Production Systems Simulation Considering Non-productive Times and Human Factors

For decades and all around the world, the main goal of industries is financial and economic profit. Lately, new approaches additionally aim to better the operator’s working conditions. With the help of simulation, these approaches can be tested in a much cheaper, faster and easier manner before real-life implementation. In this paper, new strategies have been tested to improve working conditions for the operator while maintaining high performance and productivity. The implementation of human factors and margins of maneuver into a production system is explored to improve working conditions through non-productive times. One main non-productive time is considered: unnecessary movement. A model describing a real-life scenario is suggested, as well as strategies to reduce and leverage non-productive times.