Managing design of assembly sequences for product lines that delay productdifferentiation

The integration of product design and operations could potentially enhance the ability of manufacturers to provide large variety in the product line w hile keeping their operations competitive. At the plant level, an improved assembly sequence can lead to superior operational response to customer dem ands. While this has been intuitively accepted, there is a scarcity of mode ls that can adequately reflect the operational benefits of a costlier yet b etter design. In this paper, we present integrated models applicable at a p lant level that can provide quantification of certain operational benefits. Further, through a computational study, we also provide qualitative insigh ts on several issues such as the effect of : (i) features in the product li ne; (ii) variance of demand for the different features on the optimal assem bly design; (iii) set-up times; and (iv) life cycle of the product line.