Assembly line balancing minimizes the number of workstations required to meet a target cycle time while respecting task precedence relationships. The problem is formulated as binary integer programming with two classes of heuristic solutions: shortest processing time (SPT)-based assignment and network longest-path-based (LPT: longest processing time) assignment. Table of Contents: • Problem definition: n tasks with activity times, precedence constraints, m workstations, cycle time T • Binary formulation: minimize workstations using variables for station selection and task-to-station allocation • Constraints: each task assigned once, station workload ≤ cycle time, precedence satisfaction, task assignment only to chosen stations • Lower bound: ceiling of total activity time divided by cycle time • SPT heuristic: iteratively assign shortest-remaining-activity task to earliest available station • LPT heuristic: assign longest-remaining-activity task first to minimize station load imbalance • Efficiency measures: line efficiency (theoretical utilization), smoothness index (workload variance)
Assembly line balancing minimizes the number of workstations required to meet a target cycle time while respecting task precedence relationships. The problem is formulated as binary integer programmi…