SCSC2003 Abstract S9175
Simulation of a Crossdocking Operation in a Just-in-Time Environment
Simulation of a Crossdocking Operation in a Just-in-Time Environment
Submitting Author: Dr. Karina Hauser
Abstract:
In an ideal Just-in-Time (JIT) production environment,
parts should be delivered to the workstations at the
exact time they are needed and in the exact quantity
required. In reality, for most components/subassemblies
this is neither practical nor economical. In this
study, the material flow of the crossdocking operation
at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Georgetown,
KY (TMMK) is simulated and analyzed. The present layout
of the crossdocking area at Toyota and a layout
proposed by Toyota are compared via simulation with
three newly designed layouts. The models examine the
effects of crossdocking on the performance of the
system, simulating three different percentage levels of
pallets that have to be crossdocked. The objectives of
the study are twofold. First, simulations of the
current system, based on data provided by Toyota, will
give insight into the dynamic behavior and the material
flow of the existing arrangement. These simulations
will simultaneously serve to validate our modeling
techniques. The second objective is to reduce the
travel distances in the crossdocking area; this will
reduce the workload of the team members and decrease
the lead time from unloading of the truck to delivery
to the assembly line. The different percentages of
crossdocking pallets in the simulations allow a
generalization of the study and the development of
guidelines for layouts of other types of crossdocking
operations. The simulation model can be used as a basis
for further studies of material flow in JIT and/or
crossdocking environments.
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