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Case Study: Manufacturer of Doors and Windows Uses Simulation for Painting Department

The customer’s challenge

The increase in demand forces the manufacturer to review its painting process and increase the production rate of the department. The customer wants to optimize the production of its units. The following elements make the system impossible to analyze with an Excel spreadsheet:

  • The product mixes
  • Custom products
  • The variable production steps
  • The different operation times from a product to another
  • Work cells availability
  • The schedules

In addition, the client considers the possibility of selling the department’s services to third parties.

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The solution: A dynamic simulation model

To solve this problem, SimWell has built a dynamic simulation model using the Rockwell Automation Arena software. This model faithfully reproduces the entire production of the paint department, from the arrival of the units to their exit. The model allows to easily test different scenarios and production plans.

How it works

A custom user interface developed by SimWell allows the customer to enter the data and parameters of the simulation.

From this data the model simulates the production over one month. The model creates the arrival of the batches in the departments according to the production plan and simulates the different stages of painting using a specific logic for each batch.

Finally, the model presents the results of the simulation in a dashboard that serves as a decision support tool. This dashboard allows a detailed analysis of the resource’s utilization, the completion of the production schedule and several other key performance indicators.

The simulation model: a flexible and durable tool

The lifetime of the dynamic simulation model achieved by SimWell extends beyond strategic decision making. In the long run, the model can be used on a daily basis to assess the feasibility and robustness of the production plan.