Simulation and evaluation of production factors in manufacturing of fireplaces

Abstract

The paper presents quantitative approach for management decisions of the manufacturing system for production of fireplaces, related to evaluation of key parameters – productivity and throughput, which most authors and methodologies consider to be substantial. Methodology was based on creating the simulation model of the fireplace production line in software Witness; optimizing the production capacity by selecting constraints, based on results from simulation model; evaluating the simulation experiments with the goal to increase productivity; setting production to maximize sales profits using Simplex method. Simulation model was built according to a technological process of fireplaces in a semi-automated production. Improvement in a production process within theory of constraints philosophy is complemented by mathematical modelling – Simplex method, that estimate profit maximization in case the company management decides to produce more product variants.