Production batch sizing and inventory level control using simulation software

Computer simulation has great application potential in the area of Production Engineering as a tool to support decision making as it allows to simulate the functioning of a real system through logical relationships, in order to observe its behavior under different scenarios. Which could not be practiced in the real system. In line with this aspect, the present work aims to present a report on the application of simulation for the design of production batches and inventory control, highlighting the process necessary for the construction of the generated simulation model, as well as the challenges and opportunities observed. In order to achieve the proposed objective, a literature review was carried out on the topics of interest; the choice and understanding of simulation software and; the survey of data from a large auto parts manufacturer located in the interior of the state of São Paulo. The main results were an increase in production volume from the inclusion and dimensioning of a buffer after the assembly process and a balance between the number of items of each component of the product structure in the supply with the real capacity of manufacturing cell processing. Cabe ressaltar que o modelo de simulação produto da pesquisa deste artigo pode ser aplicado como um sistema de apoio à decisão do gestor para a elaboração do planejamento estratégico e do planejamento operacional com o propósito de melhorar a capacidade de análise e decisão. It is important mentioning that the simulation model in this article can be applied as a support system decision for the preparation of strategic planning and operational planning, with the purpose of improving the analysis capacity for decision-making.

An Optimization Tool for Production Planning: A Case Study in a Textile Industry

The textile industry is an important sector of the Brazilian economy, being considered the fifth largest textile industry in the world. To support further growth and development in this sector, this document proposes a process for production analysis through the use of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) and optimization through genetic algorithms. The focus is on production planning for weaving processes and optimization to help make decisions about batch sizing and production scheduling activities. In addition, the correlations between some current technological trends and their implications for the textile industry are also highlighted. Another important contribution of this study is to detail the use of the commercial software Tecnomatix Plant Simulation 13®, to simulate and optimize a production problem by applying genetic algorithms with real production data.

Energy Efficiency Improvement through Optimal Batch Sizing in Job Shop

The increasing customization of products with greater variances and smaller lot sizes, has motivated manufacturers to adopt highly dynamic production planning. The production plans not only need to adapt to the production system state changes rapidly but also need to adopt energy reduction schemes to satisfy key sustainability performance indicators. The dilemma from industry point of view is to tackle multi-faceted problem of optimising economic and environmental performance. This research aims to overcome the multi-faceted objectives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) by providing a simulation-optimisation platform that creates the best possible production plans for optimum results. The applicability of the proposed framework is demonstrated through a real-life job-shop environment with the focus on optimisation of energy as well as job tardiness.