Authors: Natalia Basán, Lucila Ramos, Mariana Coccola, Carlos Alberto Méndez
Discrete event simulation (DES) techniques cover a broad collection of methods and applications that allow imitating, assessing and predicting the behavior of complex real-world systems. The main purpose of this work is to develop a novel DES model to optimize the design and operation of a complex beer packaging system in order to perform a sensitivity analysis to find one or more alternatives to increase productivity levels. In this way, advanced technologies of modeling, simulation and optimization for system design and operation are applied. The model is developed by using the DES tools provided by the SIMIO simulation software. The proposed tool is able to carry out evaluations of the system using a 3D user-friendly graphical interface that shows the dynamic evolution of the system over time. By using the proposed simulation model, the results of this paper illustrate how the levels of productivity may vary by reducing micro-downtime of machines, when transport rates and other problem features are properly changed with them.