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The article proposes an improvement on A.L. Gutjahr and G.L. Nemhauser's algorithm for the assembly line balancing problem. Gutjahr and Nemhauser have contributed an interesting and useful algorithm for the assembly line balancing problem. The two stages of their method are outlined, including the state generation--where all possible sets or combinations of work elements that are feasible first station assignments without regard to the cycle tune are listed, and the shortest route calculations--where arcs linking appropriate sets are generated. Several examples of the utilization of this method are presented.