FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SIMULATION SYSTEM

FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SIMULATION SYSTEM

The purpose of Flexible Manufacturing Simulation System is to determine the system requirements based on the customer’s production demand and operating parameters. The user can vary the following operating parameters to conduct a “what-if” analysis:

• Number of days to simulate
• Number of machining centers required—up to eight (8) different machining centers
• Number of load stations required—up to eight (8) different load stations
• Number of pallets in the system—up to one hundred (100) different pallets
• Number of operators—up to eight (8) different operators
• Machining center type—up to ten (10) different machining center types
• Number of part types to be processed—up to five hundred (500) different parts numbers
• Number of parts to simulate and the respective daily production quantity
• Cycle time by part number and operation
• Load/unload time by part number and operation
• Number of parts per pallet by part type and operation
• Vehicle speed
• Vehicle load/unload times
• Assign the operator schedule
• Assign a specific part type to specific pallet or group of pallets by operation
• Assign a specific part type to a specific machining center or group of machining centers by operation
• Assign a specific part type to a specific load/unload station or group of load/unload stations by operation

The user can run Flexible Manufacturing Simulation System with the specified parameters and view the results. All time based output units in this system are in minutes. The software will generate an output report in graphical format for each of the following:

• Machining center utilization
• Load station utilization
• Pallet utilization
• Pallet stand utilization
• Operator utilization
• Rail-Guided-Vehicle (RGV) utilization
• Parts completed

Flexible Manufacturing Simulation System can be used as often as needed, based on the business/operating environment. The software allows the analyst to evaluate future business and operating scenarios to determine if the system has the necessary resources (machines, fixtures, load stations, operators) to meet a particular increase in production or the addition of new part numbers.

By determining the required resources prior to the actual schedule, the customer can reduce costs by purchasing or assigning only those resources needed to meet their production demands. This can reduce tooling and fixturing costs, and allows for maximum machine utilization.

The Animation Package may be purchased in addition to the Simulation Package. The Animation Package is not a substitute for the Simulation Package and can only be purchased with the Simulation Package. This option allows you to view the system in operation via a color-coded 2D model of the system. It can be run in real time mode or in any time mode desired. Each resource in the system will change colors based upon the status of each resource. This helps you in visually debugging the process of any particular schedule or simulation.