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  Checking the Process Structure

Check the process structures with type Line Routing to ensure they comply with the rules described below before you assign the activities.

Assigning Components to Activities

All nodes and component variants must be assigned. The following rules apply:

  • A component node can be assigned to one activity only (1:1 relationship).

  • A component variant can be assigned to one activity only (1:1 relationship). For example, if a node has two component variants, you can assign component variant 1 to activity 1 and component variant 2 to activity 2 in a process structure. In this way, you assign the node of the component variants indirectly to two different activities.

  • If you have created a node with two component variants and the time required to install the component variants differs, you must create a separate activity for installing each component variant and assign each component variant to the relevant activity. The following example makes the procedure clearer:

    Example Example

    The steering wheel node has two component variants, ‘normal steering wheel’ and ‘sporty steering wheel.’ It takes 4 minutes to install the normal steering wheel and 6 minutes to install the sporty steering wheel. You create two activities, ‘install normal steering wheel’ and ‘install sporty steering wheel’ and assign the component variants to their respective activities.

    When you balance the lines, you assign both activities to the line segment or work area where they are to take place.

    End of the example.

Activities for Alternative Line Structures:

The following rules apply when creating activities if you use groups of alternative lines and multiple work centers:

  • Groups of Alternative Lines

    You use the same activities for all lines belonging to a group of alternative lines. If the standard times differ, perhaps because line 1 has better technical facilities than line 2, you use different modes to represent this difference. You create mode 1 for line 1 with a duration of x and mode 2 for line 2 with a duration of y. When you balance the lines, you assign mode 1 to a line segment on line 1 and mode 2 to a line segment on line 2.

    One mode is sufficient when the standard times are the same. You can use this mode for both lines when you balance the lines.

  • Multiple Work Centers

    A multiple work center consists of alternative work centers, such as line segments. You create an activity with exactly one mode for alternative work centers. You must assign this mode to all the alternative work centers in the multiple work center. You cannot use different modes for multiple work centers.

    If the multiple work center consists of two alternative line segments, for example, you must assign the same mode to both line segments.