Bottlenecks play a crucial role in industrial production, and optimizing these bottlenecks directly impacts product quality and production efficiency, making it a topic that businesses cannot afford to ignore.

1. Optimizing the operation time at the first station of the production line, as well as the frequency of releasing a board, is necessary to meet the required production volume and achieve the optimal cycle time. However, in reality, the operation time at the bottleneck station is inevitably greater than that at the first station, and the first station is not necessarily the bottleneck. Therefore, the first station may not always operate at the required cycle time, as the bottleneck station has already slowed it down. From a management perspective, it is essential to ensure that the first station operator operates at the specified speed. The conveyor belt speed can also be used to calculate the daily production output. The formula for the conveyor belt speed is as follows:

Conveyor belt pitch time = Total working hours per day / Daily output * (1 + Defect rate)

Conveyor belt speed = Distance between marks / Pitch time of the conveyor belt

The so-called marking spacing refers to the distance between the marks on the conveyor belt. Workers are expected to complete their tasks and place items on the belt according to the speed at which the marks pass by. However, the strip line does not have markings, and the length of the board is used as the marking spacing. Why use a conveyor belt? Besides transporting goods, it also serves a semi-mandatory function for workers to complete tasks as planned. But it's not just about speeding up to see what happens; rather, calculations should be made based on the aforementioned formula.

2. Observe which station on the assembly line is the bottleneck.

(1) A non-stop hub

(2) The station that keeps pulling the plank backward.

(3) Starting from this site, the boards that were once laid one after another now have gaps in between.

The above three points are visibly apparent, followed by the use of a stopwatch to measure, the work time is the longest among all stations.

The operational time at the bottleneck station becomes the actual cycle time of the entire production line, and the daily output formula is as follows:

Daily Output = Total Working Hours of the Day / Actual Cycle Time

By reducing the working time of on-site staff, production can be significantly increased, such as by assigning some parts to other stations, using tools to save movements, and improving the layout of the work area, etc. However, after resolving bottlenecks at certain stations, new bottlenecks may arise, so improvements must be made to these new bottlenecks as well. Therefore, by continuously focusing on improving bottleneck stations, the overall efficiency of the production line will improve day by day.

3. Observe the cycle time at the next station where the boards are collected, which is the actual production cycle time. The cycle time at this station must be equal to the bottleneck station's cycle time. From this station, you can calculate the efficiency of the line, using the following formula:

Efficiency = Input Cycle Time / Actual Cycle Time = Time Spent at Station 1 / Time Spent at the Next Station

Certainly, the operating time at bottleneck stations can also be used, but it's often observed that the next station is simpler and more practical.

The number of work-in-progress on the assembly line is equal to:

(Next Station's Work Time - First Station's Work Time) * (Daily Working Hours / Next Station's Work Time)

4. Observations on OEE

OEE = Operating Time / Total Working Hours

Operational efficiency refers to the productive work on the assembly line. Just because an operator is seated doesn't mean they are actively working. Actual work is required to produce products, hence the need to observe the operator's active working time. However, in reality, it's impossible to measure every operator throughout the day. Therefore, a method of spot checks is used to simulate measurements, essentially amounting to periodically checking what the operator is doing.

5. Sitting on the production line doesn't necessarily mean a worker is diligently at work, so the next step is to observe each worker's pace. Pace is a very abstract concept, and it's difficult to compare and quantify just by looking. Therefore, establish a standard pace in mind, and anything faster is considered good. Actions should be simplified, consistent, and rhythmic, which often results in better productivity. Conversely, poor performance is easily identifiable this way.

The assembly line must be fast or efficient, with actions adding value. Thus, simplicity and conciseness are crucial. In essence, human hand movements can be categorized into: moving, gripping, releasing, positioning, assembling, using, and disassembling. Additionally, there is a psychological aspect. Strictly speaking, only two actions add value: assembling and using. Therefore, under conditions that meet production requirements, strive to eliminate or simplify other movements. The principle is as follows:

1. Mobile: Ensures materials automatically reach their designated locations, shortens travel distances, reduces the weight of items to be moved, avoids obstructions around the movement path, and tilts bins to minimize the distance around the edges.

2. Grasp: Arrange materials in the container as neatly as possible, avoiding clutter and ensuring items are easily accessible. Reserve space for easy grasping of items.

3. Preparatory Step: Just like gripping, the materials in the material box should be neatly arranged, avoiding chaotic堆积.

4. Assembly: Replace manual labor with assembly tools, etc.

5. Applications: Full automation of machinery, etc.

6. Mental Efficiency: Utilizing machinery to replace human judgment and minimize the operator's eye movement.

Cautionary Notes for Assembly Line Installation

The layout design of the assembly line should ensure short transportation routes for parts, facilitate the operations of production workers, make it convenient for auxiliary service departments, effectively utilize production space, and consider the interconnection between assembly line installations. To meet these requirements, factors such as the type of assembly line and the arrangement method of workstations for the installation process should be taken into account during the flat layout of the assembly line.

When installing the assembly line, the arrangement of workstations must comply with the process route. When a process involves two or more workstations, consider the arrangement method for these workstations. Generally, when there are two or more even-numbered similar workstations, consider using a double-row layout, placing them along both sides of the transport route. However, when one worker supervises multiple machines, consider minimizing the worker's movement distance.