System level improvement using discrete event simulation

One of the major obstacles contributing to the cost, time and efficiency of improving the quality output of manufacturing systems is the propagation of defectives or errors through the system. Conventional individual control chart design does not address the problem of the interrelation of the processes adequately. Owing to the increasing complexity of manufacturing systems as well as the problems caused by the natural variability of the systems, trial‐and‐error methods are the most commonly used technique for the implementation of the control charts. Trial‐and‐error methods are very costly, time consuming and highly disruptive to the real system. Hence, a systematic and holistic computer‐based methodology is proposed in this paper to obtain a control chart configuration which improves productivity and quality, and reduces cost. Simulation is used as a platform to conduct the control chart system design because different scenarios can be tested off‐line so that statistical process control can be performed effectively without making costly mistakes and disturbing the real system.