Co-Optimization of Level Schedules for Mixed-Model Assembly Line in just-in-time Production System

Line balancing and model sequencing are tightly interrelated problems in mixed model assembly line. In traditional model, the otherness of operation time of different models and the effect of line balancing on the model sequencing have been ignored. In practice, the operation times of different models are very uneven, and it is very difficult to achieve an effective line balancing for such assembly lines. In allusion to the shortcoming of traditional sequencing model, this paper established sequencing model on leveling the part usage with consideration of line balancing and operation time. A co-evolutionary algorithm based method is proposed to solve balancing problem and sequencing problem simultaneously; a numerical instance and computational result that compares the hierarchical approach are presented.