Automatic Line Balancing

New Functionalities

PMS Features: Parallel Stations
Now you can show parallel stations in ALB – indicated by color and the number of duplicates. Furthermore the moving of processes with owned containers to and from those stations is also possible. When storing the data to the hub, the part bins and all other material planning data are automatically multiplied for the parallel stations.
 
PMS Features: Layout Planning: Takt Time per Variant
Now you can optimize a balancing by its takt time and its layout planning. you can balance the same variant in one balancing with different takt times.
 
PMS Features: Layout Planning: Merge Part Bins
Now you can look for same parts within the complete line, inside one station or inside a material area. Until now, the complete line was considered when a same part was searched. That means, if Part 1 is manufactured in station 1, and another part 1 is manufactured in station 10, the algorithm would have put only one part bin in station 1, and the process in for Part 1 in station 10 would have to use the part bin in station 1.
 
PMS Features: Layout Planning: Merge Tools
You can calculate the right number of necessary tools at the line. When saving the data to the hub, it create instances of the tools. From now on, the tool information is used by ALB to instantiate the right number of tools at the right place in the line. That means, if Tool 1 is required by Process 1 in Station 1/Workplace1 (S1/WP1), and another Tool 1 is required by Process 2 in the same workplace, the algorithm has to put only one tool in S1/WP1.
 
PMS Features: Layout Planning: Use Template Processes
You can create non-value adding processes inside ALB. Standard processes are loaded from a standard process library. The processes created are copies of the standard processes.
 
PMS Features: Multiple Activity Chart: One Worker working in different workplaces
You can create, delete, and assign active resources to stations from within ALB. Now worker can work on two different workplaces. In PMS there are no real workplaces anymore. In the 2D View there are two rectangles, previously used as workplaces which are now used to represent the work content of a machine or a worker in that station.
 
PMS Features: Multiple Activity Chart: Worker Bar Chart View
Now there is Active Resource oriented View in ALB, where the processes for each worker and machine (= Active Resource) are shown.
 
PMS Features: Variant Matrix: Load Processes for Product Variants
You can load the data in a different way by loading a tree of processes and also their relations to Calculations Models (which represent a PV).
 
PMS Features: Variant Matrix: Honor Process Sequence
You can start a new balancing but not using the automatic balancing algorithm. ALB put all processes in the list of unbalanced processes. It create the first station automatically. In PMS area, the process planners often plan their processes in the sequence which is used for manufacturing. That means the sequence of the processes in the product variant matrix could also be used as manufacturing sequence of the processes. The list of unbalanced processes is customized. The processes can be sorted according to their order in the variant matrix. When selecting processes (single selection or multiple selection) the sum of the process times is displayed in the status bar of that view. By selecting the first process and the using Shift+Cursor-Down keys, you can select processes that fit into the takt time. You can then can do a Drag and Drop of the selected processes in the first workplace. You can repeat the selection procedure and balance the processes to the second workplace and can continue until all processes are balanced.