The Maschhoffs analyzed different supply chain modeling packages in tandem with a group of graduate business students from Washington University at St. Louis. As part of a special project with the company, the students evaluated dozens of solutions. Arena software was their No. 1 recommendation.
“The Arena application provided total flexibility that allowed us to model anything we needed,” Dugan said. “We also felt we’d get a good return on our investment.”
Arena’s flowchart modeling methodology made it easy to build a logistics process flow. Drag-and-drop elements and structures simplify simulation building and visualization. The software also features builtin dynamic dashboards for model analysis.
The Rockwell Automation team, who began immersing themselves in the daily operations of the business, spent weeks onsite at the Carlyle headquarters to understand The Maschhoffs’ operations and business parameters. To create the baseline models, the Rockwell Automation team sampled the flow of pigs through the system for several weeks, tracking them by age. They also looked at the health status of the sow farms where pigs are born, which affects the quantity of pigs released into the system.
Arena’s simulations matched flow size to site size and type, maintained that weaning pigs, for example, weren’t sent to farms with large pens intended for finishing. Other variables for the early models included the costs of different facilities, known as yardage costs, as well as facility capacity and annual feed costs. Feed costs were based on projected demand according to the size and age of pigs, and the nearest feed mill. And because pigs from different sources can introduce new diseases, the project team also designed the models to identify and track the movements of common groups from one location to another.
In the midst of the buildout, The Maschhoffs issued a new challenge to the implementation team: They moved the final implementation date up by several months. The new target date reflected the growing urgency around the reorganization initiative and the need for a modeled regional analysis.
The Rockwell Automation team met the accelerated deadline. The result? Regional modeling and analysis pointed to four management regions, balancing efficiencies in flow, transportation and feed costs with the utilization of contracted sites.
“It was exactly what we needed,” said Dugan.
“The data allowed us to make timely recommendations on our new regions.”
After the first modeling phase was complete, the team made additional enhancements: loading live data and transforming the strategic application into a powerful operational decision tool.
“Going forward, we can use the Arena software to manage flow and capacity more efficiently, and give us the flexibility we need to adapt to changing site needs,” Dugan said.
The project team created a real world model by taking digital “snapshot” of the operation’s existing number and ages of pigs and their locations, inputting the data into tables. By repopulating the system with current data, The Maschhoffs can now run the model forward to see occupancy rates or various sites and flows – on a weekly basis, instead of annually, as in the past.
Now the operation can make timely business decisions based on a real world model that reflects all the variability in their system, clearly visualizing systemic effects of changes.
The Maschhoffs’ leadership is confident in the decision-making behind their new regional structure. They also envision many opportunities to forecast future demands using Arena to drive better asset decisions.
The results mentioned above are specific to The Maschhoffs’ use of Rockwell Automation products and services in conjunction with other products. Specific results may vary for other customers.