Simulation of a Laundry Industry Process

This assignment is about simulating a laundry industry process using DELMIA QUEST software. The project aimed to replicate the real-world process of laundry operations and identify key elements such as Source, Machine, Buffer, and Sink that are essential for smooth execution. The student applied their knowledge of Manufacturing Engineering to complete the project and consulted published journals and research papers for further study. The simulation was used to analyze production performance and optimize design.

COMPETENCY
DEMONSTRATION REPORT
Career Episode 1
ZAKARIA AFRAH

CE 1.1 Project Information
Name of the project: Production Performance of a Laundry Industry Using a Simulation
Method
Location of the project: Malaysia
Project Duration: January 2015
Organization: Kuliyyah of Engineering - International Islamic University Malaysia
Role and Designation during the time: Team Member
CE 1.2 Project Background
CE 1.2.1 Characteristics of the project
In many of the developed production systems, inclusion of engineering scienc is the
feature around which many problems occur. Among the various number of production systems
or industries, laundry engineering’s production performance has to be evaluated in this project.
Simulation of the project can be made to work in different situations, for example; technology
simulation for the use in performance optimization, engineering safety, and optimum use of
cutting speed for various other operations. Among the various software’s, DELMIA QUEST has
been picked to help in the simulation the laundry industry procedure and try to evaluate its
production performance.

CE 1.2.2 Objectives developed for the project
The following objectives were put forward for the development of the project:
 To simulate a good laundry industry processing with the help of DELMIA Quest.
 To study the effect of production parameters on the production performance using Design
Expert.
 To develop a mathematical equivalent model of the responses.
CE 1.2.3 My area of work
I was in charge of doing the identification of process flow for the laundry industry
system. I had also worked on the simulation of the process flow using DELMIA QEUST. I was
also in charge of doing the documentation procedure of the project after I had completed doing
the test run and implementations on the project module created.

CE 1.2.4 Project Group
Figure 1: The hierarchy of the project
CE 1.2.5 My responsibilities throughout the project
For the implementation of the project I was in charge of doing the identification of
process flow for the laundry industry system. I had also applied my skills and helped my project
team for the simulation of the process flow using DELMIA QEUST. Apart form this I had also
conducted different test on the completed project and then had compiled the findings into a
documentation for submission in my university.

CE 1.3 Distinctive Activity
CE 1.3.1 Comprehending the theory of the project
Production frequency over a time period is a thing that can be applied effort and regularly
improved. Without determining what the procedure is, there are always certain amount of areas
that slower down the overall procedure and cause inconsistency, hence there is a decrease in the
productivity. Margin of unpunctuality and inconsistency is high in the above tasks. On the other
hand, machines used for the washing, drying and ironing are subjected to an amount of
breakdowns and failures, and a decent amount of time is to be required for maintenance. The
problem of bottleneck which occurs due to the maximum utilization of machines in the course
can be resolved by varying the amount of machines, buffer capacity size, and material time of
input at the bottleneck positioning.
CE 1.3.2 Engineering knowledge and skills applied in the project
During the project, I had inspected and checked all the different modules and machines
used for the project. In modelling of the project, the flow process of the laundry operation, apart
from the created parts that represent bunch of clothes (1 part = 20 piece of clothes). There are
some essential elements that are required for the execution of the simulation smoothly like:
Source, Machine, Buffer and Sink.
I had used my knowledge of Manufacturing Engineering to complete the working of the
project. For further research on the topic I had studied published journals research papers. In
addition to that, I had checked and removed any parts which needed working during the
implementation of the project. . In modelling of the project, the flow process of the laundry
operation, apart from the created parts that represent bunch of clothes (1 part = 20 piece of

clothes). There are some essential elements that are required for the execution of the simulation
smoothly like: Source, Machine, Buffer and Sink.
CE 1.3.3 Accomplishment and task performed
Simulation of a process is the replication of the process of some real-world process or a
system over a period of time. A sample of the process is need to be created as the first required
stage in simulation procedure, this sample shows the vital input and output parameters of the
chosen system.
There are several well developed and programmed software’s that helps in the study of
the parameters and their subsequent effect on a process or product and select the most significant
case from them and improve the design. Design Expert and Minitab are examples of similar such
software’s. Design Expert has been used in the project. Simulation of a procedure can be used in
several different situations, for example; technology simulation for the positive effect on
performance optimization, optimum cutting speed which is to be used for various operations and
safety engineering, video games, and training. It is also used alongside different scientific
modelling of normal human systems to get awareness into the functioning procedure. Among the
simulation software’s in the market, DELMIA QUEST has been picked to simulate the project -
laundry industry process and help in the evaluation of its production performance.
DELMIA QUEST has been used to simulate many different case, other factory layout with
the help of the entities and opinions given in the software. After the collection of the data related
to a process parameters in the project and process flow in the system, DELMIA QUEST is used
to design the system and analyses the production performance of the project. For the project we
had chosen DELMIA over the other available software’s simply for the reason of its uniqueness
and simplicity.

CE 1.3.4 Identified issues and their solutions
1.3.4.1 Issues
The major problem which I faced during the development of the project was the
modelling of the proposed system. At the stages of modelling, it was difficult to divide the parts
into the three main procedures: the dry cleaning, the washing and the curtain cleaning according
to the ratios: 0.3, 0.5, and 0.2 respectively. While trying to have the optimal length for the
system, I found the problem of having high amount of idle time for the machine which was due
to the fact that the machines were having less parts in them and high amount of run time
1.3.4.2 Solutions
Few of the changes that had been made to the system on a later stage enabled it to
produce the parts in a cycle of 10. Every time 10 parts were inserted into the system, 3 of them
were taken to a Dry Cleaning procedure, 5 of them to a Washing procedure, and the remaining 2
to a Curtain cleaning procedure. After solving this problem related to optimal length execution
for the system, the utility of the machines got increased especially for the first Machine and
almost reached to a 100%.
CE 1.3.5 Plan to produce creative and innovative work
In order to provide the university with an innovative and creative work, I had broken the
entire task into several parts. Although the study was dedicated to the domain of laundry
industry, the idea, the proposed parameters, and methodology used can be implemented
everywhere, like in a hospital, in an office or in an industry where manufacturing of goods or
service is done.

CE 1.3.6 Collaborative work
I was able to gain hands on experience and also gained significant knowledge on different
machine parts and the working procedure of each of them. My team mates had helped me to
understand the working of the different equipment’s that had been used in the project. I had
regularly communicated with the department head of the project who had helped me to complete
the project smoothly and provide the best quality project.
CE 1.4 Project Review
CE 1.4.1 Project Overview
The objectives which were set during the initiation of this project had been fulfilled
completely. I was able to simulate a laundry procedure of the industry by means of DELMIA
QUEST. The provided objects in the software that helped us in the development of the perfect
opening from the coming of the clothes, passing through the different processes like washing,
dry washing to the deliver the finished goods. Me and my team mates also planned the tests
using a software named Design Expert and calculated the effect of manufacture factors which
also includes the number of machines, material arrival frequency, and the buffer size on the
manufacture performance.
CE 1.4.2 My contribution to work
As a production engineer I was able to be involved into the project which helped be to
widen my knowledge and the professional activities. I have also gained recognition and
appreciation for the skills of a production engineer which I had applied during the

implementation of this project. I had analysed the parts of the project and the working procedure
to find the best route to follow during the implementation of this project.