On the Application of Simulation and Off-Line Programming Techniques in Manufacturing

Abstract

The integration of Simulation and Off-line Programming techniques in highly automated manufacturing systems, like in the Automobile industry, is justified for the multiple benefits that it reports.

The Simulation improves the design of the manufacturing system, facilitates the study of design modifications and guarantees realibility and flexibility of the system.

On the other hand the Off-line Programming avoids the expensive production stops for traditional programming, keeps the programmers far from a dangerous and sometimes toxic ambient of the plant and reduces the final preparation of the system. In the Automobile sector this is a key factor for reducing cost and increasing the productivity.

Whenever an off-line programming procedure is to be introduced in a manufacturing system, a lot of problems can arise due to the fact that most of the times the design of the system is already done and the off-line techniques is not taken into account.

This paper reflects some of the problems encountered during the feasability study of an implementation of off-line programming techniques for a welding line in the Automobile industry. Most of them are related to the modelization of the geometrical elements and the different formats and providers of the necessary information. This claims the necessity of a good information management in the design of a plant, and the stablisment of standard data base for all of the suppliers.