Modeling an AGV Automobile Body-Framing System

10 Pages Posted: 10 Jul 2017

See all articles by James H. Bookbinder

James H. Bookbinder

University of Waterloo

Terry Kotwa

General Motors Corporation - Car Body Assembly Plant

Date Written: June 28, 2016

Abstract

General Motors of Canada is undertaking a multimillion-dollar modernization of its Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant. Automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) and a substantial amount of robotics and other automation will be used in the body-framing area. We developed a computer simulation model to estimate the minimum number of AGVs required to meet reliability the minimum targeted output. We found the framing system could produce 20 percent more cars per shift, but this increase beyond the target would require acquisition of 70 percent more AGVs. We also found that the system output was relatively insensitive to the cycle time of the automation cells and to the failure rates of three critical process stations.

Suggested Citation

Bookbinder, James H. and Kotwa, Terry, Modeling an AGV Automobile Body-Framing System (June 28, 2016). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2801778 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2801778

James H. Bookbinder (Contact Author)

University of Waterloo ( email )

Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
Canada

Terry Kotwa

General Motors Corporation - Car Body Assembly Plant ( email )

Oshawa, L1G 1K7
Canada

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