Using a hybrid system dynamics - factory physics approach to study the effect of continuous improvement programs on lead time reduction

• Grant number: 09/52179-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2009
• End date: October 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Moacir Godinho Filho
• Grantee: Moacir Godinho Filho
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Lead time reduction is one of the most important goals to be accomplished by companies that want to succeed in the modern manufacturing environment. Within this context, the main goal of this research is to study the effect of continuous improvement in shop floor variables (such as variability, defect rate, set up time, among others) on lead time reduction. This is done using a quantitative model, which uses a hybrid System Dynamics - factory Physics approach. This model was created by Godinho Filho and Uzsoy (2008a, 2008b, 2009). In this research the model will be extended by means of adding more workstations and using more real data. In addition to the main goal, this research will also study alternative options regarding continuous improvement aiming lead time reduction: (a) implementing radical improvement programs or continuous improvement programs in the studied shop floor variables; (b) implementing continuous improvement programs directed specifically to variables of the bottleneck or implement continuous improvement programs directed to any shop floor variables regardless the production stage. (AU)