ABSTRACT
Mechanical assembly is a term that is sometimes used to describe the process of putting together components on an assembly line. As a product travels down the assembly line, a part is added at each work station. In some lines, the conveyor may stop at each station, while in other factory line setups, the conveyor may move continuously. As the part passes the work station, the worker or an industrial robot performs a task that contributes to the assembly of the completed product. Just-in-sequence is an approach to manufacturing where components arrive at an assembly line in a specific order at the precise moment they are needed, and not before. It may be a component of just-in-time manufacturing, where companies minimize the amount of supplies they have in storage to cut costs and streamline operations. Using these approaches makes a business more flexible and more efficient. They can increase the bottom line without forcing the company to compromise the quality and reliability of its products. The automotive industry uses just-in-sequence manufacturing most widely. In car manufacturing, components from a variety of sources must be brought together to create a complete car. If the company maintains a parts inventory for the assembly line, it must sink capital into the purchase of parts and needs to create room to store and maintain them. This may consume substantial production resources and may also create situations where the company has a pressing need for parts and must wait for them because the shipper is not used to rapid delivery. With justin-sequence, the car company works with the shipper and supplier to get deliveries of the right parts for manufacturing, just as they are needed. Parts come in a specific order, and workers on the assembly line can unpack them directly from shipping containers and install them, without a stay in storage or the need for sorting. The manufacturer can specify the order of the parts down to the color and special features so workers will always have the right part when they need it. One advantage of the just-in-sequence approach is tremendous flexibility. Up until the order is pulled by the supplier, the company can change it to add elements, reorder the sequence, and so forth. The familiarity with rapid order pulling and delivery also allows the supplier and shipper to meet unexpected needs quickly. If the company’s production needs change, it can quickly meet them with minimal lag time, since it is already operating on a just-in-sequence system.
