Automação industrial aliada à produção enxuta : caminhos para melhoria e otimização de processos.

Abstract

This research aimed to combine lean production with process automation in order to improve and optimize production processes. The lean production and its methodology of identification and elimination of wastes, combined with the technology of automation, makes possible the proposition and simulation of improvements in a certain process. The present research was applied in the classification and preparation of tobacco for processing and preparation for the manufacture of cigarettes of a company of the sector, located in Santa Cruz do Sul / RS. Initially the current process was researched to be able to know and map it, to later be able to identify wastes, using lean production techniques and also how to solve them with process automation. With the current model and the customized model mapped, the simulations of both were initiated, which resulted in a productivity increase of around 15% in the process of receiving and preparing the tobacco. Based on these data it was possible to highlight the elimination of waste with the process automation. Additionally, it was verified the importance of using the simulation to validate and or test the consequences produced by changes in the production process, which can provide a final project with lower costs.