Proponents of just-in-time manufacturing claim that assembly liens with U-shaped layouts often require fewer operators than comparable straight-line layouts, thus improvign labor productivity. This article will explain the fundamental differnece between the two assembly line layouts. using an illustrative example, the reasonign for improved labor productivity will become evident. Results from an experiment show that U-shaped layouts require fewer workers than straight-line layouts, particularly when the lines are relatively small (fewer than 30 tasks), when the assembly sequence is very structured (network desity >=0.50), and during high demand periods when the line is operating at a fast pace.
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