Optimizing a production line of packaging material by the use of Discrete-event simulation

Abstract: A packaging company is currently evaluating their production and searching for development opportunities to make the production more effective. At the facility for packaging materials there is a production line with two machine-groups consisting of two printers and one laminator. In the present situation the two machine-groups are disconnected from each other by the use of an inventory. The purpose with the thesis is to make the production of packaging material more effective by mapping the production process and finding ways to reduce the buffer between the two machine-groups, in order to reduce lead time and achieve a streamline flow through the production line. A Discrete-event simulation model will be developed by using the software Simul8 that enables the company to test different setups and scenarios. The study is limited to examine one production line that consists of two machines, a printer and a laminator. First a discrete-event simulation model of the production line as it is today will be developed. After a satisfactory model of the real production line has been developed a new model will be developed consisting of one printer and one laminator. This model will be the first scenario and the base model throughout the study and other scenarios will be tested and evaluated based on this model. During the period that the study covers the total production was approximately 12 500 km of paper material. The output of the simulation model representing the real world process is 12 100 km. In scenario 1, one of the printers is removed and one printer and one laminator are left running continuously which yields an output of 9 800 km. In scenario 2, the average run speed in the printer is increased, by benchmarking a facility of the same complexity as the one covered in this study, which yields an output of 10 500 km. In scenario 3, the variation and mean time of two setups in the printer, the sleeve change and the creasing tool change, is reduced which yields an output of totally 10 000 km. In scenario 4, the stops Lack of Resources time, Waiting for Approval time, Cleaning time and Force Majeure time in the machines are removed which yields an output of 10 100 km. In scenario 5, scenarios one through five are all included simultaneously which yields an output of 11 200 km. From the simulations it can be concluded that by improving different parameters the total output of the production line can be increased. However, the improvements made in this study are not sufficient to compensate for the output loss resulting from removing one of the printers. The study’s purpose is to provide an understanding of the production line and find important parameters that result in a more effective process, that can be seen as a base and help to the company if they want to continue working with these suggestions.