Analysis of production facilities- a network simulation approach

Abstract

The existing analytic and heuristic techniques for the assembly-line problem are generally limited in scope and applicability. The restricted and often unrealistic assumptions of these procedures handicap them as a practical tool for modern manufacturing problems. This article presents a comprehensive model for the design and analysis of production-line facilities. The Generalized Network Simulator (GNS), a network-based simulation model, integrates the handling of time, queue, resource, and cost character istics of realistic situations in a single package and offers a "total system" tool for systems analysis and research. A companion Assembly Line Information System (ALIS) facilitates both the construction of the data base through interactive data input entry and the specification of desired statistical outputs. An example illustrates the application of the model in a fictitious manufacturing environment involving the cost and resource features of the GNS/ALIS programs.