Flexsim Simulation Software Research Articles

Perancangan Tata Letak Proses Produksi Kursi Furnitur Menggunakan Metode Activity Relationship Chart (ARC) di PT. Rama Teknik

Rama Teknik Company, a manufacturing company in Indonesia founded in 2015, offers innovative business solutions based on research and development. The production process faces layout irregularities which result in disruptions in the production flow. The impact is that the material handling frequency becomes longer and causes material handling costs to become high. Apart from that, the company also experienced failure to achieve production targets. Decision making regarding layout and location is very important in determining a company's long-term operational efficiency. The aim of the research is to redesign the optimal factory layout. To improve the layout of workstations, the research department uses the Activity Relationship Chart (ARC) method which is implemented through FlexSim simulation software. The initial and proposed layouts were simulated using FlexSim software. The stages start from designing the initial layout, then looking for problem gaps. After that, redesign the new layout. The results of the initial layout show 309 finished products, representing a 100% output rate for Queue4 semi-finished goods, 5 warehouses, and 0 finished products in PL. After retesting with the proposed layout, the initial raw materials were 334.49, Queue1 had 285 items, and there was a 38% increase in finished products, a total of 427 seats.

UTILIZACIÓN DE MATERIAL COMPUESTO DE ESCAYOLA PARA LA ELABORACIÓN DE PRODUCTOS PREFABRICADOS SOSTENIBLES: ESTUDIO DE SU PROCESO DE FABRICACIÓN, PROPIEDADES Y CADENA DE SUMINISTRO

The building sector is currently involved in a process of change as a result of concerns about the sustainability of the construction industry. For this reason, the application of circular economy criteria that are committed to the development of new, more sustainable construction materials has become one of the major challenges included in the European Green Pact. In this research, the physical and mechanical characterisation of a new plaster composite material with the incorporation of recycled rubber granular particles and glass wool waste fibres has been carried out. It has been possible to replace up to 30% of the original plaster material with recycled raw material, improving the thermal behaviour of the prefabricated plaster plates. In addition, good mechanical performance has been obtained and the weight of the precast elements has been reduced. Finally, using the FlexSim simulation software, different scenarios have been examined which have permitted to know the increases in productivity in the manufacturing process derived from the use of these lightened sustainable materials, as well as to verify the reduction in fuel consumption (litres/plate) and CO2 emissions during transport. For all these reasons, the application of circular economy criteria applied to waste management is fundamental to progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Key Words: circular economy, building/construction industry product innovation, sustainable prefabricated construction, efficiency, simulation.

Saving Energy by Optimizing Warehouse Dock Door Allocation

As energy consumption constantly gains importance, it has become one of the major issues in managing logistics systems. However, it is ranked against other company priorities, and the rationalization for investing in energy needs to be justified by the savings achieved. A solution for reducing energy consumption via electric forklifts for performing docking operations at distribution centers, which requires no investments in infrastructure or equipment, is outlined in this paper. The solution is based on optimizing inbound dock door allocation, and the energy savings are quantified using a simulation model. A case study of a local FMCG distributor’s logistics center was conducted to collect the data and information needed for modeling inbound docking operations and performing simulation experiments. The optimal dock door allocation was obtained using a linear programming method using an MS Excel spreadsheet optimizer (Solver), while the simulation of the docking operations was carried out using FlexSim simulation software. The experimental results show that the solution outlined in this paper enables savings in the electric energy consumption of forklifts of between 12.8% and 14.5%, compared to the empirical solution applied by the company in the case study. The intended contribution of this paper is not limited to presenting an applicable solution for energy savings in performing logistics processes, but also aims to draw the attention of more researchers and companies to the ways in which logistics processes are managed and performed in terms of raising energy efficiency.

Visual Detection Application of Lightweight Convolution and Deep Residual Networks in Wood Production

In order to improve the production capacity of traditional wood manufacturing industry, efficient wood quality and thickness detection is a challenging issue. This paper firstly carries out digital twin modeling for a drawer side panel processing line of a wood company and explores the efficiency problems existing in the links of quality inspection and thickness inspection of wood by means of value stream mapping. Therefore, we adopted a lightweight convolution neural network MobileNetV2 for wood quality detection, which realized efficient wood quality identification. In contrast, traditional convolution neural network has many weighting parameters and large scale of generating detection model, which makes it difficult to apply in situations with limited computing power and memory. Secondly, due to the stronger robustness and generalization ability of the residual network, we used ResNet to detect the wood thickness and obtain reliable performance. Finally, we reasonably embedded them in the whole wood production process and established the simulation model of production line before and after improvement in FlexSim simulation software. The experimental results show that the improved plan can simplify the workshop production process, increase the production balance rate by 29.07%, increase the product value-added rate from 0.08% to 0.11%, and shorten the production cycle by 2 hours. Performance indicators such as product inventory, number of people, and equipment utilization also improve significantly. Based on the above results, the validity of the production process improvement model proposed by US based on lightweight convolution and deep residual network is demonstrated.

Research on improvement of vacuum pump production system based on value stream analysis

Abstract In this paper, H company vacuum pump V8 products as the research object, combined with lean production theory and value stream diagram analysis method to identify the key waste problems in the production system; and from the production line balance, facility layout optimization, work in process inventory lean and other aspects of the improvement plan; finally, using Flexsim simulation software to verify the feasibility of the scheme. After improvement, the balance rate of vacuum pump V8 product line is increased by 21.96%, the production cycle is shortened by 36.62%, and the value-added ratio is increased by 51.89%. The practical application shows that the use of value stream diagram analysis technology can help to improve the balance rate of production line, shorten the production cycle, and make enterprises achieve lean production.

Logistics Engineering Simulation Using Computer 3D Modeling Technology

3D modeling technology is an important branch of interdisciplinary fields such as computer graphics, intelligent information processing, computer vision, and artificial intelligence. Through computer digitization, collecting three-dimensional data information of the target object, and then processing and simulation reproduction through computer technology, plays an important role in logistics engineering (LE). The purpose of this paper is the simulation research of LE based on computer three-dimensional modeling technology. This paper takes LE as the research object, firstly elaborates the functional and non-functional requirements of the system separately, and establishes an intelligent logistics system. This paper uses Flexsim simulation software to establish a logistics distribution simulation model. Based on the data collected in the survey, the model is parameterized. Through the data output from the simulation, the simulation data of the original logistics system and the logistics system designed in this paper are compared and analyzed. The simulation output data shows that the total number of products transported in and out of the warehouse of the original system’s 6 transport planes is 15,559, and the total number of products transported in and out of the warehouse of the 6 transport planes in the logistics system proposed in this paper is 17,144 pieces. It can be seen that this system has strong transportation efficiency in LE.

The study on the automated storage and retrieval system dependability

Automated storage systems have become the basis of warehouse logistics. The article presents a discussion on the reliability and dependability of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), which are perceived as solutions with high technical reliability. Still, their role in the dependability of the entire warehouse system is to be discussed. The concepts of reliability and dependability in logistics systems like ASRS are defined, and a literature review in this area is presented. On this basis, the factors influencing the dependability of ASRS are discussed in a way not present in the discussion on this topic so far. Then, the ASRS simulation model (based on FlexSim simulation software) is presented. The model tests the influence of ASRS configuration and assigned resources on the dependability of the warehouse as a master system. The summary includes observations on defining the reliability and dependability of ASRS.

Manufacturing Capacity Management By Using Modern Simulation Tools

Abstract Determining the parameters of the production system as well as the choice of the type of manufactured elements flow shall appoint the level of effectiveness of the manufacturing process. The article presents an example of implementation the simulation verification process of the production flow, taking into account system constraints. The basic stages of developing a simulation model in this process are discussed, taking into account the necessary information and input data. The results show the impact of the application selected flow scenarios on the level of generated costs and the duration of the manufacturing process. The process of assessing individual variants of the organization production was performed on the basis of the results obtained by computer simulation in the FlexSim simulation software.

An efficiency improvement of flexible flow shop scheduling in automotive part company

Flexible flow shop is becoming more interested and applied in industries due to its impact from higher workloads. Flexible flow shop scheduling problem is focused to minimize the makespan. A metaheuristic model based on Hybrid Tabu Search is developed to overcome this problem. Firstly, Hybrid Tabu Search is modelled based on the factory data. The Earliest Due Date rule is used as the scheduling method for the current status. FlexSim simulation software is used to evaluate the Hybrid Tabu Search model. The outcome is validated with two different basic heuristic solutions; Campbell, Dudek and Smith’s and Gupta’s heuristics. It is found that the proposed model can improve the job sequence based on makespan criteria.

Modelling and Simulation of Facility Planning Problem Based on Improved SLP Method

Facility planning plays a critical role in various fields. An excellent facility layout can minimize the losses caused by the connection between facility units in production operations. In this paper, we improved the traditional Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) method, combine it with the multi-objective decision optimization model. The Improved SLP (ISLP) method is described in detail in this paper, including its principles, process of building model, and calculation methods. To make the ISLP more suitable for research and practical problems, we established a mathematical model for it. This optimization model was also applied to the existing facility layout problem to realistically validate the effectiveness of the ISLP and the model. Results on the established model were found first, then the Flexsim simulation software was used to simulate the layout of the facility before and after the improvement. Finally, the results of the experiment were analysed and compared.

Enhancement of Production in Subassembly Line of a Medium Scale Industry Using Different Lean Tools and Flexsim Simulation Software

In recent engineering practices, the manufacturing industries are more technically able to produce product with high quality to desire the customer needs. For accomplishing customer needs many lean tools are used to improve the methods of manufacturing practices in industries. The aim of this research work is enhance the productivity of spool casing assembly used in horn armature core per shift by using method study, time study and VSM. Cycle time for each operation of the product is determined by time study and the value added, non-value-added activities and transportation wastes occurred in the current state process identified and plotted in the current state VSM. The future state VSM was developed to reduce unnecessary wastes such as transportation, inventory, waiting which occurred in the current state VSM. Both current and future state time study are simulated using Flexsim simulation software. From the observed results it was found that, P3 and P5 model productivity was improved by about 5.5% and 6.5% respectively after implementation of appropriate lean tools.

Structural Optimization of the Production Process in Steel Plants Based on Flexsim Simulation

The method of structural optimization of the steel manufacturing process is described, and the development logic of layer‐by‐layer progression from the analysis‐optimization of the set of procedures’ functions, the analysis‐optimization of the set of procedures’ relations, to the reconstruction‐optimization of the set of processes’ procedures is explained. Four different simulation models from Kambara Reactor (KR) to continuous casting (CC) are established using Flexsim simulation software. The theory of structural optimization and simulation models complements each other, which promotes the understanding of structural optimization methods and the application of simulation models. The logistics operation of the simulation model under different production conditions is investigated, especially considering the influence of time factors. Finally, the effectiveness of the structural optimization method and the simulation model is verified by comparing the simulation results with the actual production of a steel plant.

Simulation-based optimization of control policy on multi-echelon inventory system for fresh agricultural products

As fresh agricultural products are perishable and vulnerable, reducing inventory cost is a strategic target for supply chain enterprises. How to design a reliable multi-echelon inventory control policy is still a great challenge. Therefore, the inventory cost of a three-level fresh agricultural products inventory system was firstly mathematically analyzed. Then, the simulation-based optimization model of the multi-echelon inventory system for fresh agricultural products was proposed by using the Flexsim simulation software and the improved particle swarm optimization algorithm. Finally, the multi-echelon inventory system is simulated based on a large number of survey data. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed simulation-based optimization model of multi-echelon inventory system for fresh agricultural products can provide decision-making and technical support for the formulation of inventory control policy, and also it shows that the modeling of system simulation is an effective method to solve the problem of complex system. Keywords: multi-echelon inventory system, simulation-based optimization, fresh agricultural products, control policy, Flexsim simulation software DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20191202.2834 Citation: Xu G Y, Feng J H, Chen F L, Wang H, Wang Z F. Simulation-based optimization of control policy on multi-echelon inventory system for fresh agricultural products. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2019; 12(2): 184–194.

Reliability of technical systems and the methodology for calculating MTBF using Flexsim computer simulation

The paper focuses on computer modeling of the reliability of technical systems using FlexSim simulation software. It presents the theoretical foundations of machine reliability and principles of describing this phenomenon. The discussion demonstrates how to estimate the main parameters of reliability analysis - MTBF and MTTR. The end result was designing a simulation model and assessing the impact of machine failure on the productivity and performance of a technical system.

Integration of manufacturing operations management tools and discrete event simulation

The growing popularity of IT tools and interest in the use of modelling and simulation tools in the era of modern manufacturing concepts development, such as the industry 4.0 implies increasing use of computer applications in management and manufacturing. In the problem addressed in this paper, an operation management tools and DES systems integration based on data-driven semi-automatic simulation models generation method is presented. The presented approach allows the use of simulation and visualization for rapid verification of production flow plans. The concept of semi-automated model generator based on data-driven is applied. The approach has been illustrated through examples of practical implementation of the proposed method using FlexSim simulation software.

Analysis of Fast Food Service Capability Based on Flexsim Modeling and Simulation

The process of improving the efficiency of restaurants is a process of system integration and construction of restaurant business processes, service capabilities, and management. The foundation of the task is to establish a model of the enterprise operating system and to measure the service capabilities of the enterprise through the simulation of the model. Therefore, this article builds the model of the a restaurant service system based on the flexsim simulation software, sets the parameters of the service system model according to the actual operation data of the restaurant, and observes whether there is redundancy or insufficiency in the service capability of the service system through the operation model, and the simulation result Analyze, combine the actual situation of the restaurant, put forward the corresponding improvement suggestion, in order to improve the resource allocation efficiency of the restaurant busy hour, increase the income of the restaurant, shorten the average wait time of the customer, increase customer satisfaction, make the restaurant in the competition in an invincible position.

PRE- INTRODUCTORY ANALYSIS OF THE SELECTED LEAN MANAGEMENT TOOLS IMPLEMENTATION EFFECTIVNESS USING SIMULATION ANALYSIS—CASE STUDY

The aim of the article was the lean tools implementation effectiveness analysis with simulation technologies based on a project in a selected manufacturing company. Production process analysis was based on qualitative and simulation analysis methods. The evaluation was supported with tools and techniques as the Value Stream Mapping, Fishbone diagram and 5 Whys. Simulation analysis was made on 3D models created within FlexSim simulation software. With the above elements, the evaluation of the Lean tools implementation effectiveness was done. Additionally, one prepared a collation of lean tools in the dimension of their capabilities to be simulated.

The use of simulation in the design of Milk-Run intralogistics systems

This paper describes methodology of milk-run system design and implementation. The methodology consists of seven basic steps and includes the use of simulation technology as a tool to support design, analysis, verification and implementation of milk-run concept. Exemplary simulation model of milk-run system is based on hybrid modelling approach, using discrete-event and agent-based simulations. The approach is implemented in FlexSim simulation software. Paper contains a description and illustrations showing the most important elements of the milk-run system in simulation model.

The Application of Simulation Technology in Distribution Center

Considering the complexity of workflow in distribution center and the ability of simulation for analysis and optimization of such systems, the application of simulation technology in distribution center is researched in this paper. Taking the distribution center of J mall for example, the third distribution mode of the mall is studied, which procures goods from many suppliers and stores in its own warehouse, then delivers them to the customers according to the different orders. Through the analysis of the Flexsim simulation software, the problems existing in the distribution center are found. And according to the analysis, the improvement suggestions are given and verified by simulation. By comparing the simulation results, it can be concluded that the waiting wastes in receiving area, temporary storage and dispatch area are decreased, and the average utilization rates of the stations become more appropriate. Finally, the output quantities of dispatch area are increased and the efficiency of distribution center is improved.

Application and Analysis of Modularity in Assembly Unit of Drying and Distribution Unit of Braking System of an Automobile

Modularity is a general concept, and many engineering problems can be generalized under the umbrella of modularity. Special structure of products poses challenges in the design of assembly systems which involves layout design, buffer design, line balancing, and transportation design and resource selection. An assembly line of Drying and Distribution Unit of an automobile has been selected for analysis and application of modularity. Assembly times at individual stations during different times of a day have been observed and analyzed. Modularity has been applied on the assembly line to minimize the total assembling time and idle time. It was found that the total number of components assembled has been increased by 7% after applying modularity. Flexsim simulation software has been used to simulate the assembly line, before and after applying the modularity and the results have been compared.