Application of computer simulation experiment and response surface methodology for productivity improvement in a continuous production line: Case study

This study focused solely on a paint manufacturing industry in Iran that will help managers to effectively manage their enterprise. The goal of this paper is to integrate simulation modeling along with response surface methodology (RSM) and design of experiments (DOE) in order to analyze and improve the productivity in a selected continuous paint manufacturing industry. Computer simulation is developed to propose different scenarios as the inputs of DOE. Based on the final results, the optimum productivity was achieved at the point of 93.5, that is relevant to the number of labor (B) = 26 and failure time of lifter (C) = 56.01 min. Moreover, the other two factors, A (service rate of delpak mixer) and D (number of permil) should be located at a low level. Quality and production managers, engineers as well as academicians can implement the results of the current study in other case studies. This approach can be generalized to other manufacturing systems to improve their productivity in a timely and cost-effective manner. Keywords: Bottlenecks, Case study, Computer simulation, Design of experiments (DOE), Manufacturing system, Productivity, Response surface methodology (RSM