Potential of Hybrid Assembly Structures in Automotive Industry
10 Pages Posted: 26 May 2021
Date Written: October 1, 2020
Abstract
In a fragmented and volatile market environment, automobile manufacturers are faced with the challenge of the increasing number of variants in final automotive assembly. This has its origins in the diversification of model portfoli-os and increasing individualization requirements of customers on the one hand, and in new technological developments in the field of alternative drives and autonomous driving on the other. In today's rigidly interlinked mixed-model assembly lines with a common takt time, the resulting process variance results in high efficiency losses, especially in the form of capacity utilization and model mix losses. Flexible assembly systems as an often-discussed alternative assem-bly form on the other hand offer increased product flexibility, but at the expense of a stable and lean production process.
This paper presents the novel concept of hybrid assembly structures as an enabler of an efficient and lean assembly system with a high number of variants. This is mainly achieved by a takt-loss-oriented segmentation in line and flexible segments and production control via predetermined individual sequences. Here, both the underlying principles of the concept and a method for assigning tasks are presented. Finally, the potential of hybrid assembly structures is discussed based on a case study at a leading automobile manufacturer.
Keywords: automotive assembly, assembly structures, assembly system, hybrid assembly, product variety, assembly planning
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