Sustainable Manufacturing Systems: Design, Analysis, and Improvement

Aims of this work

Aims of this work

1. To develop a systematic understanding and critical awareness of sustainable manufacturing systems, system design approaches and planning techniques applied to industry.

2. To enhance the acquisition of analytical knowledge and practical skills gained for analysing a complex manufacturing process or system and their integration using advanced computer design and modelling simulation tools.

3. To explore modelling simulation techniques to help create rapidly and turn innovative ideas timely into systems design, analysis and improvement particularly for a constraint-based production system in a virtual environment.

4. To become an expert in coping with the system uncertainty, examining the system random behaviour, refining the system design, and developing alternative operational management strategies based on the developed virtual prototyping system to a real industrial case study.

Unit learning outcomes

1. Critically appraise a systematic approach with lean thinking and apply it into analysis, planning, design and performance evaluation of a complex production system.

2. Examine modelling techniques and mathematical approaches for capturing the deterministic and stochastic behaviours of manufacturing and prototyping systems

Assessment strategies & instructions

The overall assessment strategy is designed to test problem solving capabilities through a case study in a virtual environment using computer-aided design and modelling simulation tools to satisfy LO1 and LO2, with solutions developed and submitted in a report. Each student is expected to develop their own computer models, which will be checked and questioned by the supervisor as part of the overall assessment.

TASK

You should attempt to complete the following tasks:

1. Provide a background/knowledge of the loudspeaker-related product and production through a literature study.

2. Create a process plan for assembly of a loudspeaker using ‘pre-manufactured components’. Suggest suitable assembly sequences that would benefit from automated and/or manual operational processes.

3. Produce a drawing incorporating your proposed facility layout design based on the logic sequences of assembly within a boundary (with assumptions in Note) and justify your design by considering such as space utilisation; ease of operations and services; reduction of temporary storage areas or buffer zones, transport/human operator motions; safety; costs etc.

4. Build a full system model using Enterprise Dynamics (ED) software by incorporating 3D objects (if applicable) and all the necessary statistical values; test and verify the functionality of the developed ED models.

5. Design and run suitable experiments with the developed ED models; collect, analyse and interpret the generated simulation data including graphical simulation results to be presented in the report.

6. Evaluate system performance making any improvement that would be most beneficial to the system design and explain why you consider these changes, which may be advantageous. Note: Make your own assumptions due to any necessary data which may not be given or should not be included in your particular case study. This may refer to such as the availability of factory space, location of stores and so on. You may also consider how your system design may be able to cope with an increase in demands as well as product variances in future. Your work must be presented and illustrated in a written report. The report should be structured as indicated at page 1 and it should include your own work with the relevant context, drawings and screencaptures and other materials. Please keep your report concisely below 4000 words.

Your work will be assessed according to the “marking criteria” as attached with this assignment.