In the first object-oriented design of the assembly system,
the focus is on an ideal workplace design and the optimal
arrangement of the various assembly components. In a second
step the students have to rebuild the assembly system and to
simulate a process-oriented assembly cell, in which the
various work content is divided on different work stations. It
is important to distribute the sub-assemblies on the tables as
well as possible in order to achieve a balanced cycle time on
every workstation. In several runs the student groups optimize
the distribution of work content, minimizing the waiting times
on each table and setting the entire cycle time to a minimum.
The experience shows that this phase is particularly valuable
for students because they can associate theory with practice,
byre distributing the work and through the reorganization of
the layout, the reduction of gripping ways, through the right
selection of grab containers and by the use of suitable
assembly tools (see Fig. 5). The assembly time for the
pneumatic cylinder as example could be reduced, as follows: