Using Single Function Technical Variant Production Modules

Single function technical variant production modules contain objects with the same single functional module code assigned to them, allowing the take rate of the function to be used to accurately calculate the weighted time for use in line balancing.

Consider a connector module containing wiring from unrelated functional modules with the following take rates:

• Base — 100% take rate

• Feature A — 40% take rate

• Feature B — 20% take rate

In this example there would be 4 configurations. However as the time per function is shared across the variants it is not possible to calculate the weighted time with an accurate take rate per variant.

Combination	Base	A	B	Time	Take Rate	Weighted Time
1	X			6	100% max	??
2	X	X		9	40% max	??
3	X		X	10	20% max	??
4	X	X	X	13	40% max	??

A typical solution to this challenge is to create additional variants of the production module that only include content from their single functions, and use the weighted time for that content in the line balancing. In the example in Table 44, the total weighted time for this content is 8 (6+1.2+0.8).

Combination	Base	A	B	Time	Take Rate	Weighted Time
1	X			6	100%	6
2		X		3	40%	1.2
3			X	4	20%	0.8

In Capital Harness Line Balancer, the scenario task list (see Scenarios Overview) now contains additional instances of the tasks related to variant modules.

The instances from the variant modules have zero take rate and hence zero weighted time.

The instances from the single function modules have take rates and hence the weighted times are calculated.

All instances will be assigned to a workstation but only the single function module time will influence balancing when using Weighted Time

The tasks with zero weighted time remain in the scenario as these relate to the modules that will actually be built and hence will require work instructions.

This method facilitates both line balancing and assignation of tasks for later use in Capital Work Instruction Publisher.

Parent Topic:

Variant Production Module Generation

Capital Harness Designer User Guide, 2512

Unpublished work. © 2025 Siemens