Analytic Hierarchy Process and Multilayer Network-Based Method for Assembly Line Balancing

This chapter introduces a novel, combined analytic hierarchy process and multilayer network-based method for assembly line balancing. Assembly line balancing improves the efficiency of production systems by the optimal assignment of tasks to operators. The optimization of this assignment requires models that provide information about the activity times, constraints and costs of the assignments. A multilayer network-based representation of the assembly line-balancing problem is proposed, in which the layers of the network represent the skills of the operators, the tools required for their activities and the precedence constraints of their activities. The activity-operator network layer is designed by a multi-objective optimization algorithm in which the training and equipment costs as well as the precedence of the activities are also taken into account. As these costs are difficult to evaluate, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique is used to quantify the importance of the criteria. The optimization problem is solved by a multi-level SA algorithm, that efficiently handles the precedence constraints.