Measuring sequence stability in automotive production lines

We consider the question of how stability in automotive manufacturing systems should be analysed. This topic is motivated by the need of original equipment manufacturers to evaluate the performance of their production system to ensure efficiency and long-term competitiveness. In order to deal with the increasing complexity of the manufacturing process, original equipment manufacturers need to focus on efficiency in the manufacturing process and supply chain. Since stability is one determining factor of efficiency they need to implement indicators to quantify and visualise stability. While the overall target for the long-, mid- and short-term planning processes remain the same, the application of and specifications for performance measures differ. We present, analyse and evaluate different indicators and reveal their capability to represent the status of stabilised production facilities. We also describe the challenges that arise when implementing these performance measures in real-world production facilities and give recommendations on how to manage these challenges. We provide a framework to assign indicators to planning problems. The transparency provided by accurately chosen indicators fosters understanding of the overall performance of the system and enhances the management of stabilised production.