Abstract
This research analyzes, diagnosed, and improved system assembly line of a major notebook computer plant. The research started with systematic performance indices benchmarking, identified production line inefficiency, and recommended improvement measures. Recommended improvement were simulated to verify the improvement recommendations and predict the potential benefits include:1) 7.6% increase in average daily production (397 units);2) 22.5% decrease in average daily WIP (1695 units);3) 49% ~ 56% in cycle time reduction – depending on the production line.Based on the same approach, a separate efforts in line balancing could also gain of 4.3% in production capability and 5% (40 persons) operator headcount reduction over the whole plant.The contributions of this research include：1) Establishing diagnosis and improvement methodology and tools suitable for notebook computer factories；2) Benchmarked 5 major notebook computer plants and improved the production efficincy for system assembly line；3) Establishing line balance mathematical model suitable for notebook factory system assembly line;4) Used the above-mentioned methodology to analyze, diagonose, and improve the system assembly lines of a major notebook computer plant.