HONDA’S MIX MODEL ASSEMBLY LINES

HONDA’S MIX MODEL ASSEMBLY LINES

Summary

This is a case of two automobile giants known as Honda and Toyota. Honda has two plants in Japan- one at Sayama, north of Tokyo and the other at Suzuka, west of Nagoya. The production line at the both the plants are capable enough of making various models of cars simultaneously. Main advantage for this kind of plant is that the declining demand for one model can be counter balanced with increased demand for other. Toyota’s strategy is bit different than Honda. It arranges different model one after another on the conveyors across the line to balance the work load for workers and to balance the delivery of parts, Whereas Honda manufactures same model at one time. Models may be switched on the line three or four times in a day. This system allows easy planning of the supply of parts and at the same time offers flexibility in manufacturing according to fluctuating demand pattern. Unlike the Toyota system to accommodate workers who stay at fixed work station or in fixed groups, the Honda production system recognises the workers, with necessary, with groups of workers moving about the assembly line to balance the workload. While designing a new product it is kept in mind that it will be produced on the existing line with the same equipments. There are few limitations of such plant system; we have to adjust design of the product according to the fix equipments. For example, in Honda Accord compartment was not very large and the rear window slopped forward. Honda is also known for the complete metamorphosis of suzuka plant because of complete transformation of its motorcycle plan into automobile plant.

Question 1:

Critically compare the mixed model assembly of Honda and Toyota. Which approach is better according to you?

Question 2:

Suppose Honda wants to follow Toyota’s mixed model assembly system of having different models of car arrange one after the other on assembly line instead of producing a batch of a single model for a few hours. Assume that Honda’s City and accord models have to be produced on the assembly line and the chassis of both require a different type of drilling to be done in the fabrication line. The drilling time of City chassis (Say, C) is 2 minutes and the accord chassis (Say, A) is 6 minutes. The final assembly requires number of C’s to be twice the number of A’s. In what balance sequence should the chassis of C and A be arranged on fabrication line so that C=2A? Assume eight working hours a day.

Question3:

 What are the disadvantages of mixed model assembly?