Simulation and comparison of constant work in process and simplified Drum-Buffer-Rope systems applied in make-to-stock environments

• Grant number: 14/19234-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2014
• End date: November 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering - Production Management
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Bernardi de Souza
• Grantee: Fernando Bernardi de Souza
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: José de Souza Rodrigues ; Regiane Máximo de Souza

Abstract

This research has as general objective to evaluate and compare, through simulations carried out with the Promodel® software (HELFIN; HARRELL, 1998), the Constant Work In Process (CONWIP) and Simplified Drum-Buffer-Rope (S-DBR) systems applied in make-to-stock (MTS) production environments. Such systems were selected because they can be characterized as pull, since both limit the quantity of stock held in the production system (HOPP; SPEARMANN, 2004). Recent bibliographies indicate a scarcity of studies regarding these systems applied in MTS environments. In addition, no work was identified that made use of computational simulation to evaluate them. The analysis and comparisons of these systems will be done through performance indicators aimed at quantifying the throughput and the service level from the establishment of certain parameters, such as stock levels (in process and finished goods), jobs arrivals and different variability levels of jobs arrivals and of process time. The intention of this research is, in this way, (i) to identify and evaluate the behavior of such systems according to variations in the parameters mentioned and (ii) to compare the performance of both systems. At the end of the research it is still expected to (i) make use of the generated models to support lectures on topics addressing pull systems in general and CONWIP and S-DBR, in particular, (ii) nuclear research groups aiming to study, through computer simulation, these and other management production systems, (iii) develop human resources (undergraduate and postgraduate students) with depth of knowledge in the subjects covered here and (iv) disseminate the results in scientific journals with JCR impact factor. (AU)