Abstract

In a generic sense, the term "assembly line" refers to progressive assembly linked by some material-handling device. The usual view is that some pacing is present and that the allowable processing time for all work stations or operators is equivalent. The article discusses the wide variety of options that should be considered in the selection and design of an assembly line. It entails some strategic elements that warrant top management attention. The article develops some of these strategic elements by relating observations distilled from assembly-line research from points of view of the disciplines, of behavioral science, industrial engineering, and production management. A major factor in determining the success of an assembly line is the work force that mans it. The notion that assembly lines cannot be humanized should be dispelled, and management can and should play a role in some of the technical decisions. The evaluation of specific characteristics of assembly lines as alternatives of equal importance to the line-versus-no-line decision should be considered.