Abstract
We consider the question whether or not high volume automotive production sites can be transformed to the basic concept of stabilized production. The problem is motivated by the necessity of car producers to transform their existing plants to this production system in order to deal with the increasing complexity of the manufacturing process. To successfully answer this question the long term stability level needs to be determined. Since these facilities are currently working under completely different production premises the stability level is not measurable. To overcome this obstacle the estimation of possible stability levels is crucial. Therefore, we propose a discrete event based simulation model to provide the necessary information in order to answer the question formulated. To verify the proposed method, an empirical study is conducted. Besides the stability levels different influence factors and recommendations could be derived from the present study. The transparency provided by this approach fosters the understanding of the stabilized production and reveals several gaps in the literature, which provide new fields of research.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boysen N, Fliedner M, Scholl A (2009) Sequencing mixed-model assembly lines: survey, classification and model critique. Eur J Oper Res 192:349–373
Boysen N, Golle U, Rothlauf F (2011) The car resequencing problem with pull-off tables. Bus Res 4:276–292
Boysen N, Scholl A, Wopperer N (2012) Resequencing of mixed-model assembly lines: survey and research agenda. Eur J Oper Res 216:594–604
Choi W, Shin H (1997) A real-time sequence control system for the level production of the automobile assembly line. Compute Ind Eng 33:769–772
Ding F, Sun H (2004) Sequence alteration and restoration related to sequenced parts delivery on an automobile mixed-model assembly line with multiple departments. Int J Prod Res 42:1525–1543
Fournier X, Agard B (2007) Improvement of earliness and lateness by postponement on an automotive production line. Int J Flex Manuf Syst 19:107–121
Grinninger J (2012 )Schlanke Produktionssteuerung zur Stabilisierung von Auftragsfolgen in der Automobilproduktion, fml, Lehrstuhl für Fördertechnk Materialfluss Logistik
Günther M (2017) Produktionssteuerung nach dem Perlenketten-Prinzip am Beispiel der Automobilfertigung. Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Gusikhin O, Caprihan R, Stecke K (2008) Least in-sequence probability heuristic for mixed-volume production lines. Int J Prod Res 46:647–673
Inman R (2003) ASRS sizing for recreating automotive assembly sequences. Int J Prod Res 41:847–863
Klug F (2010) Logistikmanagement in der Automobilindustrie: Grundlagen der Logistik im Automobilbau. Springer, Berlin, p 41
Klug F (2017) Automobillogistik: Das Perlenkettenprinzip der stabilen Auftragsfolge in der Automobillogistik. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden, pp 137–160
Lehmann M, Kuhn H (2018) In-line sequencing in automotive production plants—a simulation study. In: Kliewer N, Ehmke J, Borndörfer R (eds) Operations research proceedings 2017. Operations Research Proceedings (GOR (Gesellschaft für Operations Research e.V.)). Springer, Cham, pp 537–542
Mayrhofer W, März L, Sihn W (2011) Planning assistance for pearl chain forecasts and personnel assignment planning of sequenced assembly lines. CIRP Ann 60:481–484
Meißner S (2009) Logistische Stabilität in der automobilen Variantenfließfertigung, Lehrstuhl für Fördertechnik, Materialfluss. Logistik der Techn. Univ
Meißner S, Grinninger J, Kammermeier F (2008) Stabilisierung des Auftragsabwicklungsprozesses durch flexible Auftragszuordnung: Methoden und Wirkung der Reihenfolgenabsicherung zur Umsetzung einer stabilen Auftragsfolge am Beispiel der Automobilproduktion. ZWF Zeitschrift für wirtschaftlichen Fabrikbetrieb 103:893–897
Meissner S (2010) Controlling just-in-sequence flow-production. Logist Res 2:45–53
Meyr H (2004) Supply chain planning in the German automotive industry. OR Spectr 26:447–470
Morrison K (1991) Animation—a new dimension in computer simulation of automotive assembly processes. Comput Ind Eng 21:547–551
Myron D (1996) Paint blocking in Ford’s in-line vehicle sequencing environment. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Popovics G, Pfeiffer A, Kádár B, Vén Z, Kemény L, Monostori L (2012) Automatic simulation model generation based on PLC codes and MES stored data. Procedia CIRP 3:67–72
Sawyer CA (1994) In-line sequencing: how it’s done at Wixom. Automototive Industries, p 41
Solnon C, Chung V, Nguyen A, Artigues C (2008) The car sequencing problem: overview of state-of-the-art methods and industrial case-study of the ROADEF2005 challenge problem. Eur J Oper Res 191:912–927
Statkevich K (2011) Entwicklung einer Vorgehensmethodik zur Umsetzung der Belieferung nach Perlenkette in der Automobilindustrie. Cuvillier Verlag, Göttingen
Swaminathan J, Nitsch T (2007) Managing product variety in automobile assembly: the importance of the sequencing point. INFORMS J Appl Anal 37:324–333
Weyer M (2002) Das Produktionssteuerungskonzept Perlenkette und dessen Kennzahlensystem. Helmesverlag, Karlsruhe
Weyer M, Spath D (2009) Das Produktionssteuerungskonzept ’Perlenkette’. ZWF Zeitschrift für wirtschaftlichen Fabrikbetrieb 104:1126–1130
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers and the Guest Editor of the special issue for their valuable recommendations, which have significantly improved our paper.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lehmann, M., Kuhn, H. Modeling and analyzing sequence stability in flexible automotive production systems. Flex Serv Manuf J 32, 366–394 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10696-019-09334-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10696-019-09334-x