critical path concept for multi-tool cutting processes optimization[C]//In Manufacturing Systems Modeling, Management and Control: Proceedings of the IFAC Workshop, Vienna, 1997: 393–398.

    Google Scholar 

  2. DOLGUI A, GUSCHINSKY N, LEVIN G. On problem of optimal design of transfer lines with parallel and sequential operations[C]//Proceedings of the 7th IEEE International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (ETFA’99), Barcelona, Spain, October 18–21, 1999, 1: 329–334.

    Google Scholar 

  3. KOREN Y, SHPITALNI M. Design of reconfigurable manufacturing system[J]. Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 2010, 29(4): 130–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. DOLGUI A, FINEL B, GUSCHINSKY N, et al. MIP approach to balancing transfer lines with blocks of parallel operations[J]. IIE Transactions, 2006, 38(10): 869–882.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. DOLGUI A, IHNATSENKA I. Branch and bound algorithm for a transfer line design problem: Workstations with sequentially activated multi-spindle heads[J]. European Journal of Operational Research, 2009, 197(3): 1197–1132.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. DOLGUI A, KOVALEV S, KOVALYOV M Y, et al. Minimizing setup costs in a transfer line design problem with sequential operation processing[J]. International Journal of Production Economics, 2014, 151: 186–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. BATTIA O, DOLGUI A, GUSCHINSKY N, et al. Integrated configurable equipment selection and line balancing for mass production with serial–parallel machining systems[J]. Engineering Optimization, 2014, 46(10): 1369–1388.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  8. DOU Jianping, DAI Xianzhong, MENG Zhengda, et al. Optimization for single-part flow-line configurations of reconfigurable manufacturing system based on graph theory[J]. Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, 2010, 16(1): 81–89. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  9. DOU Jianping, DAI Xianzhong, LI Jun. Optimization for multi part flow-line configurations of reconfigurable manufacturing systems based on genetic algorithm[J]. Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, 2010, 16(71): 1390–1398. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  10. SAXENA L K, JAIN P K. A model and optimisation approach for reconfigurable manufacturing system[J]. International Journal of Production Research, 2012, 50(12): 3359–3381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. XU Liyun, XU Changfei, DENG Wei, et al. Research on machining line balancing of engine cylinder block based on SA-PSO algorithm[J]. Transactions of the Chinese Society for Agricultural Machinery, 2014, 45(2): 16–21. (in Chinese)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  12. LI Aiping, LU Li, WANG Shihai, et al. Optimization of flexible machining line balancing for complex prismatic parts[J]. Journal of Tongji University (Natural Science), 2015, 43(4): 625–632. (in Chinese)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  13. ESSAFI M, DELORME X, DOLGUI A, et al. A MIP approach for balancing transfer lines with complex industrial constraints[J]. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 2010, 58: 393–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. ESSAFI M, DELORME X, DOLGUI A. Balancing transfer lines: A two phase heuristic[J]. Studies in Informatics and Control, 2010, 19(3): 243–252.

    Google Scholar 

  15. ESSAFI M, DELORME X, DOLGUI A. Balancing lines with CNC machines: A multi-start ant based heuristic[J]. CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology, 2010, 2(3): 176–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. ESSAFI M, DELORME X, DOLGUI A. A reactive GRASP and path relinking for balancing reconfigurable transfer lines[J]. International Journal of Production Research, 2012, 50(18): 5213–5238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. BORISOVSKY P A, DELORME X, DOLGUI A. Genetic algorithm for balancing reconfigurable machining lines[J]. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 2013, 66: 541–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. BORISOVSKY P A, DELORME X, DOLGUI A. Balancing reconfigurable machining lines via a set partitioning model. International[J]. Journal of Production Research, 2014, 52(13): 4026–4036.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. DAS K, BAKI M F, LI X Y. Optimization of operation and changeover time for production planning and scheduling in a flexible manufacturing system[J]. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 2009, 56: 283–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. OSMAN H, BAKI M F. Balancing transfer lines using Benders decomposition and ant colony optimization techniques[J]. International Journal of Production Research, 2014, 52(5): 1334–1350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Mechanical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China

    Xuemei Liu, Aiping Li & Zurui Chen

Authors
  1. Xuemei Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Aiping Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zurui Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xuemei Liu.

Additional information

Supported by Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission (Grant No. 12JC1408700), and National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant Nos. 2013ZX04012-071, 2011ZX04015-022)

LIU Xuemei, is currently an associated professor at Tongji University, China. She received her PhD degree from Chongqing University, China, in 2002. Her research interests include intelligent manufacturing system and manufacturing information engineering.

LI Aiping, is currently a professor at Tongji University, China. Her research interests include intelligent manufacturing system and digital design.

CHEN Zurui, is currently a master candidate at School of Mechanical Engineering, Tongji University, China.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, X., Li, A. & Chen, Z. Optimization of line configuration and balancing for flexible machining lines. Chin. J. Mech. Eng. 29, 579–587 (2016). https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2016.0203.020

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2016.0203.020

Keywords

Search

Navigation