AN APPLICATION OF MODELING AND SIMULATION TO SUPPORT INDUSTRIAL PLANTS DESIGN

Abstract

The focus of the research work presented in this article is the design of an industrial plant devoted to produce different types of hazelnuts-based products. The industrial plant design is initially based on a traditional approach (production process flow charts analysis and plant layout study) and it is then supported by a simulation model mainly used to investigate the system behavior in different operative scenarios. The industrial plant simulation model (called HAZIMUT, HAZelnuts Industrial plant design and management based on advanced simulation Models Utilization) recreates the entire hazelnuts production process (based on nine different production lines). The HAZIMUT simulation model is used to evaluate the effects — caused by multiple changes in the production lines capacities — on multiple performance measures based on machines levels utilization, work in process and production system productivity. The simulation results show how variations in production lines capacities generate an over-reaction of the system with major changes in some of the performance measures therefore stressing the importance to use the HAZIMUT simulator to tune the system correctly to improve the overall plant performances.