Introduction
In today’s high-throughput automotive manufacturing environments, precision in material handling is critical. Power and Free (P&F) conveyor systems are central to managing production flows, especially when multiple body shops are integrated within a single facility. This case study explores how PMI supported an automotive client in analyzing and optimizing a closed-loop P&F system to ensure it could meet production targets while managing the complexities of staggered shop layouts and varying throughput levels.
Client’s Challenge
The client operated five distinct body shops, each producing at different rates. The facility's closed-loop P&F conveyor system was tasked with transporting various stages of vehicle bodies, Empty Hangers, Body-in-White (BIW), Cathodic Electrodeposition (CED) Bodies, and Painted Bodies—across these shops.
The client’s key concern was whether the existing conveyor infrastructure could support increasing production volumes across all five shops. They sought clarity on:
- The system's capacity to meet target throughput.
- The buffer requirements for finished BIW bodies.
- The optimal number and distribution of empty hangers to avoid congestion and ensure balanced operations.
Optimizing Power & Free Conveyor System for Multi-Shop Automotive Manufacturing Efficiency - A Case Study
PMI’s Approach
PMI conducted a comprehensive congestion analysis beginning with data collection and 2D model creation of the entire P&F system. The team verified and validated this model to reflect real-world operations accurately.
The analysis focused on identifying bottlenecks and exploring “What If” scenarios to guide strategic improvements. Specific areas of focus included:
• The effect of varying the total number of empty hangers in circulation.
• The impact of hanger distribution across key junction points.
• BIW buffer size estimation to maintain consistent output.
This simulation-based methodology provided a dynamic view of how changes in system parameters influenced overall performance.
Findings and Recommendations
The study revealed that the existing conveyor system, in its current configuration, was insufficient to meet the desired production volumes. A major constraint was the misdistribution of empty hangers at critical junctions, leading to congestion and delays in hanger availability where they were most needed.
PMI recommended:
• Reducing the total number of empty hangers in circulation to minimize congestion.
• Strategically redistributing hangers across different parking zones and junction points.
• Optimizing BIW buffer zones to manage downstream variability without stalling upstream processes.
Optimizing Power & Free Conveyor System for Multi-Shop Automotive Manufacturing Efficiency - A Case Study
Conclusion
Through intelligent modeling and targeted experimentation, PMI enabled the client to transform a congested conveyor layout into a streamlined system ready for scaled production. The refined hanger distribution strategy and buffer estimation not only resolved current issues but also positioned the facility for agile, future-ready operations.