Simulation of flow lines in clothing manufacture. Part 1: model construction

Presents research into the improvement of flow‐line assembly systems. Aims to understand and improve the design and control of manually intensive flow‐line assembly in the clothing industry. A simulation model of the progressive bundle system has been constructed, incorporating operator performance variations and learning effects, machine failure and repair, operator absenteeism, quality failure and supervisory control. While the operator performance data and the stochastic variables are handled satisfactorily within the simulation, the problems of control are not handled well by conventional discrete event modelling techniques. Adopts a knowledge‐based approach to control in which an online computerized supervisor exercises control over the execution of the simulation run. Complex system models are not easy to validate and a four‐stage approach is used to demonstrate conformance with real‐world systems: qualification; face validity; modular validation; and time‐series system behaviour. Discusses applications of the model and the results of experiments with a line starting work on a new style.