Modeling & Simulation for assessing production policies: a real case study from a manufacturing company in Canada

Abstract

Within the complex domain of production management, the careful choice of a highly effective scheduling policy can significantly impact the timely completion of deliveries. This study explores a practical example undertaken at a manufacturing company in Canada, employing the sophisticated features of the AnyLogic simulation program to analyze and evaluate two commonly used production policies: Shortest Production Time (SPT) and Earliest Due Time (EDT). The main aim is to determine which of these tactics consistently results in greater rates of prompt deliveries, a crucial aspect for both customer happiness and operational efficiency. In order to ascertain the credibility and resilience of the simulation results, a comprehensive statistical analysis was performed utilizing the Minitab software, with particular emphasis on the main effect plots. The initial findings suggest notable disparities in performance indicators between the two policies, with one policy exhibiting a distinct advantage in terms of its adherence to delivery timetables. This study not only presents a quantitative evaluation of SPT and EDT policies, but also gives valuable insights that might assist decision-makers in the manufacturing sector in choosing the most suitable policy to ensure prompt delivery.