Plant redesign for the assembly of door trim kits
Initial situation: High variety of variants with tight specifications set by the OEM
A supplier of door interior trim kits to a German OEM was planning a new plant. Dispatch had to take place in the order specified by the manufacturer, using specially designed racks and in accordance with just-in-sequence (JIS) restrictions. This sequence, in turn, determined the takt time of the final assembly line, which is supplied by several areas such as blanking, laminating and pressing. Given the high variety of variants and the need for sensible batch sizes, a finely tuned system combining advance planning and in-house logistics was required.
Objective: To validate planning and evaluate order sequencing strategies
The aim of the project was to evaluate the planned plant and to design the necessary resources in logistics and production. Essentially, the focus was on validating the plant planning at an early stage and analysing and optimising various strategies for sequencing orders, as well as their impact on the material flow.
Solution: Simulation model with a dedicated user interface
SimPlan created a simulation model that allowed the planned control scenarios to be tested as early as the planning phase. The intralogistics processes were mapped in detail, enabling the derivation of rules for logistics staff and optimal routing to ensure a seamless supply to the assembly lines. Suitable order dispatch and changeover strategies were developed for the production lines. Via a dedicated user interface, the customer can use the model independently, enter new performance parameters and switch between different control and order loading strategies.
Results: Validated concept and optimised control rules
The simulation helped to shape and validate the planning concept. Set-up and order-loading strategies could be thoroughly evaluated, and control rules and routing optimised accordingly. This provided the customer with a robust basis for their logistics and production decisions even before the plant went into operation.
Simulation as a validation tool prior to plant commissioning
Particularly in cases involving a high variety of variants and fixed specifications from the client, it becomes clear how important it is to validate the planning at an early stage. The simulation model remained available to the client even after the project was completed, so that control strategies could be further adjusted as required.
