The effects of grouping parts of ready‐to‐assemble products on assembly time: an experimental study
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
ISSN: 0144-3577
Article publication date: 1 March 1995
Abstract
The problems involved in assembly of packaged ready‐to‐assemble (RTA) products such as bicycles, furniture, etc., are well known. Some of the factors that contribute to the difficulty in assembly are unclear assembly instructions and poor grouping of parts in packages. Typically, RTA products are packed in one bulky carton with some parts, such as hardware, grouped in a separate package within the carton. As a result, consumers often spend a significant portion of the assembly time on searching for the right part. Through an experimental study we demonstrate that the assembly time can be significantly reduced by forming logical part groups (packages within the carton) according to the sequence of assembly operations. Our result is significant in the context of recent surveys that indicate customer dissatisfaction with the assembly of RTA products.
Keywords
Citation
Madan, M., Bramorski, T. and Sundarraj, R.P. (1995), "The effects of grouping parts of ready‐to‐assemble products on assembly time: an experimental study", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 39-49. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579510080544
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 1995, MCB UP Limited