Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has developed the world’s first mass-production automobile assembly line with a main line that incorporates a flowing cell production system. Honda has named this original assembly line the ARC (Assembly Revolution Cell) Line and introduced it to Honda’s new Prachinburi Plant in Thailand that became operational in March 2016.
The newly-developed ARC Line is different from a conventional line production system as it was developed by incorporating flowing cell production-style production units in the main line. In production on a conventional line, which has been broadly adopted for automobile production to date, each production associate takes charge of a single process and installs parts to vehicle bodies flowing on a conveyor. In cell production, on the other hand, one production associate takes charge of a broader range of production processes and installs multiple parts.
In ARC Line production, four production associates get on board an ARC Unit, a unit of a conveyor that carries one vehicle body and a complete set of parts to be installed to the vehicle body, and assemble the vehicle while moving along the production line together with the vehicle.
This system reduces any incidental movements by production associates – such as selecting the proper parts for the specifications of the next vehicle body coming down the line and installing them while walking along with the vehicle body. These are not considered essential assembly movements but are inevitable in conventional production processes.
