Industrial process simulation applying chronoanalysis and line balancing: a study case

Abstract

The escalating competitiveness in the market has driven companies to continually seek methods that optimize their production processes, rendering them more flexible to facilitate waste reduction and to enhance manufacturing agility. This work herein applied process engineering tools combined with computer simulation to optimize a production line with a more balanced production, mitigating idleness, and increasing productivity. The methodology used the "Tecnomatix® Plant Simulation" software for modeling and simulating industrial reality, intending to reduce error margins and the risk of operational failures during the process flow. The proposal resulted in both decreased idleness and labor requirements across production lines, facilitating the establishment of a third customization line to augment the company's flexibility. Furthermore, the proposed methodology demonstrates its efficacy by not only increasing productivity but also enhancing production capacity on the factory floor thereby reducing variability through balanced operational tasks.