Built-In Lean Management Tools in Simulation Modeling

The paper presents an approach for integrating Lean management tools, value-added analysis and Yamazumi charts, with simulation modeling in order to analyze the behavior of certain types of production systems. This is accomplished through the development of a set of high-level, operational, task-oriented instructions that are based on production engineering means and language. This is in contrast to the more traditional simulation modeling approach that uses lower-level, logic-oriented instructions that are based on the means and language of computer programming. The paper defines the approach and its implementation and its application is illustrated through a simple manufacturing cell example.