Response Time Reduction through Rapid Modelling Technology in PCB Production

In the framework of the globalized market, industries look inward, struggling to find ways to reduce response time, improve quality and cut costs. In recent years, the industries have been affected by the economic slump due to the challenge of competition by low-wage countries. The development of the concept of Quick Response Manufacturing showed that, to compete on speed, manufacturing companies must change the management mind-set and reduce lead times throughout the organization. As a factory’s work-in-process, lead times, and capacity are the result of complex dynamics in the production system, to predict whether a decision will improve lead times, it is necessary to be able to forecast both process and queue times. An interesting approach based on techniques in queuing network modelling, called Rapid Modelling Technology (RMT), was utilised for complex shop floor operations modelling with pre-built mathematical equations and fast lead time calculations on a PC; a user-friendly program based on RMT is the MPX© software package. In this paper, the evaluation of human and economic resources of a printed circuit board manufacturing company is analysed through RMT using MPX©.