Operations Management Project: Simulation Based Analysis of a Production Line
Process Description
A cookware manufacturing factory is seeking your help to analyze and improve its operational performance. Even though the complete process is rather complex, the essential steps of the process are described as follows by the production manager.
First, raw materials, in the form of aluminum scraps arrive to the factory in containers. Typically, 8 containers of scraps are delivered to the factory at the beginning of each day. These containers of metal scrap are fed to a furnace, which melts the aluminum into liquid form. The furnace has capacity for one container at a time, and it takes 50 minutes to raise the metal to the desired temperature. Afterwards, the liquid is filtered into rectangular molds to create 2 meter slabs. The filtering and molding takes 30 minutes. A full container of scraps can fill 2 slabs. After this, the slabs are plunged into a tank of water to cool off. The tank can fit 10 slabs at maximum. Depending on the ambient temperature, it takes on average 90 minutes to cool off completely, with a standard deviation of 10 minutes.
Once the slabs are completely cooled, a crane takes the slabs out of the water tanks and transports it to the rolling press area. This takes 6 to 7 minutes. The rolling press takes around 45 minutes to transform the 2 meter slab into a metal sheet. As it exits the rolling press, the sheet is rolled into a coil. After this, a forklift transports the coil of metal and installs it in the shaping press area. This transport and installation takes 15 minutes. At the shaping press area, a punch press punches out frying pan shapes out the aluminum coil. Exactly 20 pans can be pressed from each coil. We currently have two parallel punching presses. A pan is punched in 20 seconds.
After this, the shapes are cleaned on a conveyor belt. It takes 10 minutes to clean a batch of 40 shapes. When the shapes are clean and cool, a worker inspects the pans visually and feeds them to the coating machine. There are 7 workers assigned to this workstation. Depending on experience, it takes between 30 to 60 minutes to inspect a batch. 99% of the batches typically pass the test. If a batch fails the inspection, it is disposed and will be reused later as raw material.
The coating machine sprays the inside and outside of the pan with Teflon and enamel respectively. This coating step takes 5 seconds per pan shape. After coating, the pans flow automatically into a drying conveyor oven. This unique oven needs exactly 5 minutes to dry the pan and it can hold up to 40 pans at one time.
Once out of the oven, the shapes are left to cool off for 10 minutes in ambient air. Finally, when cooled, a worker fits a handle and rivets it to the pan. This takes around 15 seconds per pan. There are 6 employees assigned to this work station. At this point the pans are ready and are placed to inventory, awaiting customer orders.
Modeling and Simulation Based Analysis
a) From this description, identify all entities, processes and resources.
b) Build process model of this production line on paper (you may use any drawing tool)