Agricultural machinery manufacturer LEMKEN uses simulation for plant design
Software: Plant Simulation
LEMKEN is an international manufacturer of agricultural equipment for soil preparation, sowing and crop protection. The family-run company employs more than 1,100 people worldwide. As a new plant would be integrated directly into existing processes, LEMKEN assessed the integration in advance using a sandblasting plant simulation.
Initial situation: New sandblasting plant to be integrated into the existing system
LEMKEN was planning a new sandblasting plant and wanted to ensure its integration into the existing production system. The company therefore commissioned SimPlan to carry out a simulation, as the new plant was required to be integrated seamlessly into existing production. At the same time, SimPlan was to evaluate several layout alternatives so that LEMKEN could make an informed investment decision based on solid data.
Objective: Increase production volume; optimise shutdown and start-up
SimPlan was tasked with integrating the new system efficiently whilst simultaneously increasing the overall production volume. To this end, SimPlan examined various layout options and strategies to ensure optimal production wind-down at the weekend and a smooth start-up at the beginning of production. Furthermore, the simulation clarified outstanding questions regarding the loading and unloading stations:
- Which products should be loaded and unloaded at which stations?
- Do buffer areas in front of a station improve its loading capacity?
- Is an additional loading station required due to the higher volume of units?
Solution: Power & Free modules in Plant Simulation
SimPlan used the Plant Simulation software for the sandblasting plant simulation, utilising Power & Free modules in version 10.1. This enabled SimPlan to model the plant’s conveyor system realistically. Licence-free Pack&Go models were also utilised, which SimPlan designed to be user-friendly with buttons and drop-down lists. Pack&Go models can be used without a licence, meaning that even users without their own Plant Simulation licence can work with the model.
Results: Best layout alternative and number of trolleys determined
The sandblasting plant simulation provided LEMKEN with clear results for the layout decision:
- It determined the best layout alternative and the expected throughput.
- It defined the appropriate number of trolleys.
- It showed whether additional loading and unloading stations would be necessary.
Simulation as the basis for the layout decision at LEMKEN
The case study demonstrates how LEMKEN objectively compared several layout variants for a new plant and validated the capacity planning for loading and unloading stations. This is because a sandblasting plant simulation makes investment decisions verifiable, independent of empirical data and gut feeling, as it calculates different scenarios in advance. This applies not only to sandblasting systems, but to any expansion that affects an existing production system.
