Traditionally, assembly lines are laid out in a straight-line configuration where a worker covers only adjacent stations. In a U-line layout, on the other hand, two or more non-adjacent stations can be physically close to each other, making it possible for a worker to cover nonadjacent stations....

Some programs and research networks are dealing with topics associated to the automtive sector and they observe one of the most significative sectores of modern economies. Because of that is so interesting to forecast some possible changes in an horizon of 10 to 20 years. But this exercse must...

One way to organize workers that lies between traditional assembly lines, where workers are specialists, and craft assembly, where workers are generalists, are "bucket brigades." We describe how one firm used bucket brigades as an intermediate strategy to migrate from craft assembly to assembly...

Previous assessments of Ford's assembly line have been based on a limited set of highly aggregated data. New, more detailed and extensive data allows a reconsideration of Ford's operations and their effectiveness to confirm more fully some earlier understandings through extending the analyses to...