Optimisation of Simple Assembly Line Balancing Problem Type E: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Numerous research studies have focused on the Simple Assembly Line Balancing Problem (SALBP). Although many of these studies have attempted to minimise the number of workstations for a given cycle time (SALBP-1) or min-imise the cycle time for a given number of workstations (SALBP-2), few have focused on the E-type of the SALBP, which is a general NP-hard problem. Therefore, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) in this area is extremely important. The SALB-E problem involves scheduling a given set of tasks in an orderly sequence of workstations, where task precedence relations are satisfied, and finding the optimal pair of number of workstations and cycle time that maximises line efficiency. The aim of this systematic review was to examine existing research on SALB-E issues and predict future directions for studies on this topic. A systematic methodology was used to review papers published between 1995 and 2023, selected from the Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar data-bases. The review showed that future studies should focus on multi- and mixed-model U-shaped and two-sided lines in the SALBP-E. In addition, it may be important to evaluate multiple objective functions rather than just a single one. To solve this problem, it is preferable to develop and refine genetic algorithms and investigate new approaches within the metaheuristic framework.