Simulation and analysis of a production line with multiple output formats

This paper deals with simulation based performance analysis of production lines characterized by the capability to produce multiple product formats at the same time. This situation is typical of several line production systems, mainly in packaging lines where the output consists in different formats of secondary packages containing a different amount of single products. The line is then configured in a first part that works single units of product, and in a second part in which the production flow is split into different branches where specific machines arrange single products in the format needed by the requested secondary package. In the paper, which is derived from an actual case study, key factors of such kind of lines are analyzed and their effects on line performance are investigated. Some crucial aspects and guidelines are then pointed out to constitute a support in the line design phase.

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