Analysis of Shop Floor Performance through Discrete Event Simulation: A Case Study

Abstract

Shop floor performance management is a method to ensure the effective utilization of people, processes, and equipment. Changes in the shop floor might have a positive or negative effect on production performance. Therefore, optimal shop floor operation is required to enhance shop floor performance and to ensure the long-term efficiency of the production process. This work presents a case study of a semiconductor industry. The punching department is modeled to investigate the effect of changes in the shop floor on production performance through discrete event simulation. The effects on the throughput rate, machine utilization, and labor utilization are studied by adjusting the volume of parts, number of operators, and flow pattern of parts in a series of models. Simulation results are tested and analyzed by using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The best model under changes in the shop floor is identified during the exploration of alternative scenarios.