MIE.35 – Repacking Line for Long Tube Processing

In companies that produce different types of metal alloys, packaging is very important to ensure they get delivered to customers without damage. However, for companies that create extremely heavy and large products, a production line can be necessary to meet time constraints and create efficiency in their production. Hence, a production line can unpack, process, repack, and load products into transportation. This project explores the different aspects of a repacking line tasked by Wieland, a metal production company. Specifically, the task given to the engineering team is to create a production line that can transport metal tubes from their storage to the line, process them for chamfering and/or cutting, repack them by banding the tubes and placing them in a crate, and finally unloading them into trucks for transportation. With the use of uncovering what the specific layout or format of the processes are used, the team has determined the layout must be sequential in nature, however, it must also incorporate room for skipping some steps within the process to meet the specific demands of customers. To determine the necessary space requirements and regulations to ensure operators are safe and designs do not interfere too much with regular operations, references to Occupational Health and Safety Association(OSHA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), International Organization for Standardization(ISO), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes are researched. The team has also used the AutoCAD software to determine space and to ensure accuracy and flow within operations and the space surrounding it. Simio simulations are also performed to simulate possible pathing options an operator and CombiLift can take and observe the process flow in its entirety. In the project’s entirety, the group has created and tested multiple design layouts to present to Wieland and determine the optimal layout for the needs they require.