BAE Systems validates new facility proposal with Twinn Witness
Project facts
- ClientBAE Systems
- LocationGlascoed, South Wales, UK
- ChallengeValidating capital investment proposals and facility designs for a new high-volume munitions factory.
- SolutionUsing Twinn Witness predictive simulation software to create a 3D virtual model of the proposed facility.
- ImpactReduced facility costs thanks to improved safety, optimised storage and lower maintenance costs.
The facility was located in Glascoed, South Wales, UK. Its output was designed to adhere to the UK Ministry of Defence’s exacting policy for assessing and testing munitions – and to meet the Insensitive Munition (IM) standards set out in STANAG 4439.
The challenge
Validating capital investment proposals and facility designs for a new high-volume munitions factory
The new high-volume PBX facility had unique features. Due to the nature of the output, it was designed on a ¼-square-mile site with widely spread-out buildings. This was notably different from standard manufacturing practices, which generally consolidate operations. Additionally, it incorporated a high degree of automation via remote facilities and remotely controlled plant and equipment. As a result, BAE estimated that a workforce of just 25 skilled employees would be required to resource the entire factory.
BAE projected that the new facility would cost £15 million. To support its capital investment proposals, stakeholders wanted to validate:
- Initial unit costs
- Likely effectiveness of processes under consideration
- Capacity requirements based on customer demand
- Possible time pressures and resource limitations
- Breadth and volume of required input materials
BAE turned to Twinn Witness predictive simulation software, formerly under the Lanner brand, to provide that validation.
The solution
Using Twinn Witness predictive simulation software to create a 3D virtual model of the proposed facility
Working closely with BAE, we created a virtual model of the high-volume PBX munitions facility using our Witness software. It had a user-friendly, Excel-based interface and incorporated BAE’s CAD drawings into the visualisation. Therefore, the output was an impressive 3D ‘virtual factory’ that BAE stakeholders could use to experiment with and get insight into proposed operations.
We started by reviewing the entire PBX manufacturing process, from empty preparation to final packing. This involved incorporating complex, dynamic variables, including:
- Quantities of drums of explosives, pallets, ovens, etc.
- Number of shells going through output
- Speed at which munitions would be transported around the site
- Changes from one shell type to another
- Assumptions on downtime
- Bowl movement between mix and fill areas
- Labour requirements and utilisation
- Campaign sizes vs shifts vs system throughput
Some required data was held in spreadsheets, but we also gathered data from a team of 6 people involved in design, current operations and project management. Additionally, BAE already operated a low-volume PBX facility that could handle 4 tonnes of explosives per week over a 4.5-day week (the new facility was designed to handle 4 tonnes per day). Therefore, the project team also included people with knowledge of the low-volume facility’s historic data flows to help define the parameters for the high-volume facility.
The simulation expertise enabled us to pinpoint the most efficient manufacturing processes in a risk-free situation. We therefore minimised risk and waste – and avoided the time and expense of implementing real pilots.
The impact
Reduced facility costs thanks to improved safety, optimised storage and lower maintenance costs
The Witness model visualised shell assembly at the new facility from start to finish using 3D virtual reality. Having this bird’s-eye view of operations in different scenarios made it easy to understand the impact of different operational choices – and get buy-in from staff and customers around the proposals.
BAE used the Witness model to experiment with a range of ‘what if’ scenarios, looking at:
- Differences in shell types
- Output variations for 2-shift vs 3-shift operations
- Whether to run the facility on a campaign basis or continuously at a low level, depending on order size
- Effects of using different x-ray inspection levels
- Efficiency of using different numbers of equipment, such as drums, pallets and filling headers
"The results yielded by Witness provided some surprises in terms of what the operatives were doing while processes were underway. We were also surprised to note the effects of buying different plant and equipment – first, costs rose, and then they flattened out," explained Phil Djali , Project Leader at BAE Land Systems.
An evidence-based understanding of these factors helped BAE reduce facility costs and keep unit prices at targeted levels. This was in part achieved by reducing accidents, improving storage conditions and reducing maintenance costs.
"The simulation expertise enabled us to pinpoint the most efficient manufacturing processes. This virtual pilot study allowed us to model processes in a risk-free situation, understand how well they performed and make adjustments accordingly. We therefore minimised risk and waste – and avoided the time and expense of implementing real pilots," Djali concluded.
