Title: An integrated simulation with design on experiment approach for shop floor improvement solution selections

Authors: Shye-Nee Low; Shahrul Kamaruddin; Ishak bin Haji Abdul Azid

Addresses: School of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, Nibong Tebal, 14300, Penang, Malaysia ' Mechanical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia ' UNIKL Malaysian Spanish Institute, Kulim Hi Tech Park, 09000 Kulim, Kedah, Malaysia

Abstract: This paper highlights the decision process of evaluating and selecting shop floor improvement solution by integrating design of experiment (DOE) in a discrete event simulation (DES) environment. In this study, the approach is tested and verified using an improvement project of a case study. The simulated data from the basic simulation model were verified by comparing with the current production data of real scenarios through statistical t-test. Once it been verified, the basic simulation model were then only been modified according to the various proposed improvement solution. The most promising improvement solutions suggested reducing the 20% number of operators while increasing the 21.86% utilisation of operators in the system. Findings from the paper indicate that simulation with the DOE method can be used to assist in decision-making regarding the improvement alternatives of production system. It was useful in achieving continuous improvement in the manufacturing industry. [Received 28 April 2013; Revised 1 October 2013; Revised 10 January 2016; Accepted 16 February 2016]

Keywords: decision analysis; design of experiments; DOE; shop floor improvement; solution selection; Taguchi methods; discrete event simulation; DES; continuous improvement; manufacturing industry.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIE.2016.078143

European Journal of Industrial Engineering, 2016 Vol.10 No.4, pp.479 - 498

Published online: 04 Aug 2016 *

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