Otimização do balanceamento de uma linha de montagem de caixas de transmissão utilizando modelos matemáticos

Abstract

The proposal of this project is to perform a line balancing optimization study of a gearbox assembly line, located in a company in the metropolitan region of Curitiba. This line shows signs of unbalance in the activities performed in the workstations, with noticeable idleness of some operators, besides other waste from the production environment. Given this situation, it is clear the necessity to seek an improvement in the distribution of tasks between stations and operators. In order to solve this unbalance problem, first, actual information of the line was collected. After this, the mathematical model on Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) presented by Leal (2013) has been improved to address specific characteristics of the line, such as the existence of total automated tasks and limitations regarding the position of operators on a set of workstations. Implementation and computational resolution of the model were performed on the IBM ILOG CPLEX Optimization Studio software (IBM-CPLEX, 2013). Compared to the actual operating condition, improved results were obtained for the line balancing problem, indicating an equilibrium solution in the distribution of tasks between workstations and operators. The results indicate, for example, a possibility of decreasing the cycle time from 1533 UT (units of time) to 1350 UT. An additional experiment also indicated the possibility of reducing the number of operators from 18 to 16, maintaining an optimized production capacity (cycle time in 1350 UT). Thus, the balancing solution obtained suggests a possibility of increasing the efficiency of the line with the consequent cost reduction, quantified in the results section.