Line

LineBalancing
Balancing
This
Thisisisaasimplified
simplifiedmodel
modelof ofaa5-stage
5-stagemanufacturing
manufacturingprocess.
process.Each
Eachstage
stagehas
hasaanumber
numberof ofidentical
identicalmachines,
machines,andandeach
each
produce a random number of items in a fixed time period. Each stage feeds the next stage. Stage 1 sends
produce a random number of items in a fixed time period. Each stage feeds the next stage. Stage 1 sends its completed its completed
stage
stage22sends
sendsits
itscompleted
completeditemsitemsto tostage
stage3,3,and
andsosoon.
on.However,
However,any
anystage
stagefrom
fromstage
stage22ononcan
canproduce
produceonly
onlyas
asmany
manyi
receives,
receives, even it has the potential to produce more. Therefore, there is an incentive to balance the stages so that theirp
even it has the potential to produce more. Therefore, there is an incentive to balance the stages so that their
are
aresimilar.
similar.More
Morespecifically,
specifically,the
theproblem
problemisisto todetermine
determinethe
thenumber
numberof ofmachines
machinesatateach
eachstage
stageto
tomaximize
maximizemean
meanpro
pro
revenue from selling all items produced during the period minus the operating costs of
revenue from selling all items produced during the period minus the operating costs of the machines.the machines.

AAnatural
naturalway
wayto tomodel
modelthe thenumber
numberof ofitems
itemsanyanymachine
machinecancanproduce
produceduring
duringthethegiven
giventime
timeperiod
periodisisto
toestimate
estimatethethedd
to produce one item and then sum as many such times as will fit in the time period. This idea is explained
to produce one item and then sum as many such times as will fit in the time period. This idea is explained and illustrate and illustrated
file
fileNumber
Numberof ofEvents
EventsininFixed
FixedTime,
Time,ininthe
the@RISK
@RISKFeatures
Featuresgroup.
group.The Theresults
resultsfrom
fromthis
thistype
typeof
ofanalysis
analysisare
areshown
showninincoc
next
nextsheet.
sheet.For
Forgiven
givendistributions
distributionsofoftimes
timesto tocomplete
completeone oneitem,
item,which
whichdiffer
differacross
acrossstages
stagesandandare
arenot
notshown
shownhere,
here,th
th
distributions
distributionsofofthe
thenumbers
numbersof ofitems
itemsthat
thatcan
canbebecompleted
completedininaagiven
giventime
timeperiod
periodare
arefound.
found.For
Forexample,
example,for forananassum
assu
distribution
distribution for the time to complete one item at stage 1 and a fixed time period, one machine at stage 1 can produce77
for the time to complete one item at stage 1 and a fixed time period, one machine at stage 1 can produce
the
theprobabilities
probabilitieslisted.
listed.These
Thesediscrete
discretedistributions
distributionsarearethen
thenused
usedininthetheline
linebalancing
balancingsimulation.
simulation.
AAtypical
typicalvalue
valuefrom
fromeach
eachstage's
stage'sdiscrete
discretedistribution
distributionisisgenerated
generatedininrow
row22.
22.Then
Thenthe
thenumber
numberof ofitems
itemsthat
thatcould
couldpote
pote
completed
completed at a particular stage is the sum of such typical values over the number of machines at the stage. Thissum
at a particular stage is the sum of such typical values over the number of machines at the stage. This sumcan
ca
with
with@RISK's
@RISK'sRiskCompound
RiskCompoundfunction
functionininrow
row23.
23.Finally,
Finally,the
theactual
actualnumber
numberofofitems
itemscompleted
completedatatany
anystage
stageafter
afterstage
stage1
of
ofthe
thepotential
potentialcompletions
completionsatatthis
thisstage
stageand
andthe
thenumber
numberof ofitems
itemsreceived
receivedfrom
fromthe
theprevious
previousstage.
stage.
The
Thenumber
numberof ofcompleted
completeditems
itemsthat
thatcan
canbebesold,
sold,the
thethroughput,
throughput,isisthe
theoutput
outputfrom
fromstage
stage5.5.This
Thisleads
leadsdirectly
directlyto
tothe
thep
RISKOptimizer can then be used to find integer values in row 10 that maximize mean profit and don't exceed
RISKOptimizer can then be used to find integer values in row 10 that maximize mean profit and don't exceed the upperthe upper
The
Thecurrent
currentvalues
valuesininrow
row1010are
aredefinitely
definitelynot
notoptimal.
optimal.
Note
Notethat
thatthis
thismodel
modelisisonly
onlyan
anapproximation
approximationtotoaareal
realmanufacturing
manufacturingsystem.
system.ItItassumes
assumesthat
thatitems
itemsproduced
producedatatone
onests
continuously sent to the next stage and that the next stage is never "starved" for incoming items except possibly
continuously sent to the next stage and that the next stage is never "starved" for incoming items except possibly towartoward
time
timeperiod.
period.AAmore
moreexact
exactbut
butmuch
muchmore
morecomplex
complexmodel
modelwould
wouldtreat
treatthe
thetiming
timingof ofitems
itemsmoving
movingfrom
fromstage
stageto
tostage
stagemm
Note:
Note: The
TheIndustrial
Industrialedition
editionisisrequired
requiredto
touse
usethe
theRISKOptimizer
RISKOptimizerfeature
featureofof@RISK.
@RISK.
dentical
identicalmachines,
machines,andandeach
eachmachine
machinecancan
. Stage 1 sends its completed itemsto
Stage 1 sends its completed items tostage
stage2,2,
n can
on canproduce
produceonly
onlyas
asmany
manyitems
itemsas
asitit
ance the stages so that their productionrates
nce the stages so that their production rates
hstage
stageto
tomaximize
maximizemean
meanprofit,
profit,which
whichisisthe
the
emachines.
machines.
me
meperiod
periodisisto
toestimate
estimatethethedistribution
distributionofoftime
time
dea is explained and illustratedininthe
ea is explained and illustrated theexample
example
pe
peof
ofanalysis
analysisare
areshown
showninincolumns
columnsI-R I-Rof
ofthe
the
s and
es andare
arenot
notshown
shownhere,
here,the
thediscrete
discrete
nd. For
und. Forexample,
example,for forananassumed
assumedPertPert
hine
hine at stage 1 can produce75
at stage 1 can produce 75toto8080items
itemswith
with
ulation.
mulation.
mber
mberof ofitems
itemsthat
thatcould
couldpotentially
potentiallybebe
nes
ines at the stage. This sumcan
at the stage. This sum canbebegenerated
generated
eted
etedatatany
anystage
stageafter
afterstage
stage11isisthe
theminimum
minimum
ous
iousstage.
stage.

e5.5.This
Thisleads
leadsdirectly
directlyto
tothe
theprofit
profitinincell
cellC18.
C18.
t and don't exceed the upper limits in row12.
and don't exceed the upper limits in row 12.

hat items
that itemsproduced
producedatatone
onestage
stageare
are
g items except possibly towardthe
items except possibly toward theend
endofofthe
the
moving
movingfrom
fromstage
stageto
tostage
stagemore
morecarefully.
carefully.
Inputs Distributions of number com
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 1
Cost per machine $200 $300 $400 $150 $300 Number
75
Unit price $15.00 76
77
Decisions 78
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 79
Number of machines 20 20 20 20 20 80
<= <= <= <= <=
Upper limit due to space 70 40 35 80 50

Outputs
Throughput 1160
Revenue $17,400
Cost $27,000 Why
Whydoesdoesstast
Profit -$9,600 reason
reasonisisthat
tha
the
theother
otherstasta
completed
completedite it
Simulation this
thisininthe
theNuN
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 distribution
distributiona
Typical items completed 77 130 180 58 101
Potential items completed 1540 2600 3600 1160 2020
Actual items completed 1540 1540 1540 1160 1160
Distributions of number completed in fixed time period
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5
Probability Number Probability Number Probability Number Probability Number Probability
0.010 128 0.044 175 0.014 56 0.014 99 0.034
0.138 129 0.160 176 0.034 57 0.064 100 0.260
0.435 130 0.329 177 0.082 58 0.586 101 0.485
0.341 131 0.304 178 0.154 59 0.325 102 0.201
0.071 132 0.132 179 0.211 60 0.011 103 0.020
0.005 133 0.031 180 0.212
181 0.158
182 0.088
183 0.035
184 0.012

Why
Whydoesdoesstage
stage33have
havesosomany
manypossible
possiblevalues
valuescompared
comparedto tothe
theother
otherstages?
stages?TheThe
reason
reason is that the time to complete one item at stage 3 tends to be smallerthan
is that the time to complete one item at stage 3 tends to be smaller thanatat
the
theother
otherstages.
stages.When
Whenthisthisisisthe
thecase,
case,the
thedistribution
distributionofofthe
thenumber
numberof of
completed
completed items in a fixed amount of time has more possible values.You
items in a fixed amount of time has more possible values. Youcan
cansee
see
this
thisininthe
theNumber
Numberof ofEvents
EventsininFixed
FixedTime
Timefile
fileby
byvarying
varyingthe
theunderlying
underlyingPert
Pert
distribution
distributionand andrunning
runningthethesimulation.
simulation.