STEP 1: Invoking the Line Balancing Tool & Wizard
Start Proplanner application and go to Tools => Line Balance to start the line balancing tool.
 Figure 2: Opening a scenario |
Select File => New Scenario from the main menu or using the ‘New Scenario’ button from the toolbar.
STEP 2: Enter Scenario Details
Enter a name for the scenario and any notes if required.
The time rank selection shows the time rank set as in the preferences as a default. Change it by selecting the ellipsis button and using the ‘Move Up’ or the ‘Move Down’ button to change the rank to Calculated Time, Estimated Time and Observed Time.
 Figure 3: Scenario details |
Select Product Line Type and the Line Type in the line details box and click ‘Next’.
STEP 3: Edit Model Details
This screen allows you to select the End Item and the models that have to be used for the line balance and also enter the demand for the different models. Enter demand percentage for each model.
Note: The sum of all demands should be 100%.
 Figure 4: Edit model details |
STEP 4: Provide Task Details
Selecting the ‘Include’ and ‘Exclude’ buttons allows users to specify the processes that will be included in the line balance. You can do a line balance both for operations and activities as well as a mix of them. You can explode operations to activities too in this screen by using the ‘Explode’ button.
 Figure 5: Provide task details |
Select ‘Next’ to go to the next screen
Note: When you exclude an activity, the continuity in the precedence graph will be broken. If you choose to exclude processes, please see to it that the ‘disconnect’ in the graph is taken care of by drawing appropriate arcs between the preceding and proceeding processes. The same holds true if option mixes are used and a process is not used (unchecked in the ‘Edit Child Options’)
STEP 5: Provide Station Information
In this screen you can choose existing station (activity locations defined in the plant tree) by selecting a plant and selecting ‘Add Existing’. Alternately, you can add new stations. Please note that the new stations are local to the scenario only. You can also change the order of the stations in this screen which will be used while assigning work by the line balancing module.
 Figure 6: Provide station information |
If you choose not to add station in this screen or if more stations are required than defined when executing automatic balance, the tool will create new stations.
Step 6: Setting up Monumental Resources
 Figure 7: Monumental resource menu |
Click the Edit menu and select the Monumental Resources option. This will pull up a list of all the existing resources and users can select the resources that are monumental or fixed.
Note:
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The monumental resources are specific to a scenario. |
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Ensure that the resources are mapped to correct stations in the Plants tree. |
This completes setting up the data for a scenario. The scenario must be saved at this stage.
After this we can choose to do a manual balance or use an algorithm for automatic assignment.
Miscellaneous
1. Scenario Details
The scenario data can be edited using the scenario details option under the Edit menu option.
2. Refreshing Data
You can refresh scenario data by going to Edit => Refresh Scenario Data. You can choose the data you want to refresh.
3. Removing Empty Station
To remove stations that do not have any process assignment to it, go to Balance => Remove Empty Stations
4. Remove All Assignment
To clear all assignments of processes to stations: Balance => Remove All Assignment