Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

One-piece flow manufacturing on U-shaped production lines: a tutorial

  • Published:
IIE Transactions

Abstract

Now-a-days shorter product life cycles and increased demands for customization make it difficult to produce some products on traditional production lines. Often the best that can be done is to produce them in batch flow systems that have been improved through the incorporation of line flow principles. This is one-piece flow manufacturing. Traditional cells with irregular material flows are replaced by U-shaped production lines within which flow is regular and paced by a cycle time and between which flow is controlled by pull signals. This tutorial examines the research literature on one-piece flow manufacturing. It begins with the decisions rules that determine when one-piece flow is appropriate. Next the unique elements of one-piece flow (takt time, standard work, flow manufacturing on U-shaped lines, pull production, and jidoka) are reviewed. Then the mathematical models that are used to design one-piece flow systems are examined. Finally areas where more research is needed are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anon (1988) Making life easier in work processing areas. Modern Materials Handling, 43(3), 49-52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Askin, R.G. and Iyer, A. (1993) A comparison of scheduling philosophies for manufacturing cells. European Journal of Operational Research, 69, 438-449.

    Google Scholar 

  • Askin, R. and Standridge, C. (1993) Modeling and Analysis of Manufacturing Systems, Wiley, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bard, J.F., Dar-El, E. and Shtub, A. (1992) An analytic framework for sequencing mixed-model assembly lines. International Journal of Production Research, 30(1), 35-48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bischak, D.P. (1996) Performance of a manufacturing module with moving workers. IIE Transactions, 28, 723-733.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, K.A. and Mitchell, T.R. (1991) A comparison of just-in-time and batch manufacturing: the roles of performance obstacles. Academy of Management Journal, 34(4), 906-917.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, A. (1995) How Wiremold reinvented itself with kaizen. Target, 11(1), 8-14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, L. and Ding, F.Y. (1996) Modifying mixed-model assembly line sequencing methods to consider weighted variations for just-in-time production systems. IIE Transactions, 28, 919-927.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conti, R.F. (1996) Variable manning JIT: an innovative answer to team absenteeism. Production and Inventory Management, first quarter, 24-27.

  • Edwards, J.N. (1993) Inside a smoother running engine: an American giant transforms itself. Target: The Periodical of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, 9(3), 5-11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, R.W. (1988) Cyclic scheduling for improvement. International Journal of Production Research, 26(3), 457-472.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, R.W. (1998) Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement at TABC, Long-Beach, CA. Target, 14(2), 51-53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirano, H. and Black, J.T. (1988) JIT Factory Revolution: A Pictorial Guide to Factory Design of the Future, Productivity Press, Portland, OR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Irani, S.A. (1999) Handbook of Cellular Manufacturing Systems, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kemeny, J.G. and Snell, J.L. (1976) Finite Markov Chains, Springer-Verlag, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knapton, J. (1989) Exploding the traditions of an old-fashioned industry. Target, 5(2), 24-28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korkmazel, T. and Meral, S. (2000) Bicriteria sequencing methods for the mixed-model assembly line in just-in-time production systems. European Journal of Operational Research, (in press).

  • Kubiak, W. (1993) Minimizing variation of production rates in just-in-time systems: a survey. European Journal of Operational Research, 66, 259-271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kubiak, W. and Sethi, S. (1991) A note on level schedules for mixed-model assembly lines in just-in-time production systems. Management Science, 37, 121-122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miltenburg, J. (1998) Balancing U-lines in a multiple U-line facility. European Journal of Operational Research, 109, 1-23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miltenburg, J. (2000) U-shaped production lines: a review of practice. International Journal of Production Economics, in press.

  • Miltenburg, J. and Sinnamon, G. (1989) Scheduling mixed-model multi-level just-in-time production systems. International Journal of Production Research, 27(9), 1487-1509.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miltenburg, J. and Wijngaard, J. (1994) The U-line balancing problem. Management Science, 40(10), 1378-1388.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monden, Y. (1983) Toyota Production System, Industrial Engineering Press, Institute of Industrial Engineers, Norcross, GA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, F.H. (1994) Comments on ‘The limits of Japanese production theory’ by William I. Zangwill. Interfaces, 24(5), 77-94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakade, K. and Ohno, K. (1997) Stochastic analysis of a U-shaped production line with multiple workers. Computers and Industrial Engineering, 33(3), 809-812.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun (1991a) The Factory Management Notebook Series: Autonomation/Automation, Productivity Press, Portland, OR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun (1991b) The Factory Management Notebook Series: Mixed-Model Production, Productivity Press, Portland, OR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohno, K. and Nakade, K. (1997) Analysis and optimization of a U-shaped production line. Journal of the Operations Research Society of Japan, 40(1), 90-104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sekine, K. (1990) One-Piece Flow, Productivity Press, Portland, OR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tonkin, L. (1997) Making improvements on many fronts at Pratt & Whitney's rigid tube and manifold production operations. Target: The Periodical of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, 13(1), 43-44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scholl, A. and Klein, R. (1999) ULINO: optimally balancing U-shaped JIT assembly lines. International Journal of Production Research, 37(4), 721-736.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsai, L.H. (1995) Mixed-model sequencing to minimize utility work and the risk of conveyor stoppage. Management Science, 41(3), 485-495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Urban, T.L. (1998) Optimal balancing of U-shaped assembly lines. Management Science, 44(5), 738-741.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatesan, R. (1990) Cummins Engine flexes its factory. Harvard Business Review, March–April, 120-127.

  • Yano, C.A. and Rachamadugu, R. (1991) Sequencing to minimize overload in assembly lines with product options. Management Science, 37(5), 572-586.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zangwill, W.I. (1992) The limits of Japanese production theory. Interfaces, 22(5), 14-25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zavadlav, E., McClain, J.O. and Thomas, L.J. (1996) Self-buffering, self-balancing, self-flushing production lines. Management Science, 42(8), 1151-1164.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M4, Canada

    John Miltenburg

Authors
  1. John Miltenburg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Miltenburg, J. One-piece flow manufacturing on U-shaped production lines: a tutorial. IIE Transactions 33, 303–321 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007642522626

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007642522626

Keywords

Search

Navigation