KEY FIGURES

• Sustained Material Yield
• 50% Reduction in Parts Buffer Quantity
• 15% Increase in Setup Times for KAM
  

STARTING SITUATION

• An office furniture manufacturer works according to different organizational models in prefabrication and assembly.
• Prefabrication works in batches of weeks.
• Assembly works in a daily batch.
• Manual re-sorting of components from prefabrication occurs in a part buffer according to assembly sequence.
• There are concerns about a deterioration in material yield regarding a change in the organization of prefabrication from the weekly to the daily batch.

APPROACH

• Capture the current state comprehensively, including all framework parameters: Analyze and replicate the data within the simulation model, encompassing saw profiles, bulk sizes, and optimization parameters.
• Conduct multiple simulations targeting adjusted batch sizes and interpret the outcomes: The results provide insights into waste optimization, such as material yield, leftover quantities, machine running times, and CAN part numbers. Additionally, relevant data like setup efforts (due to thickness and edge type alterations) or parts' buffer volumes can be derived.
• Development of offcut variants through simulation: This involves providing CAN parts or extending the preview horizon for CAN parts.
• Interpret the simulation results and establish comparability: Identify improvements and adverse effects relative to the current state.
• Develop actionable measures based on the derived insights.
  

CUSTOMER BENEFITS

• Determining the ideal bulk size:
• Decrease bulk size from weekly to daily quantities.
• Material yield remains unchanged.
• Accelerate throughput by rotating smaller bulk sizes more swiftly.
• Reduction of the number of components in the part buffer by 50%.
• Creation of a cohesive strategy with a sequence of measures for implementation, including
• Integrating the "CAN Parts" functionality into planning and waste optimization.
• Establishment of a process for the removal and utilization of CAN parts.
• Implementation of measures for optimizing set-up time on the edge banding machine.