Simulation study of an agile high-speed machining system for automotive cylinder heads

Abstract

There is a continuous need within most manufacturing environments for more flexible production equipment, particularly where customer satisfaction and responsiveness promote quality improvement. In this paper, an automated agile manufacturing system that uses high-speed computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines to make automotive cylinder heads is proposed and evaluated by means of discrete event simulation using the ARENA simulator. Two alternative agile system configurations are constructed and simulated to achieve the production target. The simulation shows some significant benefits in using the agile system and demonstrates that high-speed CNC equipment is a viable option for cylinder head manufacture at a production volume of 550 000 units per annum. It is shown that the agile system can provide more flexibility and half the throughput time of the transfer line.