Using high-level, 3-D computer graphics simulation and other engineering analysis tools, this research investigates the ergonomic advantages of one manufacturing system design over another. The designs compared are lean manufacturing (manufacturing cells) and the functional (job shop) design. Simulation models based on an actual manufacturing cell and its workers are used to generate correspond...

The main problem treated in this paper is that if we want to optimize a network of manufacturing systems design using discrete material flow management we need a new algorithm different from the one used for a single manufacturing system. For a single manufacturing system we usually use discrete material flow simulation to identify and eliminate bottlenecks where the flow is slowed down or bloc...

Parallel processing techniques have been applied to logic simulation in the past with limited success. An aspect of this problem that has received little research attention is the impact on performance of application-specific simulation of test sequences. We approach the problem from this angle and identify an important practical application, simulation of manufacturing test patterns for ICs, w...

A simulation model was developed and tested using Taylor II to justify the implementation of a Flexible Manufacturing Cell (FMC). The current production capacity at the existing Continuous Flow (CF) assembly line must be increased and among other proposals, a FMC is highly recommended. Simulation models are developed, tested, verified, and the model sensitivity is evaluated. The simulation mode...

A simulation-based real-time scheduling mechanism for dynamic discrete manufacturing is presented in this paper. Modified mean flow time performance for different scheduling approaches is compared through off-line simulation experiments, under dynamic manufacturing environments that are subjects to disturbances such as machine breakdowns. These experimental results are used as reference indices...

Improving manufacturing operations is an initiative that all manufacturing firms need to engage in to stay competitive. The needs and ways to improve differ between companies. A thorough understanding of the operating characteristics is required for successful improvement of manufacturing operations. By modeling the plant or manufacturing system in a simulation model and create operating charac...

The paper highlights the problem of minimizing economic costs of making orders in the automated manufacturing system which consists of work centres arranged in a series. Each of them is equipped with tools which carry out defined manufacturing operations. Tools are replaced with new ones only when no manufacturing operation can be performed any more in order to minimize the residual pass. The e...

World-class utilization of manufacturing resources is of vital importance to any manufacturing enterprise in the global competition of today. This requirement calls for superior performance of all processes related to the manufacturing of products. One of these processes is the resetting of machinery and equipment between two product runs, which will be the focus area of this text. This paper e...

In this paper we present a general framework for modeling manufacturing systems. Our interests are in knowledge-based scheduling and simulation of large-scale manufacturing environments, and these interests have significantly influenced the approach to modeling we have taken. The modeling framework is developed using object programming and frame-based representation techniques. It provides an e...

Cellular manufacturing systems are used when both production volume and product variety are at medium level. The fluctuations of volume and mix can reduce drastically the performance of classical cellular manufacturing systems. Therefore, several configurations have been proposed in literature as virtual manufacturing cells, fractal cells and remainder cells. This paper investigates the cell lo...