Simulation-Based Decision Support System to Improve Material Flow of a Textile Company

Vítor Silva, Luís Pinto Ferreira, Francisco J. G. Silva, Benny Tjahjono and Paulo Ávila
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Vítor Silva: School of Engineering, Polytechnic of Porto, ISEP, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal
Luís Pinto Ferreira: School of Engineering, Polytechnic of Porto, ISEP, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal
Francisco J. G. Silva: School of Engineering, Polytechnic of Porto, ISEP, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal
Benny Tjahjono: Centre for Business in Society, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
Paulo Ávila: School of Engineering, Polytechnic of Porto, ISEP, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-11

Abstract: To remain competitive, companies must continuously improve the processes at hand, be they administrative, production, or logistics. The objective of the study described in this paper was to develop a decision-making tool based on a simulation model to support the production of knits and damask fabrics. The tool was used to test different control strategies for material flow, from the raw material warehouse to the finished product warehouse, and thus can also be used to evaluate the impacts of these strategies on the productivity. The data upon which the decision support tool was built were collected from five sectors of the plant: the raw material warehouse, knit production, damask production, finishing work, and the finished product warehouse. The decision support tool met the objectives of the project, with all five strategies developed showing positive results. Knit and damask production rates increased by up to 8% and 44%, respectively, and a reduction of 75% was observed in the waiting time on the point of entry to the finishing work area, compared to the company’s existing system.

Keywords: decision support system; simulation; control strategies; materials flow (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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