Measuring the objective complexity of assembly workstations

The large number of product variants, produced to satisfy customers, increases significantly the complexity of manufacturing systems. As a consequence, new approaches to deal with production processes are required. Because of the impact of complexity on productivity, it is in the first place important to understand what complexity is and what are its main drivers. Thereto, this paper defines complexity in a production environment and it proposes an identifier for complex assembly workstations. Based on real data a model is suggested to characterize workstations complexity. The model is presented and its validity and accuracy are discussed