In this case discussion we are going to discuss the Toshiba’s notebook assembly line. At this assembly line multiple laptops are produced every day with a combination of employers and robots. We will be looking at it from different ways so we can find multiple ways to enhance the efficiency of the assembly line. We have to look at it as an supply chain manager. This means investigating it and keeping in mind the numerous aspects that the assembly line is influenced by. If we look at the assembly line in this way we will be able to spot several problems which can be solved and can result in a more efficient assembly line. The most obvious problems we spot are the number of tasks per assembly line position. Another problem is that every workstations labour time various too much. This results in several bottlenecks that has negative effects on the efficiency and production time. They differ from 5 seconds to 120 seconds. If these two problems are solved we think the assembly line will be much more efficient and thus more profitable.
The first problem we discussed is the number of tasks per assembly line. We see this as a problem because this isn’t how an assembly line should be. The essence of an assembly line is that at every station a simple task is done. Maybe two but it has to stay a simple action. This ensures a smooth flow of the production process. What you see at this assembly line is that there are three positions where one operator has to fulfil multiple tasks. This does not enhance the efficiency because the operator has to switch every time he finishes a single task. A solution for this problem is to implement more assembly line positions. This will result in a smoother and more efficient flow of the production. In a situation like that every operator has to do only one or two tasks instead of six. This is beneficial because when you look at the production of a car for instance. If you let one employer built one entire car it will