Modeling and Simulation for Decision Making in Sustainable and Resilient Assembly System Selection

Resiliency requires manufacturing system adaptability to internal and external changes, such as quick responses to customer needs, supply chain disruptions, and markets changes, while still controlling costs and quality. Sustainability requires simultaneous consideration of the economic, environmental, and social implications associated with the production and delivery of goods. Due to increasing complexity, the engineering of a production system is a knowledge-intensive process. In this paper, a summary of system adaptation methods are shown, and a holistic methodology for the assembly equipment and system modeling and evaluation is explained. The aim here is to bring resiliency and sustainability considerations into the early decision-making process. The methodology is based on estimations on system performance, using discrete event simulation run results, or other process modeling methods, and the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPI), such as Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), connected to cost parameters and environmental aspects analysis. Overall, it is a tool developed through multiple projects for design specification reviews and improvements, trade-off analysis, and investments justification.