Waldkirch: Thesis: Simulation-Based Analysis of Material and Manufacturing Costs

Topic: Simulating the interaction between material and manufacturing costs to identify the total cost optimum

At SICK, manufacturing costs mainly consist of material and production costs, which directly influence one another. While material costs are largely determined by product design in addition to purchasing prices, manufacturing costs depend heavily on the production system used.

The objective of this project is to develop a simulation model that demonstrates how decisions in product design and production systems can lead to minimum total costs at different production volumes.

YOUR TASKS:

• Analyze the cost structure of selected products, including material, assembly, machine, and setup costs
• Design an integrated cost model to represent both material and manufacturing costs
• Develop a cost simulation to evaluate different design and technology variants
• Calculate unit costs and cost trends across different production scenarios
• Visualize break-even points and economic relationships
• Apply the model to one or two real product examples and compare different scenarios
• Identify total cost optima for different production conditions
• Document the model, assumptions, results, and potential future enhancements in writing

YOUR PROFILE:

• Degree program in Industrial Engineering, Production Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Data Science with an industrial focus, Business Administration with a technical specialization, or a comparable field
• Knowledge of cost accounting and production processes
• Experience with programming languages such as Python and/or simulation tools
• Analytical and structured working style
• Interest in cost optimization in manufacturing

Contact: Sarah Disch