1 Improving Distribution Process using Lean 2 Manufacturing and Simulation : A case of Mexican 3 Seafood Packer Company 4

During the last decades, the production systems have developed different strategies to 15 increase their competitiveness in the global market. In a manufacturing and services systems, Lean 16 Manufacturing has been consolidated through the correct implementation of its tools. The present 17 paper presents a case study developed in a Food Packer company where a Simulation Model was 18 considered as an alternative to reduce the waste time generated by the poor distribution of 19 operations and transportation areas for a product within the factory. As a matter of fact, the 20 company has detected problems on the layout distribution that prevents to fulfill the market 21 demand. In addition, the principal aim was to create a simulation model to test different 22 hypothetical scenarios and alternative designs for the layout distribution without modifying its 23 facilities. Moreover, the implemented methodology was based on classical models of simulation 24 projects and a compendium of the manufacturing systems optimization by simulation process used 25 during the last ten years. Also, a mathematic model supported by the Promodel ® simulation 26 software was developed considering the company characteristics; along with the model 27 development, it was possible to compare the production system performance from the percentage 28 of used locations, the percentage of resources utilization, the number of finished products, and the 29 level of Work in Process (WIP). Finally, the verification and validation stages were performed 30 before running the scenarios in the real production area. The results generated by the 31 implementation of the project represent an increase of 68% in the production capacity and a 32 reduction of 5% in the WIP. In addition, both outcomes are associated with the resources 33 management, which were reassigned to other production areas. 34

Therefore, it is clear that in this strategy the main idea is to identify the potential of the human 48 resources and give them the right preparation to develop their leaders as Toyota has been doing it 49 during the last decades [4,5]. localization. Also, this strategy is not only focused on logistics but also on increasing the service level 58 by reducing the distance between customer and supplier. However, the strategy is not only building 59 new facilities, it is based on creating alliances and identifying business opportunities with micro, 60 small, and middle companies that may produce the quantity and the quality demanded by the 61 customers. All these efforts are centered on reducing distances and logistics costs, in other words, 62 managing the supply chain.

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As a consequence from the new age technology implementation, many companies have been 64 adopting another type of strategies focused on increasing their productivity, reduce their costs, and 65 optimize their resources [10]. For instance, these technologies are lean manufacturing, six sigma, 66 automatization, additive manufacturing, new materials, among others.

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Due to the complexity of these plans or strategies, having access to them is difficult because 68 they are (in many cases) available only for organizations that have enough capital to reach them. In 69 other cases where the companies do not have enough resources, the alternative to deploy 70 improvement actions is to develop the appropriate adaptations to complex plans, strategies or 71 methodologies, as well as to create a better plan [11]. In this way, micro, small, and medium size

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Moreover, being involved in dynamical changes to improve strategies, some national and 78 international companies have performed simulation as a strategy and tool to improve their capital 79 flow, money savings, as well as creating a new way to take decisions according to their developing 80 process [14]. Since simulation was available for manufacturers, it is one of the most rentable ways to 81 improve and optimize a manufacturer and service systems. Also, with the appropriate management 82 and implementation of simulation tools, it is possible to reproduce the system in a computer 83 environment integrating as many as possible variables. Consequently, different scenarios to take an 84 adequate decision according to the company needs may be created [15].

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As soon as the simulation was available for manufacturers and education systems, software 86 developers have created new alternatives for the users. In other words, the variety of alternatives 87 went from a general solution to the customized solutions depending on the user needs [16]. Also, the 88 simulation as a strategy of global competition, the construction of separate events that are used to 89 reproduce some real manufacturing situations was more and more common. Although, the 90 increment in the cases of simulation from separate events was positive, the diversification of 91 simulation cases started to be complex. For this reason, the use of the simulation as an alternative of 92 solving problems have generated three types of manufacturing simulation systems: system design, First, a manufacturing system design is the development of simulation scenarios aimed to 96 design alternatives from production areas that are not installed inside a production flow. In other 97 words, this manufacturing system has been subdivided into the general system design and facility 98 layout, material handling systems design, cellular manufacturing system design, and flexible 99 manufacturing system design. In addition, the manufacturing facilities design is one of the most 100 crucial factors that affect the development of the company regarding its capacity, which determine 101 the manufacturing system performance. Also, a practical layout may reduce manufacturing costs 102 generated by the materials transportation, assembles and sub-assembles inside the production area.

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In this case, a separate event simulation is an appropriate tool to evaluate the layout and discover 104 potential areas of improvement by evaluating different layout alternatives [17].

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Second, a manufacturing system operation is integrated by manufacturing planning and 106 scheduling operations, maintenance planning and scheduling operations, real-time control, and 107 operating policies. In one hand, the difference on the manufacturing system design is that the 108 simulation is focused on facilities and the production flow. On the other hand, the manufacturing 109 system operation is defined by management activities; this system integrates the decisions taken by

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As a matter of fact, Lean Manufacturing has been used for the continuous improvement 127 systems in the past, with simulation as an economic optimization strategy and improved systems,

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Lean has increased its power as a tool, changing the perspective from many companies through the 129 adaptation and imitation of simulation success cases on their own companies [25].

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In addition, the present paper describes the application of Lean Manufacturing improvement 131 supported by simulation modeling applied in a Seafood Packer Company located in Ensenada City,

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Mexico. The principal aim was to develop a simulation model to test different layout distributions 133 and generate alternatives to increase the company productivity; the company has identified several 134 problems with the layout distribution within the production area. Also, the main project was to 135 redesign the layout focusing to reduce covered distances by the personnel production during the 136 seafood package process, trying to keep the process as linear as possible. Finally, one of the most 137 significant restrictions associated with the distribution design was the existence of critic 138 cross-contamination points where the product was affected by external factors. In addition, 139 considering that the cross-contamination points is a critical restriction, it was necessary to create 140 production parallel lines to improve the flow process in a linear way, eliminating blocks, stoppages,

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The methodology in the present paper was integrated according to Figure

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Particularly, the model integrates as much as possible elements from a real system, always 163 considering this rule: "If there are more details, there will be more information, and with more 164 information, more complexity". Also, it is important to highlight that these models have analogical 165 characteristics that make their development as if they were real models.

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In order to acquire a result to analyze and define the characteristics from the original 199 production system, it was essential to develop the Value Stream Map (VSM) to identify and measure 200 the times for the processes, because it is focused in two products, that's why it was crucial to create a 201 VSM for each product. In addition, Figure

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As it has been mentioned, it was impossible to re-design the building, because its structure is 222 old, and it is integrated by different rooms. Also, the owners of the company declare that in this 223 moment is impossible to move out to another facility because of logistic reasons. In addition, Figure   224 6, shows the areas distribution. Moreover, the first impression to improve the system was to reduce the internal logistic. In 230 order to carry out this analysis, it was fundamental to replicate the layout with the paths that 231 employees have covered to perform production activities. Additionally, Figure 8

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As a matter of fact, after defining the VSM and the layout, it was required to define the net used 238 by employees during the process. In addition, the following data was the principal input to design       In addition, it is relevant to mention that this model required modules to supply all the input 308 data required to perform the simulation. In addition, the capacity provided in Capacity Inputs

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indicates the number of work areas in each process, as well as the schedule cycles for workers to 310 operate. Also, these processed help in determining the amount of capacity that is received; specific 311 data were required for processing each product such as setup, load-unload time, production rates, 312 processing batch size, and flow line. Finally, the simulation team could customize the simulation 313 experiment in the model, such as employees, route distance, and other characteristics.

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Furthermore, Table 1 Table 3 represents the location summary before the re-design. Particularly, the percentage of 325 utilization associated with each location is less than 25% in most of them. In addition, it is detected 326 that the location Matadero 2 is the location with the highest percentage of utilization.

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By the same token, Table 4 shows the data associated with resources in the original 331 process. It is possible to identify that the employees 4, 5, 6, and 7 have a low percentage of 332 utilization, between 0.5 and 5%. Actually, the reason of this low utilization is due to different 333 perform activities in separated areas of the process and company, which are carry out by workers.

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According to the new design of the logic distribution for the process, the result is favorable to 338 achieve the production objective. In Table 5, the number of total exits increases positively for the 339 EZR and EZM finished product, reducing the WIP level. Also, Table 6 presents the percentage 340 reduction in move logic and increase the blocked percentage generated by the WIP.

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In addition, Table 7 shows the location summary before the re-design. The percentage of 347 utilization associated with each location is under 25% in most of them. Also, it is perceived that the    products. In addition, the simulation output was verified by the production department and the 365 proposed model was implemented in the real process. Also, the real data was 99% equal than the 366 simulation model.

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Given these limitations, the adoption of these tools should be based on the conviction of the

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Definitely, the difference between the two strategies is the distance reduction on the work area 401 and operations, increasing the total exits generated by the new distribution. In addition, there are 402 other effects associated with these modifications, such as resource utilization, work areas, and WIP.

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Also, the simulation of the process provides its projection considering the layout design and 404 restrictions.

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In fact, along with the planning process capacity, the simulation model was able to validate the 407 production sequencing and distance distribution between the work areas, considering the product 408 demand. Therefore, developing the simulation model is an advantage for the planners who are also 409 able to use the model to improve their system. It can be stated that these changes expose other