13/03/2024 Meeting and Progress
- mohshaat12
- Mar 13, 2024
- 2 min read
As recommended by my supervisor, Mehnaz, earlier, I included a related works section in my report focusing on Amazon to understand the techniques they have used to improve efficiency. I conducted research and explored various aspects of Amazon's operations and technology. This included an examination of Amazon's inception with Jeff Bezos in 1994 and its growth into the largest digital marketplace. Additionally, I investigated how Amazon utilizes advanced technology such as robots like Hercules and Proteus in their warehouses to streamline operations. Furthermore, I learned about their implementation of digital twin technology to enhance warehouse operations. This research provided insights into how Amazon combines technology and human expertise to optimize their fulfillment processes. Moreover, I discussed my peer presentation with my supervisor and presented to her my first testing stage (which is explained in the next half of my report), and she was satisfied with it. We also discussed various ways to improve my upcoming plant simulation models, including potential enhancements to the NX model itself (such as extending the lid slide).
During the last two weeks, I spent time working on my peer presentation, which is a significant milestone for me in preparing for my final presentation. One of the important topics I mentioned in the presentation is my first testing phase in which I was working on during that time. As shown in the video below, this is the model I used to monitor the changes in my system. I tried to make my model look as close as possible to the physical model. As depicted, it consists of three sources (one for each workpiece color) with a five-second interval between each of them. Then, the workpieces go through the distribution station, where the processing time takes 13 seconds, followed by the pick-and-place station, where the processing time takes 10 seconds, and finally, the sorting station, where the sorting time takes around 6 seconds. All this data was extracted from the physical system and my code for it (as shown in my previous blog). The palettes in this case refer to the lids of the workpieces.
Video: Plant Simulation model of my MPS System
After incorporating a failure percentage of 10% as recommended by my supervisor, which is the average failure percentage used on stations, I recorded the throughput to be about 183 workpieces per hour. Since my goal was to increase the throughput to improve efficiency, I reduced the processing time between stations (and in my TIA-Portal code) by 30% to avoid congestion and longer waiting times at stations. As a result, the throughput jumped to almost 230 workpieces being sorted per hour, as shown in the figure below. That represents a 27% increase in throughput.
Figure: Drain statistics showing a 27% increase in throughput per hour
The figure below shows the Drain statistics before applying the changes.
Figure: Drain statistics before applying changes
Comments