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Machined  Assembly Check  -  MAC

MAC – the tool for planning complex assembly systems

Some industries use complex, semi-automatic assembly systems, e.g. the automotive industry. This is where automatic and manual assembly stations are running in combination. Automatic or manual transport units connect the different assembly stations and supply the buffers preliminary to the stations.

The critical point is the very correlative stations. Meaning a bad order sequence could cause extensive tooling, or machine malfunction may lead to a break-down of subsequent assembly stations.

The MAC-procedure supports planning the total assembly system to ensure high output and robustness regarding malfunction.

MAC - The Tool

MAC – the principle

MAC is a simulation-based procedure for modelling a interlinked, semi-automatic assembly system and analyzing different scenarios.
The MAC-procedure includes the following steps:

Preliminary clarification:
  • Clarification of targets and related key figures, e.g. total system output
  • Clarification of possible task range of different assembly stations, e.g. machine capabilities
  • Clarification of boundary conditions like station-location, shift mode, delivery time and lot
  • Evaluation of available data like orders, assembly-, tooling- and transport-time
  • Identification of possible incidents within assembly areas
  • Conception of promising versions concerning order management, machine scheduling and buffer organisation

Modelling:
  • Modelling of the assembly system including stations and chains by means of a simulation tool, i.e. VENSIM
  • Data configuration concerning normal and malfunctioning operation

Analysis:
  • Implementing different scenarios concerning order management, machine scheduling and buffer organisation
  • Identifying the best system-design-variant based on these scenarios