Managing the enterprise BOP > Balancing a production line

Line balancing workflow

Line balancing involves assigning operations (tasks) and processes (sequential tasks) to workers and workstations based on constraints or rules. Rules may mandate that:

Operations must occur in a parallel sequence. For example, two assemblies must be completed simultaneously before they can be combined.
Operations must occur in a mandatory sequence. For example, a bolt must be added to an assembly before it can be secured and tightened. Sequential operations are best defined as manufacturing processes to ensure that their order remains unchanged.
Not all operations and processes can be performed at all workstations, and some operations and processes are more effectively performed at a specific station. For example, special tools required for specific operations may be available at only one workstation.
Operations combined at a single station sometimes prove too costly. For example, if a worker has to walk long distances between operations and processes, idle time and worker stress negate productivity.

The following is a typical Teamcenter line balancing workflow:

Create a product BOP and a linked plant BOP.

Tip For convenience, store these in a collaboration context that includes any other structures you need for reference.

If not yet defined, specify the plant BOP’s station sequence in the PERT view.
Define the precedence constraints in the product BOP.
Define the workers or machine process resources and cycle time at each station.
Allocate operations from the product BOP to the plant BOP.
Detail plant-specific times (for example, nonvalue-added times).
Balance processes and resources.

To carry out this workflow, the following views are available in the Manufacturing Process Planner perspective:

The Line Balancing Chart station view presents a bar chart where by default, the horizontal axis shows the process stations, and the vertical bars display the time required to perform the allocated operations and processes at those stations.
The Line Balancing Chart details view presents a bar chart where the horizontal axis shows the time required to perform operations and processes allocated to the process stations, as well as the time required to complete the operations and processes allocated to each process resource (worker or machine) at those stations. Note Change your MELBChartProcessOperationTypes preference to Process to hide operations and see only processes in the Line Balancing Chart station and details views. Change it to OP to return to a view of both operations and processes. By default, you can quickly switch between these modes in the Line Balancing Chart view by choosing View Menu → View Options → OP or Process. If an assembly line uses multiple types of operations, an administrator can define custom values for each and give them custom names in the MELBChartProcessOperationTypeDefaultValues preference.
The Process Resources view shows all processes and operations assigned to each process resource.
The Line Balancing Constraints view helps you define the mandatory sequence of processes and operations in the product BOP.
The constraints check result views, which include the Constraints Consistency and Constraints Violations views, display operations or processes that participate in constraint inconsistencies and violations for the current product or plant BOP.
The Graph Overview view gives you an overview of the Line Balancing Constraints and Line Balancing Charts views. This view helps you to navigate and provides orientation.

Note

If the PSM_Enable_Product_Configurator preference is set to true OR the configurator context is attached to the PlantBOP structure, the PlantBOP → Open With → Line Balancing Chart option is not available in the rich client.

Note

If the PSM_Enable_Product_Configurator preference is set to true OR the configurator context is attached to the ProductBOP structure, the ProductBOP → Open With → Line Balancing Constraints option is not available in the rich client.