Factory Floor Simulation

NALI's Modeling and Simulation for Advanced Manufacturing activites are being led by the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT).  This effort includes utilizing technology to make process improvements to factory floor layout, testing the feasability of a manufacturing cell or implementing lean concepts in the manufacturing process.  The NALI modeling and simulation team will work with manufacturers to help them evaluate production capacities based on facility plans, risk assessment, resource utilization and staffing.  Tools for designing and planning component assembly sequences are also being used for validating the approach and documenting it electronically.

 

As factory processes become more effecient through the lean approach, risks to schedule, facility, equipment and revenue increase.  Projects can identify and evaluate supply chain risk.

See Tomorrow's Factory Today!

The CCAT modeling and simulation team is evaluating 3D based discrete event factory modeling solutions with supply chain manufacturers.  The team is focused on creating and cataloguing reusable modules of equipment geometry representation, classes of manufacturing scenario types and process control algorithms for reuse in future modeling activities.  One of the keys to success with this technology is to be able to create models very quickly, so that the process concepts can be analyzed with the model and process improvement recommendations made in a timely manner.

Support of Lean Manufacturing

CCAT's factory modeling program is also addressing how modeling and simulation solutions can support lean manufacturing principles.  The CCAT staff is:

• Identifying and building lean implementation tools such as a spreadsheet data input format for model building and process data forms for changing model operating parameters

• Working with academia to develop modeling and simulation case studies to help teach lean manufacturing principles

• Using interactive models to demonstrate traditional supply chain schedule approaches

The CCAT modeling and simulation team has created a three-dimensional (3D) theater with a 16- x 9-foot screen to be used as a medium for demonstrating modeling and simulation solutions.  It provides the ability to view the simulations in a passive stereo mode so that up to 35 people can review the simulations at a time in 3D.