Simulation-based sustainable manufacturing system design

TLDR

Manufacturing simulation and digital engineering tools have positively impacted the industry, yet designing a sustainable manufacturing system requires joint optimization of many dimensions, including lean manufacturing, waste elimination, and environmental considerations, and engineers need decision support to avoid sub‑optimization. This paper proposes an integrated simulation tool that maximizes production efficiency while balancing environmental constraints during the system design phase. The authors present methods for calculating energy efficiency, CO2 emissions, and other environmental impacts within factory simulation software.

Abstract

Manufacturing simulation and digital engineering tools and procedures have had a positive impact on the manufacturing industry. However, to design a sustainable manufacturing system, a multitude of system dimensions must be jointly optimized. This paper proposes an integrated simulation tool helping to maximize production efficiency and balance environmental constraints already in the system design phase. Lean manufacturing, identification and elimination of waste and production losses, and environmental considerations are all needed during development of a sustainable manufacturing system. Engineers designing the manufacturing system need decision support, otherwise sub-optimization is more likely to occur. We present methods for calculating energy efficiency, CO2 emissions and other environmental impacts integrated into factory simulation software.