Digital plant: methods of discrete-event modeling and optimization of production characteristics

This article presents a new approach to the development of a ‘digital twin’ of a manufacturing enterprise, using a television manufacturing plant as the case study. The feature of the proposed approach is the use of hybrid methods of agent-based modeling and discrete-event simulation in order to implement a simulation model of a complex production process for assembling final products from supplied components. The most important requirement for such a system is the integration of all key chains of a digital plant: conveyor lines, warehouses with components and final products (TVs), sorting and conveyor system, assembly unit, technical control department, packing unit, etc. The proposed simulation model is implemented in the AnyLogic system, which supports the possibility of using agent-based and discrete-event modeling methods within one model. The system also supports using the built-in genetic algorithm to optimize the main parameters of the model: the most important production characteristics (for example, assembly time of a product, the number of employees involved in assembly, quality control and packaging processes). Optimization experiments were completed with the help of the developed model at various intensities of loading conveyor lines with components, various restrictions on labor resources, etc. Three scenarios of the production system behavior are investigated: the absence of the components deficit with the possibility of significantly increasing the labor resource involved, a components deficit while demand for final products is maintained, and the presence of hard restrictions on the number of employees who can be involved in the processes under conditions of components deficit.