Analyzing Reconfigurability and Sustainability Potentials of Production Flow using Simulation Tools

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines the reconfigurability potential of high-volume engine-component production using simulation-based analysis and multi-objective optimisation. The cylinder block and cylinder head production lines at Aurobay Technologies were analysed as an industrial case, where a discrete-event simulation model was developed in FACTS Analyzer following a Design Science Methodology. The study compared the existing dedicated production layout with a reconfigured shared-flow alternative in which selected assembly and verification operations were integrated across both lines. Simulation-based multi-objective optimisation using NSGA-II was applied to explore trade-offs between throughput and lead time under realistic variations in processing times, buffer capacities, availability, and repair behaviour. The results show that the dedicated baseline layout dominates the reconfigured alternative across most of the industrial operating envelope. While the reconfigured layout achieves lower lead time in limited low-to-medium throughput regimes, it consistently exhibits reduced throughput potential and is strictly dominated by the baseline layout at higher throughput levels. Matched operating-point comparisons confirm that local lead-time improvements from reconfiguration are offset by coordination losses and contention at shared operations, particularly in the cylinder block line. Consequently, the optimisation results do not support claims of overall superiority of the reconfigured layout.The thesis presents a rigorous simulation-based evaluation of alternative production system configurations. The results clarify the conditions under which reconfigurable layouts enhance flow behaviour, as well as those in which dedicated configurations remain structurally superior. This contribution supports evidence-based decision-making without requiring physical experimentation.