Assembly Line Balancing in the Clothing Industry Allowing for Varying Skills of Operatives

Brings knowledge of assembly line balancing algorithms into the clothing industry. Uses an already published algorithm to solve a particular problem, obtained from a British clothing manufacturer. Identifies optimum solutions to the problem for the situation when each operative is assumed to be equally productive and when differences in operator productivity are allowed for. In the case of equal productivity of operators three optimum solutions to the problem were identified. When varying operator productivity was allowed for, two optimum solutions to the problem were identified. The identification of these multiple optimum solutions allows the line balancer increased flexibility in the choice of particular solutions.