Type-1 U-shaped Assembly line balancing under uncertain task time

Abstract

Recently, assembly line balancing problem with uncertain task time gains more and more attention in the literature. Task time uncertainty may overload workstations. Uncertain task time attributes were studied in the frameworks of the probability theory. In this paper, we use a new method, which is the uncertainty theory, to model the uncertain task time as the historical task time information is unavailable. We incorporate the uncertainty into the constraints of the type-1 U-shaped assembly line balancing problem. We derive some useful theorems related to the optimal solutions. Further, we develop an algorithm based on the branch and bound remember algorithm to solve the proposed problem. Finally, numerical studies are conducted to illustrate our model.