Simulation Based Multi-Criteria Assessment of Lean Material Flow Design Alternatives

Abstract

In this article a procedure is introduced to improve transparency and reliability of results for the selection of material flow design alternatives including machine tools and other capital-intensive goods. In the design phase of material flow planning projects, key performance indicators (KPIs) for design alternatives including processing as well as intralogistics elements can be derived using simulation. Using the state of the art method in value stream design and simulation often volatile input data is taken into account only in the simulation itself, but not in the downstream comparison of alternative designs, which could lead to imprecise conclusions and therefore to wrong investment decisions. To overcome this issue and to consider variability in the whole simulation phase and a subsequent decision making process, a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) with two fuzzy representations is proposed and discussed here with the aim of helping practitioners to get more competitive value streams. A further goal of the article is the comparison between both forms used for fuzzy representation. Using the design example of machine tool-intralogistics systems obtained results are discussed.