Analytical Approach for the Examination of the Feasibility of Rework in Flow Assembly Lines

Abstract Since the beginning of the 20th century flow assembly lines are a global standard for manufacturing companies to produce serial products. The standardization and the allocation of assembly jobs in certain cycle times along the assembly line ensure productivity. All work operations in each cycle are allocated ideally in such a way that every operator uses the complete cycle time for the assembly jobs. One disadvantage of these flow assembly lines is the lack of time for possible rework operations. If a human error occurs, there is hardly any time for its correction. The alternative is to stop the line until the rework is done. These situations cause an interruption of work for the whole line, which is unproductive. Consequently most errors become evident at the end of the line and cause rework, which diminishes productivity as well. This paper helps to examine the feasibility of rework in flow assembly lines with regard to technical and organizational restrictions.