NEWS THE BENEFITS OF INVESTING IN THE RIGHT SIMULATION SOFTWARE
using the software efficiently, according to a new study of UK based manufacturing decision-makers by Visual Components. Over one in 10 (13%) of manufacturers also admitted that the current
M
solution they are using does not meet the organisation’s needs at all, while almost 96% of organisations currently do use simulation software in some capacity. The appetite for supporting technologies is however growing among organisations, with AI (24%) viewed as important to building or redesigning the factories of the future. Steve Morris, country manager UK & I, Visual Components said: “It’s
clear that numerous organisations are finding that their current simulation solutions aren’t easy-to-use, which is holding them back. Investment in the right simulation software will enable organisations to benefit from logical, simple workflows and a ready-to-use library of manufacturing equipment.” Investment in the right simulation software would also help
organisations tackle two of the four biggest challenges identified in the survey when building a new manufacturing site, including capacity planning (12%) and selection of the optimal line layout (13%). Morris added: “Investment in factory upgrades or new sites is
shaping the future of manufacturing tomorrow, so those organisations that make costly mistakes will inevitably lose out. Simulation software is a precious tool in helping organisations to get it right first time.” One company that has used Visual Components’ simulation
software to maximise production capacity and reduce costs by 15% is major appliance manufacturer Midea. The two companies have worked together to increase the capacity and flexibility of a high-end washing machine assembly line while reducing project costs by 15%, totalling approx. £645,000. With the simulation platform in place, Midea has reduced its
assembly line floor area by 10%, while increasing production capacity by 10%, with the manufacturing process then having sufficient capacity
ore than half of manufacturers (57%) feel that the simulation software they use to design new factories or upgrade existing sites is not easy-to-use, with two-thirds (66%) admitting to not
to produce 500,000 units per year. The system is also able to accommodate mixed flow production of more than 100 SKUs, an increase from 5-10 SKUs previously, with line balance exceeding 90%. The team has achieved cost savings via more efficient routing and
utilisation of personnel, across areas such as production, logistics, and quality control workers. The construction period of the line came down from 15 to 12 weeks. Product quality has also improved, reducing the reject ratio from 1,200 defects per million to 120. The complex production and scheduling requirements
accompanied with the burdensome process of creating CAD models and 3D layouts meant that the organisation needed to make use of smart manufacturing capabilities and provide a flexible production capacity. Visual Components’ simulation software was used to design, optimise, and verify the process and feasibility of layout for the project. Midea was also able to dynamically present the planned assembly
line and its corresponding logistics layout to project stakeholders and Midea executives. The two major challenges that Midea faced in terms of detecting problems during the design phase and meeting stringent requirements and targets were overcome using the software. “As a comprehensive and professional simulation tool, Visual
Components played a very important role in this project. Previously, we were using three different products to build 3D layouts and verify equipment, logistics, and production capacity,” said Kong Fanshi, simulation engineer at Midea Group. “Using Visual Components, we were able to achieve lower investment and labour costs, as well as significant efficiency improvements.” “
...Following a successful collaboration, Midea is exploring ways to
utilise the software in other areas of the business, and we look forward to working with the team closely as the business takes its next steps,” said Mikko Urho, CEO at Visual Components. Midea now plans to use the simulation software more extensively in
the design and commissioning of its production systems, while customising the platform to add tailored plug-ins and add-ons.
www.visualcomponents.com
FOUR KEY ACTIONS TO BUILD PROCESS RESILIENCE I
ndependent research commissioned by RS Components has uncovered four key actions that senior engineers should consider taking to build process resilience across their organisations. The findings are presented in the second report in The Resilience
Index series - The Resilience Index: Process - How a focus on process can build better resilience and drive productivity. If taken, these actions will help protect companies, push them to think and act differently, and establish a culture of continuous improvement, which will be the foundation for future process improvements, stability, and transformation. The four actions are: 1. Continue to innovate. The UK is ranked third in the world and first
in Europe for innovation (measured by patent registration 2000-2015). Senior engineers should seek to build a network of peers and partners to help understand the opportunities and challenges offered by emerging technologies. Keeping an open mind to new ways to solve problems is key. 2. Build capacity back-up. Many companies still need to improve
the reliability and robustness of their processes by building in redundancy support so systems can withstand unpredictable and unplanned failures. There must be prioritisation of the duplication of
critical components or functions of a system to increase reliability. However, being efficient is still important, as carrying too much overhead will also impair resilience. 3. Think differently about outsourcing. Outsourcing strategies
need to focus on the benefits that can be gained alongside potential cost savings. For example, outsourcing can increase quality and innovation or make processes more efficient, for instance, by outsourcing control of the site’s inventory to experts. When reviewing processes ask deep questions about why and the benefit of doing it in-house. Could there be great advantages from outsourcing? 4. Continuously improve. Invest in a commitment to build and
embed a continuous improvement culture, and the relentless identification and eradication of losses or inefficiencies. Crucially, acknowledge that small, iterative changes over the long-term will have a compound effect on processes. As an ongoing obligation, it requires active leadership from the top to empower bottom-up improvement. For a copy of report, visit:
https://www.rs-
connectedthinking.com/en/operational-efficiency/insight/the-res ilience-index-process
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6 NOVEMBER 2021 | PROCESS & CONTROL
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