PROBLEM STATEMENT

An FMS to manufacture the engine of a car will be modeled to evaluate the design and
performance. The system will be modeled as a closed CANQ and also as a Petri Net. Consider
push system operation. The estimated demand for the engine blocks is about 100,000 per year.
The engine block consists of three pieces.

• Top Cover
• Engine Block
• Base Cover

The operations to be performed on workpieces are:

Loading/Unloading: Manned loading and unloading system (Station 1)

Face Milling: CNC Horizontal Machining Center (Station 2)
Drilling & Tapping: CNC Drilling and Threading Machining Center (Station 3)
Boring Operation: CNC Horizontal Boring Machine (station 4)

The parts will be manufactured on these four stations as given above. The process planning and
routings are given in table below for one server in each station.

Process Plan Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Station 4

Top Cover 5 Min 5 Min 6 Min 5 Min
Engine Block 8 Min 15 Min 8 Min 20 Min
Base cover 5 Min 5 Min 4 Min 4 Min
Cost per Sever 4,000 US$ 200,000 US$ 250,000 US$ 300,000 US$

The cost of the AGV system including 3 AGV’s is 120,000 US$. Each additional AGV cost
30,000 US$.

The labor cost per hour is 10 US$.

For the rate of return use 20% and for the amortization of the machine use 10 years.

The workpieces are mounted on pallets at the loading station. An AGV system transports the full
and empty pallets between all the stations. Only station 1 is manned. Determine the optimal
system.

Part 1: Use a Petri Net model to optimize the system.

Part 2: Use a CANQ to optimize the system.
Part 3: Compare the Petri Net solution with CANQ solution.
Part 4: How will the performance be effected when the Top Cover and Base Cover are mounted
on a single pallet instead of each on one pallet? Use Petri Net and CANQ models to
support your answer. What will happen when the demand falls to half?

DR. S.A.Shah
MED, UET, Peshawar.