Line balancing problem 1.

A precedence table is given below for a process with 5 tasks, their immediate predecessors and
their task times:
Task Immediate Task time
label predecessor(s) (minutes)
a – 2.0
b a 3.0
c – 1.5
d b, c 2.5
e d 1.0
∑
Workers are known to work 8 hours in one shift, and there are 2 shifts per day dedicated to this
job. The daily output need is 320 pieces.
a) Plot a simple precedence diagram for the process, with activities on the node

b) Calculate the positional weight of each task.

a: …………..… b: …………..… c: …………..… d: …………..… e: …………..…
c) Calculate the minimum cycle time (CTmin), the maximum cycle time (CTmax) and the
estimated cycle time (CT):
CTmin =…………………….. CTmax =…………………….. CT =……………………..
d) Calculate the theoretical minimum number of workstations. Nmin = …………………..
e) Assign tasks to work stations in order of most following tasks (the tiebreaker is the
greatest task time) using the following table. Calculate the idle time for each workstation
and for the whole process. The company is using a linear process layout.
Work- Assign task Idle time
station (minutes)

∑
f) Calculate the percentage of idle time (balance delay) for the line: …………..…%
g) Compute the efficiency of the line: …………..…%
Solution for Line balancing problem 1.

a) Precedence diagram for the process:

a b d e
2.0 3.0 2.5 1.0

c
1.5

b) Positional weights:
a: 8.5 b: 6.5 c: 5.0 d: 3.5 e: 1.0
c) CTmin = the longest task time = 3.0 minutes
CTmax = sum of all the task times = 10 minutes
CT = (operating time per day) / (desired output per day) = (2 shifts × 8 hrs × 60 mins) / 320
pieces = 3 mins
d) Nmin = (sum of all the task times) / (actual cycle time) = 3.33 = 4 work station
e)
Work- Assign task Idle time
station (minutes)
1 a 1.0
2 c 1.5
3 b 0.0
4 d 2.5
5 e 2.0
∑ 7.0
f) Percentage of idle time (balance delay) for the line:
(idle time per cycle) / [Nactual × (cycle time)] = 0.4667 = 46.67%
g) Efficiency of the line = 1 – (percentage of idle time) = 53.33%
Exercise 2.

A precedence diagram is given below for a manufacturing process with 5 tasks:

a b
2.0 3.0

c e
1.5 2.0

d
2.5

Daily working time is 12 hours. The daily output need is 200 pieces.

h) Calculate the positional weight of each task.

a: …………..… b: …………..… c: …………..… d: …………..… e: …………..…
i) Calculate the minimum cycle time (CTmin), the maximum cycle time (CTmax) and the
estimated cycle time (CT):
CTmin =…………………….. CTmax =…………………….. CT =……………………..
j) Calculate the theoretical minimum number of workstations (with the estimated cycle
time). Nmin = ……………………..
k) Assign tasks to work stations in order of their positional weight (the tiebreaker is the
greatest task time) using the following table. Calculate the idle time for each workstation
and for the whole process. The company is using a linear process layout.
Work- Assigned tasks Idle time
station (minutes)

∑
l) Calculate the percentage of idle time (balance delay) for the line: …………..…%
m) Compute the efficiency of the line: …………..…%
Solution for problem 2.

a) Positional weights:
a: 7.0 b: 5.0 c: 3.5 d: 4.5 e: 2.0
b) CTmin = the longest task time = 3.0 minutes
CTmax = sum of all the task times = 11.0 minutes
CT = (operating time per day) / (desired output per day) = (12 hrs × 60 mins) / 200 pieces
= 3.6 mins
c) Nmin = (sum of all the task times) / (actual cycle time) = 11 / 3.6 = 3.06 = 4 work stations
d)
Work- Assign task Idle time
station (minutes)
1 a, c 1.6 0.1
2 d 1.1
3 b 0.6
4 e 1.6

∑ 3.4
e) Percentage of idle time (balance delay) for the line:
(idle time per cycle) / [Nactual × (cycle time)] = 3.4 / (4 × 3.6) = 23.61%
f) Efficiency of the line = 1 – (percentage of idle time) = 76.39%
Exercise 3.

A precedence diagram is given below for a manufacturing process with 5 tasks:

a d
2.0 3.0

b e f
1.5 1.5 2.0

c
2.0

Daily working time is 14 hours. The daily output need is 210 pieces.

a) Calculate the positional weight of each task.

a: …………..… b: …………..… c: …………..… d: …………..… e: …………..…
f: …………..…
b) Calculate the minimum cycle time (CTmin), the maximum cycle time (CTmax) and the
estimated cycle time (CT):
CTmin =…………………….. CTmax =…………………….. CT =……………………..
c) Calculate the theoretical minimum number of workstations (with the estimated cycle
time). Nmin = ……………………..
d) Assign tasks to work stations in order of the most following tasks (the tiebreaker is their
positional weight) using the following table. Calculate the idle time for each workstation
and for the whole process. The company is using a linear process layout.
Work- Assigned tasks Idle time
station (minutes)

∑
e) Calculate the percentage of idle time (balance delay) for the line: …………..…%
f) Compute the efficiency of the line: …………..…%
Solution for problem 3.

a) Positional weights:
a: 7.0 b: 5.0 c: 5.5 d: 5.0 e: 3.5
f: 2.0
b) CTmin = the longest task time = 3.0 minutes
CTmax = sum of all the task times = 12.0 minutes
CT = (operating time per day) / (desired output per day) = (14 hrs × 60 mins) / 210 pieces
= 4.0 mins
c) Nmin = (sum of all the task times) / (actual cycle time) = 12 / 4 = 3 workstations
d)
Work- Assign task Idle time
station (minutes)
1 a, c 2.0 0.0
2 b, e 2.5 1.0
3 d 1.0
4 f 2.0

∑ 4.0
e) Percentage of idle time (balance delay) for the line:
(idle time per cycle) / [Nactual × (cycle time)] = 4.0 / (4 × 4.0) = 25.00%
f) Efficiency of the line = 1 – (percentage of idle time) = 75.00%
Exercise 4.

A precedence diagram is given below for a manufacturing process with 5 tasks:

a c
1.0 1.5

b d e
1.0 1.0 2.0

Daily working time is 16 hours. The daily output need is 300 pieces.

a) Calculate the positional weight of each task.

a: …………..… b: …………..… c: …………..… d: …………..… e: …………..…

b) Calculate the minimum cycle time (CTmin), the maximum cycle time (CTmax) and the
estimated cycle time (CT):
CTmin =…………………….. CTmax =…………………….. CT =……………………..
c) Calculate the theoretical minimum number of workstations (with the estimated cycle
time). Nmin = ……………………..
d) Assign tasks to work stations in order of the most following tasks (the tiebreaker is the
greatest positional weight) using the following table. Calculate the idle time for each
workstation and for the whole process. The company is using a linear process layout.
Work- Assigned tasks Idle time
station (minutes)

∑
e) Calculate the percentage of idle time (balance delay) for the line: …………..…%
f) Compute the efficiency of the line: …………..…%
Solution for problem 4.

a) Positional weights:
a: 4.5 b: 4.0 c: 3.5 d: 3.0 e: 2.0

b) CTmin = the longest task time = 2.0 minutes

CTmax = sum of all the task times = 6.5 minutes
CT = (operating time per day) / (desired output per day) = (16 hrs × 60 mins) / 300 pieces
= 3.2 mins
c) Nmin = (sum of all the task times) / (actual cycle time) = 6.5 / 3.2 = 2.03 = 3 workstations
d)
Work- Assign task Idle time
station (minutes)
1 a, b, d 2.2 1.2 0.2
2 c 1.7
3 e 1.2

∑ 3.1
e) Percentage of idle time (balance delay) for the line:
(idle time per cycle) / [Nactual × (cycle time)] = 3.1 / (3 × 3.2) = 32.29 %
f) Efficiency of the line = 1 – (percentage of idle time) = 67.71%