Sequencing Mixed-Model AssemblyLines: Survey,Classification and Model Critique

Manufacturers in a wide range of industries nowadays face the challenge of providing arich product variety at very low cost. This typically requires the implementation of costefficient, flexible production systems. Often, so called mixed-model assembly lines areemployed, where setup operations are reduced to such an extent that various models ofa common base product can be manufactured in intermixed sequences. However, theobserved diversity of mixed-model lines makes a thorough sequence planning essentialfor exploiting the benefits of assembly line production. This paper reviews and discussesthe three major planning approaches presented in the literature, mixed-modelsequencing, car sequencing and level scheduling, and provides a hierarchical classificationscheme to systematically record the academic efforts in each field and to deducefuture research issues....