Analyzing and improving throughput of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems in personal computer manufacturing

Abstract

The content of this thesis draws heavily on work completed during a 6.5 month MIT Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) internship at Dell Corporation's personal computer manufacturing facility in Lebanon, Tennessee (EG1) from June 2004 to December 2004. This work relates primarily to efforts to analyze and improve the throughput of the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) in that factory. Wherever possible, the thesis abstracts from the EG1 factory case study to provide lessons for improving the throughput of ASRSs and accumulative manufacturing systems in general. In addition to this core of the thesis, specific implementation challenges encountered during the EG 1 case study are addressed. Finally, general cultural observations about Dell's manufacturing environment are discussed. The author believes the two most unique aspects of this work are the Crane Frontier framework developed for analyzing ASRS throughput (Section 2.6) and the range and taxonomy of ASRS throughput improvement solutions (Chapter 3).