A model to balance production workload distribution in a trailer manufacturing organisation under fluctuating customer ordering condition.
Van der Walt, Gerhard Makinde, Olasumbo Mpofu, Khumbulani
Van der Walt, Gerhard
Makinde, Olasumbo
Mpofu, Khumbulani
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Abstract
Trailer manufacturing organisation considered in this study is currently experiencing a high volume of backlog orders due to its poor balancing of production workload
distribution during capacity planning and scheduling. This issue has resulted in loss of sales orders experienced by the trailer manufacturing organisation. In light of this, this research study developed a model that could be used to balance production workload distribution that could be used to timeously meet varying customer orders as well as drastically minimise the backlog cost experienced in a trailer manufacturing organisation. To achieve this, on the one hand, a system model of the current production workload distribution used at this trailer manufacturing organisation was developed using AnyLogic software and parametrized using the manufacturing system operation operating conditions obtained via system observation for a period of three (3) months, in order to identify the bottleneck stations and inefficiencies present within this organisation. On the other hand, design of experiments, equipped with feasible workload control strategies were conducted on the model. The result of the simulated model revealed that the usage of an additional two bending machines and two primer paint workers, usage of additional three laser machines and three treatment workers, Heijunka order dispatching principle and Constant Work-In-Process (ConWIP) will increase the service level and mean machine capacity utilisation of the organisation, as well as reduce the backlog cost, opportunity cost and average order lead time.
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Date
2022-10-05
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Springer
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Keywords
Workload distribution, Heijunka, ConWIP, Backlog orders