SimCar

What is SimCar?

• SimCar is a real-life case study for a group of at least 15 students.
• It shows an assembly line where concepts of balancing production lines and strategies of material staging can be demonstrated

In the commissioning of an assembly line, on which a large number of variants can be manufactured, the challenges from the point of view of production and logistics are concentrated as if in one focal point. 

Students’ tasks

• Connect the assembly line to other production areas of the workflow
• Balance the lines
• Integrate the system into existing logistic processes and structures

Goal

• Cycle times for the assembly line should be as short as possible 
• Inventory at the assembly line should be as low as possible 

 The project team has one semester 

• to define the products’ module structure (distribution of assembly task between pre-assembly and final assembly). 
• to balance the assembly line.
• to determine the information shown to the operators at their workstations.
• to plan the materials supply and material staging.

 Procedure

• At the assembly line, more than 300 variants of Lego® cars can be assembled at five workstations
• Directly connected to the assembly line, there is an area for pre-assembling and sequencing
• Modules are prepared for final just-in-time or just-in-sequence staging to the assembly line
• All workstations are equipped with an information system for operators
• Finished Lego® cars are disassembled in a separate disassembly area
• The disassembly area works as supplier so the material cycle is closed

To prove that the concept they developed is working, the project group must operate the system over a period of two hours.

Planned extensions

• Automated optical inspection
• Smart material staging
• RFID-supported assembly line