Analyzing the enhancement of production efficiency using FMEA through simulation-based optimization technique: A case study in apparel manufacturing

E Pazireh,S Shokohyar,A.H Sadeghi,Yibing Li

doi:10.1080/23311916.2017.1284373

Abstract

In service and production area, problems such as severity of competition and increasing customers’ expectations, put the producers’ under a commitment to eliminate product defects and make up for any kind of shortage and deviations in its performance. In order to reach the mentioned aim, failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) technique can be typically utilized for prevention, identification, control and elimination of possible errors. In this paper, FMEA approach is adopted to design and implement a system of quality control in the apparel production lines, to identify and rank the possible difficulties, and then finally, to issue the right commands to the quality control stations. For this purpose, the data are gathered from a medium-sized apparel factory and implemented by FMEA and then, improvability of production efficiency is analyzed using simulation-based optimization technique. The results of the simulation show significant decrease in product defects, rework, and total production cost.

Highlights

In the age of ever-growing global competition, production efficiency is one of the most important issues in factory management
This work has probed the effect of application of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to the reduction of the flawed products, and reduction of expenses and increase in the productivity of the apparel production line
In order to show the suggested problem, a method based on simulation optimization is applied for modeling the new quality control plan on the basis of FMEA system

Summary

Introduction

In the age of ever-growing global competition, production efficiency is one of the most important issues in factory management. The first step to control and eliminate such operational problems is to start up a production system and quality control system in a standard way based on scientific and experimental findings (Case, Nor, & Teoh, 2010; Sheng-Hsien & ShinYann, 1996) Those problems may occur due to inefficient management of production resources. It is of great importance to design and utilize a system, capable of elaborate monitoring of operators work schedule and examining each station with regard to its properties each industry, dependent upon its own requirements is able to take advantage of these techniques These techniques have their merits and demerits (Dadashian et al, 2009; Yuen, Fung, Wong, Hau, & Chan, 2008). As a consequence, using Arena simulation software, enhancement programs and defensive actions can be taken prior to starting the project, through utilizing FMEA to avoid wasting resources and decreasing cost

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