Almost a year and a half ago, when we started the programming for the simulation of internal logistics in the cardboard plants, we had to start with reliable starting data, and what better than real data. We used the production of an existing corrugator to see how we grouped the cardboard stacks within the vertical warehouse and how they circulated. Simulating reality digitally is to some extent easy and common sense because you can intuit the results. Its effect is none other than to show the real movement of the cardboard in a factory digitally, on a screen. Both the client and we all know what will happen or can happen. There is not the interest of the simulation.
The interesting project lies in being able to foresee the changes that will appear without having an “economic” accident of a bad investment. The objective of the digital simulation of internal logistics in cardboard factories should show and indicate the evolution and future of that factory. And that is not so simple….
It is at this point that we find the difficulty and value of the work that only a company with experience in logistics engineering and knowledge of corrugated cardboard machines can contribute to the company or client. When this strategy is adopted, the simulation is useful and its programming for that factory serves us more than once. The client only receives advantages:
- We anticipate problems that may arise and solve them before they happen by giving several alternatives at the same time.
- We can calculate the time we will save during the process.
- The experience is quickly gained in a process that is not yet implemented.
We identify even the most complex areas. - It is a technique applicable to any system, not just cardboard machines.
Being forward-thinking is good for everyone involved in the logistics process. The fact of being able to know what will happen if we apply a change in the factory gives us peace of mind. We all know that changes are sometimes not easy and accepting them can involve several positions within a company. But with a digital simulation, we have a compelling reason to make that change in the warehouse or factory.
