Creating a Concept and Modelling a Lean Management Simulation Game in Plant Simulation

Abstract

Material flow technology has undergone significant development over time. While production processes were initially characterized by manual individual solutions, the introduction of mass production in the early 20th century—especially through Henry Ford’s assembly line principle—revolutionized industrial manufacturing. However, this production method also led to high inventories, long throughput times, and limited flexibility. In response to these challenges, Toyota developed the Toyota Production System (TPS) in the 1950s, which laid the foundation for Lean Management. By applying principles such as waste reduction, just-in-time production, and continuous improvement (Kaizen), more efficient and flexible manufacturing became possible. Today, Lean Production represents a global standard in industrial manufacturing, aiming at resource efficiency, quality enhancement, and delivery reliability. At the same time, material flow technology plays a crucial role in optimizing production and logistics processes, reducing costs, and strengthening competitiveness. Digitalization, especially discrete-event simulation, enables detailed analysis and optimization of material flow. Using software solutions such as Tecnomatix Plant Simulation, companies can model, simulate, and improve complex material flow systems prior to physical implementation.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the theoretical foundations of Lean Production and material flow technology, as well as their practical application in a simulation game. The focus is on evaluating the effectiveness of Lean tools such as 5S, SMED, TPM, and Poka Yoke, and on examining the influence of takt, flow, and pull principles on production performance. The results of the simulation game provide a basis for practice-oriented recommendations for implementing Lean Production in real production environments. Furthermore, the thesis investigates a simulation-based training system for conveying Lean methods. Through a simulation study, the effectiveness of optimization measures in a model factory is evaluated, aiming to derive relevant insights for improving production processes and quantifying the impact of Lean methods on material flow efficiency.