The Arena Solution

Based on prior experience, Burns & McDonnell opted to employ simulation software because of its ability to model realistic plant environments and test the impacts of various factory-floor modifications. Specifically, simulation software could test the impact that different combinations of packaging-line upgrades would have on the plant’s overall output before an investment was made in new packaging-line equipment. The team selected Rockwell Software® Arena® simulation software from Rockwell Automation for its exclusive features, successful experiences with the system, and the reputation of Rockwell Automation for providing ongoing project support.

Arena software works by analyzing the impact of new, what-if business ideas, rules and strategies before the implementation of a solution, without requiring any plant downtime. The software also features a packaging add-on that allowed Burns & McDonnell to specify conditions unique to a packaging line. In addition, the software’s input analyzer optimizes user experience by providing guidance on how to improve simulation input and scenarios.

The Burns & McDonnell team began by building a realistic plant environment within the Arena software by collecting a range of plant data. This was done to help the team understand the dynamic nature of how the plant functioned on both an enterprise wide and plant-floor level. Data collected and analyzed included overall plant capacity, production schedules, equipment reliability data, and equipment rates and capacities.

Once this data was collected, the team built a range for each piece of packaging equipment that provided an accurate picture of the machinery’s performance. To ensure that the model built in the Arena software accurately modeled the food manufacturer’s plant-floor environment, 150 days of simulation output were compared against six months of historical plant-floor data. The key results measured from both equipment reliability and line reliability were within 0.25 percent of each other, confirming that the team had created a realistic plant environment in which to test its simulations.

Armed with this information, Burns & McDonnell and the food manufacturer identified 42 different scenarios to test and evaluate. Four pieces of equipment on each line – the bundler, capper, tray former and palletizer – were individually analyzed to understand the improvement in production that was possible from each unit. The team also analyzed the outcome of a total system replacement where all four key pieces of machinery on each line were removed and replaced. For each scenario, a low, mid and high simulation were run to capture each piece of equipment’s range and establish a performance average over the course of 120 days of production. This enabled the team to capture the variability and dynamics that occur on a natural packaging line.