Using simulation for balancing a line of power plugs

Purpose – This paper presents a simulation study carried out to analyse a balancing solution for a line of power plugs. This line is used in the classroom (course of Advanced Simulation in the master programme of Management and Industrial Engineering, University of Aveiro, Portugal) as a lean living lab to illustrate the utilization of Lean Manufacturing tools.
Design/methodology/approach – The curricular unit is based on an experiential approach that involves, in the first part, the utilization of simulation games and, in the second part, the development of computer simulation models. The work uses a discrete-event simulation (DES) approach to analyse the assembly line of power plugs in order to increase its throughput and overall productivity. The study involved the comparison of two design alternatives for the assembly line and the selection of the best scenario for a given set of performance measures.
Findings – The use of simulation allows the students to make a more comprehensive analysis of the line and to identify factors that could improve the efficiency of the system. Thus, simulation is a valuable tool to evaluate different line configurations through the comparison of several key performance indicators supporting the decision-making process.
Originality/value – The pedagogical practices used in the course of Advanced Simulation of the master programme are innovative and the exploitation of a modelling technique such as simulation is certainly a successful approach to promote visual, interactive and problem-based learning strategies, and to bridge the gap between academia and industry by guiding industrial engineering students through the resolution of real industry (and service) problems using simulation models.

Cristiana Teixeira é licenciada em Engenharia e Gestão Industrial pela Universidade de Aveiro, sendo atualmente aluna do mestrado em Engenharia e Gestão Industrial da Universidade de Aveiro. Encontra-se a desenvolver o seu trabalho de dissertação na área da gestão da qualidade, mais especificamente na implementação de sistemas de gestão da qualidade e ambiental de acordo com as normas ISO 9001:2015 e 14001:2015.
Maria J. Rosa é Professora Auxiliar no Departamento de Economia, Gestão e Engenharia Industrial da Universidade de Aveiro e Investigadora no CIPES – Centro de Investigação em políticas do Ensino Superior. Os seus principais tópicos de investigação centram-se na gestão da qualidade e na avaliação da qualidade em instituições de ensino superior. As suas publicações incluem artigos em revistas, tais como a Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, Quality Assurance in Education,, European Journal of Education e Quality in Higher Education. É coeditora dos livros ‘Quality Assurance in Higher Education. Trends in Regulation, Translation and Transformation’ (2007) e ‘Quality Assurance in Higher Education Contemporary Debates’.

Cristiana Teixeira has a degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from the University of Aveiro and is currently a students of the master program in Industrial Engineering and Management of the University of Aveiro. She is developing now her master dissertation in the area of quality management,more specifically in the implementation of quality management and environmental systems according to the ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 standards.
Maria João Rosa is assistant professor at the Department of Economics, Management and Industrial Engineering at the University of Aveiro and a researcher at Cipes – Center for Research in Higher Education Policies. Her main research topics are quality management and quality assessment in higher education institutions. Publications include articles in journals such as Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, Quality Assurance in Education, European Journal of Education and Quality in Higher Education. She is co-editor of ‘Quality Assurance in Higher Education. Trends in Regulation, Translation and Transformation’ (2007) and ‘Quality Assurance in Higher Education. Contemporary Debates’

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Decision-making, Line balancing, Pedagogical practices, Simulation.