The Vycorp
ytex
1. General introduction
The current success of extruded panels and profiles is causing Vytec Corporations to face several problems. Due to an increased silo demand, the sifter efficiency is reduced, resulting in a substantial amount of acceptable material being rejected. Furthermore, the quality of the siding decreased as environmental conditions affected the stability of the extrusion and the performance of the used material. Finally, overuse causes the lines to become plugged.
The main cause for these problems can be found in the unbalanced flow from the silos to the extruders when production throughput increases. To alleviate the above-mentioned issues, it is necessary the balance the flow from the resource silos in all possible production situations. In addition, it is also important to increase Vytech’s production capacity to guarantee an accurate response to the growing market demand.
The following report contains the necessary information for balancing the silos for Vytech’s current production as well as a comparison of several options for increasing the production capacity. The report answers the following questions concerning silo demand balancing:
How should Vytec Corporations hook up the extruders to balance the material flow from the four silos containing substrate?
How could all eight extruders be connected to the two silos containing the needed neutral substrate so that the silo flows are as balanced as possible?
How can a balanced flow from the silos be maintained in the longer run?
Should the output from extruder line 4 be increased to 1400 pounds per hour?
Should an extra extruder with the same capacity of extruder 8 be added?
What are other options to increase the company’s capacity and how do they influence the balancing of the silos?
To answer these questions, an excel model was developed for which this report analyzes the results. The excel-sheets can be found in appendix with a concise explanation of the model (see also
1. General introduction
The current success of extruded panels and profiles is causing Vytec Corporations to face several problems. Due to an increased silo demand, the sifter efficiency is reduced, resulting in a substantial amount of acceptable material being rejected. Furthermore, the quality of the siding decreased as environmental conditions affected the stability of the extrusion and the performance of the used material. Finally, overuse causes the lines to become plugged.
The main cause for these problems can be found in the unbalanced flow from the silos to the extruders when production throughput increases. To alleviate the above-mentioned issues, it is necessary the balance the flow from the resource silos in all possible production situations. In addition, it is also important to increase Vytech’s production capacity to guarantee an accurate response to the growing market demand.
The following report contains the necessary information for balancing the silos for Vytech’s current production as well as a comparison of several options for increasing the production capacity. The report answers the following questions concerning silo demand balancing:
How should Vytec Corporations hook up the extruders to balance the material flow from the four silos containing substrate?
How could all eight extruders be connected to the two silos containing the needed neutral substrate so that the silo flows are as balanced as possible?
How can a balanced flow from the silos be maintained in the longer run?
Should the output from extruder line 4 be increased to 1400 pounds per hour?
Should an extra extruder with the same capacity of extruder 8 be added?
What are other options to increase the company’s capacity and how do they influence the balancing of the silos?
To answer these questions, an excel model was developed for which this report analyzes the results. The excel-sheets can be found in appendix with a concise explanation of the model (see also