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1 – 10 of 129Assembly line is a common production form and has been effectively used in many industries, but the imprecise processing time of each process makes production line balancing and…
Abstract
Purpose
Assembly line is a common production form and has been effectively used in many industries, but the imprecise processing time of each process makes production line balancing and capacity forecasting the most troublesome problems for production managers. In this paper, uncertain man-hours are represented as interval grey numbers, and the optimization problem of production line balance in the case of interval grey man-hours is studied to better evaluate the production line capacity.
Design/methodology/approach
First, this paper constructs the basic model of assembly line balance optimization for the single-product scenario, and on this basis constructs an assembly line balance optimization model under the multi-product scenario with the objective function of maximizing the weighted greyscale production line balance rate, second, this paper designs a simulated annealing algorithm to solve problem. A neighborhood search strategy is proposed, based on assembly line balance optimization, an assembly line capacity evaluation method with interval grey man-hour characteristics is designed.
Findings
This paper provides a production line balance optimization scheme with uncertain processing time for multi-product scenarios and designs a capacity evaluation method to provide managers with scientific management strategies so that decision-makers can scientifically solve the problems that the company's design production line is quite different from the actual production situation.
Originality/value
There are few literary studies on combining interval grey number with assembly line balance optimization. Therefore, this paper makes an important contribution in this regard.
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Nurcan Deniz and Feristah Ozcelik
Although disassembly balancing lines has been studied for over two decades, there is a gap in the robotic disassembly. Moreover, combination of problem with heterogeneous employee…
Abstract
Purpose
Although disassembly balancing lines has been studied for over two decades, there is a gap in the robotic disassembly. Moreover, combination of problem with heterogeneous employee assignment is also lacking. The hazard related with the tasks performed on disassembly lines on workers can be reduced by the use of robots or collaborative robots (cobots) instead of workers. This situation causes an increase in costs. The purpose of the study is to propose a novel version of the problem and to solve this bi-objective (minimizing cost and minimizing hazard simultaneously) problem.
Design/methodology/approach
The epsilon constraint method was used to solve the bi-objective model. Entropy-based Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and Preference Ranking Organization methods for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) methods were used to support the decision-maker. In addition, a new criterion called automation rate was proposed. The effects of factors were investigated with full factor experiment design.
Findings
The effects of all factors were found statistically significant on the solution time. The combined effect of the number of tasks and number of workers was also found to be statistically significant.
Originality/value
In this study, for the first time in the literature, a disassembly line balancing and employee assignment model was proposed in the presence of heterogeneous workers, robots and cobots to simultaneously minimize the hazard to the worker and cost.
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Anil Kumar Inkulu and M.V.A. Raju Bahubalendruni
In the current era of Industry 4.0, the manufacturing industries are striving toward mass production with mass customization by considering human–robot collaboration. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
In the current era of Industry 4.0, the manufacturing industries are striving toward mass production with mass customization by considering human–robot collaboration. This study aims to propose the reconfiguration of assembly systems by incorporating multiple humans with robots using a human–robot task allocation (HRTA) to enhance productivity.
Design/methodology/approach
A human–robot task scheduling approach has been developed by considering task suitability, resource availability and resource selection through multicriteria optimization using the Linear Regression with Optimal Point and Minimum Distance Calculation algorithm. Using line-balancing techniques, the approach estimates the optimum number of resources required for assembly tasks operating by minimum idle time.
Findings
The task allocation schedule for a case study involving a punching press was solved using human–robot collaboration, and the approach incorporated the optimum number of appropriate resources to handle different types of proportion of resources.
Originality/value
This proposed work integrates the task allocation by human–robot collaboration and decrease the idle time of resource by integrating optimum number of resources.
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M.A. Xianglin, Haochen Cai, Qiming Yang, Gang Wang and Kun Mao
This paper establishes a quality model for automation assembly of range hood impeller based on generalized grey relational degree, it improves the debugging efficiency of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper establishes a quality model for automation assembly of range hood impeller based on generalized grey relational degree, it improves the debugging efficiency of the newly developed assembly workstation.
Design/methodology/approach
First, spot check the trial production impellers and obtain three indexes that reflect the assembly quality of the impellers. Then, analyze the parameters that affect the assembly quality of the impeller using grey relational analysis (GRA), establish a model for the assembly quality of the range hood impeller based on the generalized grey relational degree and identify the main parameters. After that, analyze the transmission structure of automation assembly workstation, identify the reasons that affect parameters and propose improvement plans. Finally, a trial production is conducted on the automation assembly workstation after adopting the improved plan to verify the quality model of impeller automation assembly.
Findings
The research shows that compared to manual assembly, the automation assembly quality of the impeller using GRA model has been improved, shortening the debugging cycle of the newly developed assembly workstation.
Practical implications
The newly developed automation equipment will have some problems in the trial production stage, which often rely on the experience of engineers for debugging. In this paper, the automation assembly quality model of range hood impeller based on GRA is established, which can not only ensure the quality of finished impeller but also shorten the debugging cycle of the equipment. In addition, GRA can be widely used in the commissioning of other automation equipment.
Originality/value
This study has developed a set of impeller automation assembly workstation. The debugging method in the trial production stage is beneficial to shorten the trial production time and improve the economic benefits.
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Emanuele Gabriel Margherita and Alessio Maria Braccini
The purpose of this study is to explore how Industry 4.0 (I40) technologies support workers' engagement in soft total quality management (TQM) practices for organisational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore how Industry 4.0 (I40) technologies support workers' engagement in soft total quality management (TQM) practices for organisational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a multiple case study of six Italian manufacturing organisations that operate with I40 production and implement TQM practices. The authors concentrated on the relationship between I40 technologies and soft TQM aspects.
Findings
I40 technologies provide two forms of engagement with workers. Workers can act as machine supervisors and expert assembly operators. Organisations use five soft TQM practices to involve and develop workers for TQM that vary according to automation levels. The five soft TQM practices are top management design around workers, incremental trials with I40 technologies, worker empowerment, I40 sociotechnical collaboration and individual feedback systems.
Originality/value
In the literature that focusses primarily on how I40 technologies support the hard side of TQM by creating a data-driven and automated quality management system, the authors illustrate how the workforce can be engaged in I40 with five soft TQM practices to improve organisational performance. Thus, the authors complement the theory of hard and soft TQM aspects for I40 production systems.
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Peter E. Johansson, Jessica Bruch, Koteshwar Chirumalla, Christer Osterman and Lina Stålberg
The purpose of this paper is to advance the understanding of paradoxes, underlying tensions and potential management strategies when integrating digital technologies into existing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to advance the understanding of paradoxes, underlying tensions and potential management strategies when integrating digital technologies into existing lean-based production systems (LPSs), with the aim of achieving synergies and fostering the development of production systems.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a collaborative management research (CMR) approach to identify patterns of organisational tensions and paradoxes and explore management strategies to overcome them. The data were collected through interviews and focus group interviews with experts on lean and/or digital technologies from the companies, from documents and from workshops with the in-case researchers.
Findings
The findings of this paper provide insights into the salient organisational paradoxes embraced in the integration of digital technologies in LPS by identifying different aspects of the performing, organising, learning and belonging paradoxes. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate the intricacies and relatedness between different paradoxes and their resolutions, and more specifically, how a resolution strategy adopted to manage one paradox might unintentionally generate new tensions. This, in turn, calls for either re-contextualising actions to counteract the drift or the adoption of new resolution strategies.
Originality/value
This paper adds perspective to operations management (OM) research through the use of paradox theory, and we (1) provide a fine-grained perspective on why integration sometimes “fails” and label the forces of internal drift as mechanisms of imbalances and (2) provide detailed insights into how different management and resolution strategies are adopted, especially by identifying re-contextualising actions as a key to rebalancing organisational paradoxes in favour of the integration of digital technologies in LPSs.
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Emilia Filippi, Loris Gaio and Marco Zamarian
This study aims to analyze how the interplay between hard and soft elements of total quality management (TQM) produces the conditions for sustaining success in the quest for…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze how the interplay between hard and soft elements of total quality management (TQM) produces the conditions for sustaining success in the quest for quality.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative analysis (Gioia method) was carried out on an original dataset collected through both direct and indirect methods (i.e. archival sources, interviews and observations) to generate a new interpretive framework.
Findings
The interpretative framework identifies four categories of elements: trigger elements create the starting conditions for a quality virtuous cycle; benchmarking tools set the standards of performance; improvement tools enable exploration of the space of possible alternative practices and finally, catalytic forces allow the institutionalization of effective techniques discovered in this search process into new standards.
Research limitations/implications
The findings the authors present in this paper are derived by a single case study, limiting the generalizability of our results in other settings.
Practical implications
This study has three implications: first, the design of trigger elements is critical for the success of any TQM initiative; second, the interplay of improvement and benchmarking tools at several levels should be coherent and third, to exploit the potential of TQM, efforts should be devoted to the dissemination of new effective practices by means of catalyzing elements.
Originality/value
The model provides a more specific understanding of the nature and purpose of the hard and soft elements of TQM and the dynamic interaction between the two classes of elements over time.
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Achille Augustin Diendere and Sansan Ali Bepounte Dah
Effective agricultural product price regulation policies depend on market integration and the degree of symmetry in the transmission of agricultural product price signals. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Effective agricultural product price regulation policies depend on market integration and the degree of symmetry in the transmission of agricultural product price signals. This study analyzes the transmission and asymmetry of the price series between the Ouagadougou consumer market and assembly markets considering three primary cereal products in Burkina Faso.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applies the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) econometric model, which is an asymmetric extension of the ARDL cointegration model. The price series examined covers the period extending from January 2005 to December 2020.
Findings
Our analysis provides novel insights regarding short- and long-term asymmetric effects in the transmission of price signals between assembly markets and the consumer market. We also determine that the effects of negative shocks are more persistent than those of positive shocks in several markets.
Research limitations/implications
For markets that exhibit symmetrical responses of assembly market prices to consumer market prices, the results could reflect the continuous efforts of market players, particularly the government, to eliminate market failures and ensure the long-term efficiency of cereal markets. To this end, an agricultural market information system can have a crucial role in easing information access for all market players.
Originality/value
This study provides new evidence regarding the nature of the transmission and asymmetry of price information on primary cereal products in the largest markets in Burkina Faso. Applying the NARDL model makes it possible to simultaneously estimate short- and long-term asymmetry.
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Gaurav Kumar Badhotiya, Anand Gurumurthy, Yogesh Marawar and Gunjan Soni
Lean manufacturing (LM) concepts have been widely adopted in diverse industrial sectors. However, no literature review focusing on case studies describing LM implementation is…
Abstract
Purpose
Lean manufacturing (LM) concepts have been widely adopted in diverse industrial sectors. However, no literature review focusing on case studies describing LM implementation is available. Case studies represent the actual implementation and provide secondary data for further analysis. This study aims to review the same to understand the pathways of LM implementation. In addition, it aims to analyse other related review questions, such as how implementing LM impacts manufacturing capabilities and the maturity level of manufacturing organisations that implemented LM, to name a few.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review of case studies that discuss the implementation of LM during the last decade (from 2010 to 2020) is carried out. These studies were synthesised, and content analyses were performed to reveal critical insights.
Findings
The implementation pattern of LM significantly varies across manufacturing organisations. The findings show simultaneous improvement in manufacturing capabilities. Towards the end of the last decade, organisations implemented LM with radio frequency identification, e-kanban, simulation, etc.
Originality/value
Reviewing the case studies documenting LM implementation to comprehend the various nuances is a novel attempt. Furthermore, potential future research directions are identified for advancing the research in the domain of LM.
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Oswald A. J. Mascarenhas, Munish Thakur and Payal Kumar
The 170-year-old Master in Business Administration (MBA) program is becoming obsolete and inefficient to address today's real-world problems, and is facing mounting criticism from…
Abstract
Executive Summary
The 170-year-old Master in Business Administration (MBA) program is becoming obsolete and inefficient to address today's real-world problems, and is facing mounting criticism from business scholars, management deans, and academic scholars alike. Reviewing major criticisms, this chapter suggests a new design for the MBA program that will not only address the criticisms but also accept a paradigm shift that will spearhead it in coming decades. The redesigned MBA “structure” proposes a four-semester full-time program, during which each semester delves into deeper marketplace problems of increasing complexity (i.e., from simple to complex to unstructured to wicked problems) and deals with these problems with new levels of critical thinking skills and ethical reasoning processes tempered by corresponding entrepreneurial knowledge, skills, and values. The “content” of the redesigned program is anchored around five major themes of business learning: namely, intrinsic motivation management, creativity and innovation management, productivity management, revenue management, and eco-sustainability management, each geared to generate professional entrepreneurial knowledge, and skills and values urgently needed today. Numerous beneficial features of this newly redesigned integrated business management program (MBA) are also discussed.