Simulation-aided planning of quality-oriented personnel structures in production systems

This paper presents research activities associated with the development of a simulation tool for modelling human reliability in production systems. This dynamic model enables the planner to determine the consequences of changes in human reliability on the quality of the production processes and the products. The model is built upon the basis of a tool for human reliability analysis ESAT (Experten-System zur Aufgaben-Taxonomie; Aufgabentaxonomie: Ein Verfahren zur Ermittlung der menschlichen Leistung bei der Durchfuhrung von Aufgaben, Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm, Ottobrunn, 1990.) and a personnel-oriented simulation programme ESPE (Engpassorientierte Simulation von Personalstrukturen; Ein engpassorientierter Ansatz zur simulationsunterstutzten Planting von Personalstrukturen, Dissertation, Karlsruhe University, 1994), developed at the ifab-Institute of Human and Industrial Engineering at the University of Karlsruhe. In addition to the definition and the calculation of the human error probabilities, the consequences of the human errors (i.e. rework and waste) for the quality of the processes and the products were also implemented. This method is able to systematically plan quality-oriented assignments of personnel to functions and workplaces (personnel structures) in production systems. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated by a case study. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.