Assembly line set up for rear lamp cable set

Abstract

The objective of this research is to establish an assembly line for rear lamp cable set by improving the prototype assembly line since it is unable to meet the forecasted demand producing 2104 cables per day as compared to the target of 2424 cables per day. Work Study, divided into two parts (method study and work measurements), and Assembly Line Balancing techniques are applied. This research consists of five phases including define, method study, assembly line balancing, work measurement, and conclusion. In define phase, materials and products, procedures and work elements, problems, objectives and measurements, and project team are identified. In method study, micro-motions of the process are studied in order to generate more efficient method. The result of this phase is a standardised method for assembling. In assembly line balancing, standardised work elements are assigned to workstations by using Largest Candidate Rule and Rank Positional Weight; the results from two methods are examined. Once workstations are defined, in work measurement, workstations’ times and rest-pause regime are determined. Under time study, performance rating will evaluate the worker’s pace relative to standard performance to determine the standard time. Furthermore, rest-pause regime will be determined by International Labour Organisation’s method and Williams’s method. The results from two methods will be examined for suitability in assembly line rest-pause regime. From all phases, every workstation time is below the takt time, 16.35 seconds; the assembly line can now produce 2442 cables per day as compared to old productivity at 1912 cables, 27% increase in productivity. Moreover, assembly line is more balanced due to 70% reduction of smoothness index from 13.39 to 3.91.