Line Balancing

 

Definition Of Line Balancing:

"Equal distribution of work loads in each workstation of a line is called line balancing."

Objective OR Goal of Line balancing:

1. Everyone is doing the same amount of work.
2. Doing the same amount of work to customer requirement
3. Variation is smoothed
   
4. No one is overloaded.
5. No one is waiting.
6. Everyone working together in a BALANCED fashion. 

 Takt Time

Takt Time is the German word uses to regulate the speed,beat or timing at which musicians play. So "Takt Time is Beat Time,Rate Time or Heart Time.

Definition of Takt Time.

Time to produce one product at the rate of customer demand. 

Or

Takt time is the rate of time that a completed product is finished.

How to use it?

First Step: 

• Calculate your demand
• Calculate your available time
  

 Second Step: 

• Calculate your Takt Time
• Compare current operator Cycle Time against Takt Time
• Identify steps to re-balance work
• Consider the inputs
• Regularly re-calculate your Takt Time
  

Calculation of Takt Time.|How to measure Takt Time?

Takt Time=(Total Available Time/Total Customer Demand)

                =480(minutes)/600(pcs)

                =.8(minutes) 

Pitch Time=Total Cycle Time/No. of workers

 Line Balancing=Pitch Time(Cycle Time)/Bottle Neck Time(Cycle Time)

How it helps?  

1. Essentially It provides a rhythm for the factory.

2. Help work cell designers.

3. Immediate feedback on performance.

4. Lead to a reduction in Lead Time.

Message 

People are more flexible than machines.

Techniques of Line balancing:

1. Split the task.
2. Share the task.
3. Use Parallel work station.
4. Improving Non-bottleneck Process.

Strategies for Line Balancing:

1. No cost.
2. Low cost.
3. High cost.