Simulação computacional: análise de uma célula de manufatura em lotes do setor de auto-peças

Abstract

Computer Simulation (Discrete Event Simulation) is becoming one of the most popular tools for the modeling and analysis of complex manufacturing systems. In a manufacturing project the simulation can be used in two different phases: the phase of justification of the project and the phase of drawing the production processes. In the implementation phase, the simulation shows its main collaboration by helping to foresee possible problems, consequently generating savings of company’s financial resources. Besides the benefits during the phase of designing the process and subsequent its implementation, simulation has another focus, which is as a support tool for the company’s strategic planning. This strategic focus lies in the possibility of using the model to simulate several scenarios, such as the increase in the demand, impact of a new maintenance policy, the impact of changing the working shifts, the impact in relation to the sequencing programming or the change of the product mix along time without causing ruptures in the production in order to carry out real experiments. This work describes the application of the computacional simulation in a lot-manufacturing cell of a company that belongs to the sector of automotive parts, a manufacturer of rings for engine pistons. The discussion and the application of the simulation in this manufacturing cell generated the development of a necessary approach for the application of the simulation work in an industrial environment. This approach is not described in details in the literature, which usually presents methodologies focused on the execution of the working method of the simulation process. The execution of the work demanded the organization of a team and the careful description of each member’s role. Another point that must be highlighted is that the simulation itself doesn't solve all the problems, it is necessary previously to carry out and analyze the possible solutions that will be considered for modeling.