Benders' decomposition for the balancing of assembly lines with stochastic demand

Abstract The quality of the balancing of mixed-model assembly lines is intimately related to the defined production sequence. The two problems are, however, incompatible in time, as balancing takes place when planning the line, while sequencing is an operational problem closely related to market demand fluctuations. In this paper, an exact procedure to solve the integrated balancing and sequencing problem with stochastic demand is presented. The searched balancing solution must be flexible enough to cope with different demand scenarios. A paced assembly line is considered and utility work is used as a recourse for station border violations. A Benders’ decomposition algorithm is developed along with valid inequalities and preprocessing as a solution procedure. Three datasets are proposed and used to test algorithm performance and the value of treating uncertainty in mixed-model assembly lines. The integration of the strategic balancing problem with the operational sequencing problem results in more robust assembly lines.

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