Simulation Based Performance Improvement: a Case Study on Automotive Industries

Abstract

In automotive industries, variable customer needs' increase the competition amongst enterprises. However, manufacturers are struggling to complete the customer demand on time. This paper presents a case study taken region in the automotive industry in Michigan, USA. It aims to reduce the production delay by stabilizing manufacturing processes that improve production throughput. Many tools are used including project charter, process flow diagram, Arena simulation, design of experiment (DOE), and layered process audit sheet. The project charter is used to represent the problem, objectives, scope, and methodology. The investigation of the system and the possible improvements are performed using Arena simulation along with DOE. Shop-floor data were collected and statistically analysed to model the different processes. Besides, the Ishikawa diagram was used to identify the root causes of the problems. Results show significant improvements. The number of finished products increased from 726 to 14161 units. The average WIP number increased from 4.9543 to 6.3615 units. The variation amongst the workstations' utilization is reduced. The cycle time decreased from 203.96 to 130.20 sec.

Enhancing the Performance of High-Growth Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises through Effective Project-Management Processes and Stakeholder Engagement: A Systems Perspective

“…The process of exploring these interfaces requires a comprehensive approach that combines different aspects of project success and aligns them with the narrative of SME growth. It is clear that effective project management must integrate key indicators of success, such as completion of tasks within budget and on time, and stakeholder satisfaction, with factors indicative of SME growth, such as scalability, profitability, and sustainability [31][32][33]. It is crucial to go beyond conventional metrics, combining both tangible and intangible elements of project success and SME growth, which have often been neglected in the existing literature.…”