Part transfer mode selection in a cyclic mixed-model line

Considers the transfer mode selection problem (TMSP) in a mixed-model assembly line which is operated under a cyclic scheduling policy. Assembly lines are mostly designed for the synchronous transfer mode. There is a change in the assembly technology toward the nonsynchronous transfer mode which offers higher production rates than its synchronous counterpart. In the paper, a model for determining the cycle time of a mixed-transfer mode assembly line is presented. The TMSP in a mixed-model assembly line is then formulated as a mixed-integer program. Computational results on performance comparisons of different transfer mode configurations are presented