Analysis and Improvement of Gearbox Manufacturing Process Using Simulation Modelling

Abstract

Industrial valves, which control the flow of fluids such as liquid, gas or vapor, are an essential part of modern industrial processes. The gearboxes used in industrial valves are critical components that optimize power transmission and control. Design and quality of gearboxes have a great impact on efficiency and safety of the processes. In this concern, analyzing gearbox manufacturing processes and carrying out process improvement studies will provide advantages to manufacturers in terms of time, cost and quality. This study aims to analyze and improve the gearbox manufacturing process of an industrial valve manufacturer. To this aim, the current gearbox manufacturing process was simulated and the bottleneck station was identified. In order to overcome the bottleneck, alternative production scenarios such as contract manufacturing and new machine investment were proposed. Afterwards, simulation models for alternative scenarios were developed, taking into account the quality problems that may occur in alternative scenarios and the investment cost associated with the new machine investment. Finally, all alternative production scenarios were compared with the current situation in terms of production quantities, makespan and profit. The results revealed that investing in a new machine is more profitable for the company than contract manufacturing.

Keywords

• Gearbox manufacturing
• Simulation modelling
• Process improvement

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