Metodology for selecting the best suitable bottleneck detection method

Abstract

Focusing on process constraints (or bottlenecks) is how companies are improving productivity, decreasing response times. However, a bottleneck is not easily detectable, especially when conventional bottleneck methods are used. This work presents a method, based on simulation, to help the selection of the bottleneck detection method to be applied to a given situation. The methodology extends previous works on the subject, mainly those by Roser, Nakano and Tanaka (2002) and Roser, Nakano and Tanaka (2003). The proposed method was successfully applied to a real bottling process.