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Simulation Applied for Bottling techniques |
In 2004, KHS Maschinen- und Anlagenbau AG, located in Dortmund, Germany, started the selection of a simulation tool for plant layout and planning. KHS Maschinen- und Anlagenbau AG is a global supplier for machines in the beverage industry, ranging from stand-alone machines to complete production lines. After 3 months of market research, tests and interviews with software and solution providers, the decision was made in favour of Enterprise Dynamics (ED).
Important specifications for the new simulation software were:
- 2D- and 3D modeling capabilities of new objects
- Powerful process visualization
- Implementation of control logic
These requirements must allow simulation experts at KHS to make effective adjustments to existing production lines or single machines installed in the bottling and packaging industry. The visualization must provide the sales staff and customers with a realistic and easy to understand view of the future system. Furthermore, practical solutions played an important role.
These can be combined in the "end user acceptability" of the simulation software tool. That means that sales people, project planning employees or the customers themselves should be able to run the simulation model and change parameters within the model even without (special) simulation knowledge. In October 2004 the ED software package was officially acquired. After one year of experience with the software, the high demands and wishes at the beginning have been confirmed.
Software implementation and training of was completed quite quickly. Furthermore, a KHS specific modelling library and the standardized use of that library on several PCs have been realised clearly ahead of schedule.
The economic benefit of a simulation tool is difficult to prove before implementation. These include the personal experiences and project usability as well. It is only possible to refer to the successes of other companies and to convince the persons in charge (in-house) of the future success with such a simulation tool. In fact in several past projects, the production line planning was optimized.The resulting effects of capital investment already exceed the implementation costs several times over including the simulation experts for the first year.
At "drinctec" in Munich - the world's most important exhibition for the beverage industry - KHS introduced their area of logistic expertise for the first time. The main part of this was the utilisation of Enterprise Dynamics. The feed-back demonstrated that KHS made the right decision to purchase Enterprise Dynamics software.
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