Wang, P; Mohamed, Y; Abourizk, S M and Rawa, A R T (2009) Flow production of pipe spool fabrication: Simulation to support implementation of lean technique. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 135(10), pp. 1027-1038. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Pipe spool fabrication is an important stage in industrial construction project delivery. It is a complex production system characterized by product uniqueness and high product mix, which pose challenges to the analysis and improvement of this system. This research applies lean production principles and flow production to shop fabrication, and uses a simulation-based approach as a tool to facilitate its implementation. The work described in the paper is based on a real case study undertaken with an Edmonton-based industrial construction contractor. The traditional batch-and-queue fabrication system and the new cell-based work flow fabrication systems were compared and analyzed. Simulation models were built to experiment with the old and new production systems and quantitatively test the effects of lean principles on the performance of the systems. The developed simulation-based approach proves a practical and more powerful tool than the value stream map for modeling and for quantitatively evaluating the performance of a complex and dynamic spool fabrication shop.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | fabrication; lean construction; simulation |
| Index terms: | case study, modelling, industrial construction, implementation, fabrication, project delivery, lean production, experiment, value stream map, lean construction, production system |
| Subjects: | building construction, lean construction, manufacturing engineering, project delivery, analytical methods, contractual arrangements, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Site Management, Procurement, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here