Vrex Optimiser

Vrex optimiser is an assembly line balancing problem tool "ALBP" for time study data in Vrex Explorer. Vrex Optimiser can balance the workload of multiple varaints on an assembly line in a yamazumi chart with a desired TaktTime based on the available data from Vrex Explorer. While Explorer analyses static work Optimiser reorders or balances measured work in a new sequence.

Line balancing and time study are like bread and butter, you can't miss one of both to obtain the desired line efficiency or a one piece flow production (OPF).  Optimiser can balance a assembly line based on the different type of time study systems available in Vrex Explorer : Stopwatch , MTM SD, MTM UAS, LCW , VWF.

Optimiser  is ideal to organize work where different products are assembled on the same assembly line.  A Typical situation is a car automotive plant where multiple type of cars are manufactured at the same time and in the same production line.   The output of the assembly line is called the mix and is the total of all different products or variants which are assembled in a given time.  A variant is defined as a collection of options or components to assemble.  The percentage that a component is executed of the total production volume is called “The proportion of the component”.

• Real time Line  Balancing       

When you are analysing work with  our timestudy software Explorer, you will benefit the advantage that line balancing  in function of the mix occurs automatically in a yamazumi chart as all vital information to enter is available.   You will enjoy that line , workstation- load and constraints are calculated as you continue  to analyze the shop floor.  When your time study is finished, your 1ste line balancing is done.  Your second line balancing is now only a matter of some simple sequence movements or redefining the mix or the cycle time.

The workload of the workstations is displayed in the bottom left of Vrex Explorer.  We calculate balancing information real time.  If you want more specific information on the workload like variants or constraints you can ask detailed information from the optimiser reporting window.

• Workload -  Constraints      

Line load:                             
Optimiser reports line results in a viewer where you can interrogate the load of the line & workstations and the peaks caused by some variants. 

Optimisers objective is to organize an assembly line in such an order that every worker has the same amount of workload on his workstation no matter which variant is on the line.  You can move work elements from one workstation to another and see what the impact is on average and peak workload.  You want to minimize constraints causing some workstations to overload.

Workstation load:               
The workload on the workstations is cleared out by average load, by component and by variant.

The complete variant mix is reduced to a limited set because on a workstation one works only on some specific components or options.  The variant mix is therefore reduced to a list of types influencing the station

As stated in Taylorisme, a modern plant must assure that all workers have the same workload within certain limits regardless which type or variant is occurring on the line.

Variants are displayed as a combinations of components.   Thanks to this new methodology there is no more need to enter the mix or the variants presented to the line.  You will save value time as variants lists are long, dynamic and time consuming to introduce and to keep up to date. The mix or the variants and there proportions are automatically calculated based on the proportions of the  Components which are always available as basic data.

• Multiple  Balancing - MIX    

You can define multiple balancing and mixes for 1 time study analyze.   This is useful in situation where the TaktTime and production volumes are changing.  It allows you to organize and visualize the line for every cycletime or production target.  

For every balancing you can define the takttime the work pace of the operators and the rest coefficient.

Production concerns are worried about the uniform productivity of there production plants. The organization of the shop floor is done by a process engineer who is responsible to organize an assembly line and divides the work to the different operators.    In practice the best productive plant is difficult to recognize because there are lot of parameters that influences the productivity.

Vrex reports losses by component or sub assemblies and calculates what the assembly time for each part is.   This is a very straight forward and compact visualization that will allow you to see where the difference in production method occurs.   A production line with only 15 workstations can be screened is just a couple of pages.

• Simulation                      

After organizing a line it is to be expected that some workstations will overload when certain high runners are launched on the line one after an other.   This is mostly the case when the mixe contains a lot of high variants or If the assembly time of variants is more than 20% unequal then sporadic peaks or constraints are unavoidable.   It is obvious that these peaks will occur more often when the mix changes in favour of the high runners.   In simulation mode we can investigate how often the overload appears and for how many cycle times in a row.

• Automatic balancing        

To be realeased 2010