Simulation-aided design of production and assembly cells in an automotive company

Manufacturing systems design is a complex task and is crucial to the future of a company. Computer simulation provides an efficient and visual method for system designers. The popularity of simulation is owing to its ability to model systems in a fast and cost-effective way, its flexibility and its ability to model the time dynamic behavior of systems. This paper demonstrates the use of computer simulation as a tool for assisting managers and engineers in the design and analysis of a new manufacturing system by presenting a case study. The case study is a study of proposed instrument panel/crashpad production and assembly work-cells in an automotive industry. The emphasis on the case study was to evaluate alternative designs, predict system performance, detect any potential problems, experiment with system parameters and determine the sensitivity of the system to these parameters. The case study results show that computer simulation can be a useful decision-making support tool for the analysis of the system performance and the selection of the design alternatives before the system is actually implemented.