Simulation-based analysis of AGV workload used on aircraft manufacturing system: a theoretical approach

Abstract

competitiveness in the aircraft manufacturing industry requires continuous improvement and modernization of its manufacturing processes, in order to keep the companies competitive in the market. In this context, the use of advanced manufacturing technologies and systems has been incessantly pursued to achieve productivity gains, sustainability and reduction of production costs, as well as being important in the individuals’ quality of life. Autonomous robotic systems such as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) have been used on shop floor to assist the aggregation of these competitive advantages to the business. Coupled to the use of these vehicles, other technologies such as the internet, digital factory and cloud-computing have been integrated into manufacturing in direction of the so-called advanced manufacturing, or Industry 4.0. Thus, this work aims to apply the concepts of digital factory in an example of aircraft manufacturing system, to analyze the efficiency and workload of the AGVs that transport materials from the warehouse to the assembly stations. Based on a theoretical approach by discrete-event simulation method and guided by the principles of Industry 4.0, analysis related to needed amount of AGVs, cycle times, deliveries and downtime of the vehicles were performed for different situations. Thus, it searches for better results in terms of productivity and decision-making support regarding adding-value related to materials transporting and information over long distances, delays, waiting and unnecessary movement of workers, in order to obtain improvement and profits for the aircraft manufacturing system.

Sustainable Logistics 4.0: A Study on Selecting the Best Technology for Internal Material Handling

“…AGVs are autonomous and remotely operated vehicles that are used for moving loading units or products from one point to another in a predetermined and consistent amount of time [56]. AGVs have magnetic or embedded optical guided sensors that ensure the predetermined path is followed [57]. The path is designed considering various factors, including battery management, traffic, location, and the number of load/unload points and idle spots where AGVs can pause without getting in the way of other operations [58].…”

“…The path is designed considering various factors, including battery management, traffic, location, and the number of load/unload points and idle spots where AGVs can pause without getting in the way of other operations [58]. AGVs are used inside warehouses or confined spaces to deliver goods within the facility [57]. Exoskeletons, AGVs, drones, and collaborative robots can be used in several internal logistics activities regarding material flow, particularly during picking, storage, and material handling.…”

Research on Intelligent Decision Method of Optimal Production Planning and AGV In-time Delivery in Mixed-Model Assembly Line

“…An automated guided vehicle (AGV) system [5] is an information system that controls AGVs for material handling and distribution. AGVs can replace manual forklifts and are widely used in various production environments such as processing workshops, assembly lines, and warehouses, significantly improving automation, informatization, and intelligence in production logistics [6][7][8][9]. This paper is dedicated to studying the model construction, parameter matching, and energy consumption optimization of AGV system in MMAL, to lay the theoretical and practical foundation for the development and application of AGV systems.…”

Simulation-based Reliability Evaluation of Maintenance the Efficiency of A Repairable System

“…The entire of these articles is based on simulation results. Recent articles by Xiaoyang et al (2020) and Teixeira et al (2021) deal with simulation and theoretical statistical results in a general class of repair models that include the Nunes & Barbosa (2020) models. However, in these articles, authors consider multiple independent and identical systems over a finite time interval.…”