Edgar Bento - Master Thesis Student
​Production System Analysis: a Simulation Based Approach
INTRODUCTION
With the rise of company’s competiveness and a growing global market, the necessity of tools and strategies that can deliver higher product or service value are on demand [1]–[3].
In a time were there had been a converging levelling of production philosophies and tools, like Lean, the necessity for the next step is raising [4]–[6]. Many like Schroer et al. [7] believe that’s exactly where simulation can help. Because not all tools can be applied in the same standard way or neither can they all be of simple comprehension regarding the pursue of improvements, because of the need for decision and strategies support in opposition to conjectures or guesses, it is why manufacturing systems simulation and modelling could and should be the next evolutionary step.
In that matter it must be acknowledge that some companies already use these tools with great sophistication and knowledge like General Electric, Intel, AirBus Group [8], Price Water Coopers (PWC), Infineon [9], Port of Hamburg [10], Telefonica and Alcatel Lucent [11] but that is still short. Because of the low cost and de great advantages, improvements and cost reduction [12], in short term the majority of companies should converge to this reality.
Some of the reasons for this delay have been pointed out by McLean et al. [13], Fowler et al. [14] e Abdulmalek et al. [15], being the major one the lack of commitment and confidence of managers with these tools, usually replaced with more complex and less effective ones.
The main goal of this dissertation was to analyse and evaluate simulation software through implementation of production system tools aiming to improve the facility layout design. Followed by the creation of a tool that could determine optimal facility layout results for complex routings, specific input and output points, fixed and heterogeneous shapes with different department proportions.
The objectives are the investigation of the benefits and difficulties of using these simulation tools as well as the improvements that could be implemented in a scenario like this. For this purpose, it will be used a case study of a production system modeled with discrete events through AnyLogic simulation software.
KEYWORDS
Manufacturing Systems Design, Facility Layout Problem, CRAFT, Buffer Sizing, Manufacturing System Simulation, Discrete Event Simulation.
MOTIVATION AND GOALS
The drive of this project lies in the possibility to develop a simulation of discrete events model that can help in a company’s production system analysis. Thus, this practical case study, through distinct scenarios creation can allow real improvements which could be an interesting feature for the verification of theoretical concepts interaction with the actual practical application.
Making, this way, possible to evaluate and analyze changes of several production variables, look for improvements, understand certain events, predict future situations and ultimately help the decision making so that is sustained, informed and riskless.
Furthermore, regarding the facility layout, Drira et al. [21] estimated that 20–50% of the manufacturing costs are due to the handling of parts and then a good arrangement of handling devices might reduce them for 10–30%. Thus developing a tool that can aid the optimization process and incorporate the simulation results can deliver great outcomes that could point the right path to an increase in productivity and profit.
CONTEXTUALIZATION AND PROBLEM
At the present time and due to a competition growth associated with a global market it is important to guarantee an efficient, effective and fast production system management given the rapid changes in the world’s context and scenarios.
Earlier, the evolution jump was attached to the implementation of a new management philosophy. “Lean Manufacturing” started in Japan with the Toyota Production System, looking to reduce waste and therefore increase productivity and gains.
Nowadays, with the methodology convergence the margin for error has decreased. Thus, it can be observed a growth in the need to test new hypothesis, diminish errors, anticipate scenarios, and to have the data and conclusions which support and justify the decision making and strategies [4]–[6].
In response to these felt needs, solutions have appeared, each time more sophisticated and complete than before [16]–[18]. In this context the simulation starts to win even more a bigger relevance. Today hold like one of the most powerful tools to be used in production system analysis. It can assess the impact on systems parameters variations and increase the chance for success of informed decisions based on multi-scenarios [19].
Even though manufacturing simulation is believed to have great advantages its utilization is not growing accordingly. Some of the reasons for this delay have been pointed out by McLen et al. [13], Fowler et al. [14] e Abdulmalek et al. [15], being the major one the lack of commitment and confidence of managers with these tools, usually replaced with more complex and less effective ones.
Regarding the facility layout problem, the optimal design of the physical layout is one of the most important issues to be considered in the early stages of the design of a manufacturing system. Tompkins et al. [20] estimated that 15± 70% of the total operating expenses within manufacturing systems are attributed to material handling, and that these costs can be reduced by at least 10± 30% through a good layout planning.
Furthermore, the system efficiency and work-in process inventory are also significantly affected by layout design.
Therefor this dissertation tries to evaluate one of these tools regarding the implementation of several production system methodologies and addresses the development of a tool for layout optimization given the specific case study.
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Research questions:
1. What is the potential of simulation software in the manufacturing systems?
2. What kind of constrains and difficulties can be found to the implementations of these models?
3. How can simulation aid the improvement of the facility layout design?
