Chapter 1

Introduction to Simulation
• What is a simulation?
– A simulation is the imitation of the operation of real-world
process or system over time.
Given a system, how do you evaluate its performance?

System
How to evaluate?

Math.
Experiment Analysis Simulation
• What is Model of a System?

• A set of assumptions about how the system works.

• Behavior of the system as it evolves over the time is studied

using Simulation Model.
 Goal of modeling and simulation
●
A model can be used to investigate a wide variety of “what if” questions
about real-world system.

Simulate the potential changes to system and predicate their impact

on the system

Find adequate parameters before implementation

●
S&M can be used as:

Analysis tool

Design tool

●
It is better to do simulation before Implementation.
 When Simulation Is the Appropriate Tool ?
• Simulation enable the study of internal interactions of a complex
system.

• Informational, organizational and environmental changes can be

simulated to find their effects on the behavior of the model.

• A simulation model help us to gain knowledge about improvement

of system.

• By changing simulation inputs and observing the resulting outputs

valuable insights can be obtained.

• Simulation can be used to experiment with new design and policies

before Implementation
When Simulation Is the Appropriate Tool ?(cntd..)

• Simulation can be used to verify the analytic solutions.

• Simulation models designed for training make learning possible without the
cost and disruption of on-the-job training.

• A plan can be visualized with animated simulation.

• The modern system (factory, wafer fabrication plant, service organization)

is too complex that its internal interaction can be treated only by simulation
 When Simulation Is Not Appropriate ?

• When the problem can be solved by common sense.

• When the problem can be solved analytically.
• If it is easier to perform direct experiments.
• If cost exceed savings.
• If resource or time are not available.
• If no data is available.
• If no enough time or person is available to verify and validate the
simulation model.
• If system behavior is too complex- Like human behavior
• When managers have unreasonable expectations.
 Advantages of simulation
• New policies, operating procedures, information flows and so on can be explored
.

• New hardware designs, physical layouts, transportation systems and … can be

tested without committing resources for their acquisition.

• Time can be compressed or expanded.

• Insight can be obtained about interaction of variables and importance of the

variables to the performance.

• Bottleneck analysis can be performed to discover where work in process or the

system is delayed.

• A simulation study can help in understanding how the system operates.

• What if” questions can be answered.

 Disadvantages of simulation
• Produces only estimates of the model –several runs

• Model building requires special training.

• If appropriate model is not constructed it gives wrong idea of the system.

• Simulation modeling and analysis can be time consuming and expensive.

• Simulation results can be difficult to interpret.

– Large volume of o/p data- need to summarize, statistically analyze appropriately
– o/ps are usually random variables
 Areas of Application

• Manufacturing applications
– Analysis of electronic assembly operations
– Analysis of storage and retrieval strategies in a warehouse
• Construction engineering and project management
– Construction of dam embankment
– Special purpose template for utility tunnel construction
• Military applications
– Modeling military requirements for non-war fighting operations.
• Logistics, Transportation and distribution applications
– Evaluating strategies to improve rail-road performance
– Rail capacity planning
– Product distribution in newspaper industry.
– Design of toll plaza
– Logistic issues in autonomous food production systems for extended duration
space exploration.
 Areas of Application
• Business Process Simulation
• Product development program planning
• Personal Forecasting
• Reconciliation of business and systems modeling

• Human Systems
• Modeling human performance in complex systems
• Studying the human element in air traffic control

• Call-center
• Games
 Components of system

• Entity : An object of interest in the system : Machines in factory

• Attribute: The property of an entity : speed, capacity

• Activity: A time period of specified length :welding, stamping

• State: A collection of variables that describe the system in any time : status
of machine (busy, idle, down,…)

• Event: A instantaneous occurrence that might change the state of the system:
breakdown
Components of System – Examples

Name several entities, attributes, activities , events and state variables for
following systems:

1.A small appliance repair shop

2.A grocery store
 Discrete Systems

• A discrete system is one in which the state variables change

only at a discrete set of points in time
• Example: Bank
 Continuous Systems
• A continuous system is one in which the state variables change
continuously over time
• Example: Airplane moving through air.
 Model of a System

 What is a model?
• A model is a representation of a system for the purpose of
studying the system.
 Types of Models

Too costly and

disruptive to system

Uses symbolic notations and

Prototype of the system for mathematical equations to
the purpose of study represent the system.

Mathematical Methods are used

to answer the equations
 Types of Simulation Models

Represent a system
Represent a system at a over a time interval.
particular point in time

Simulation models with

Simulation models without
random variables
random variables

System state changes

System state changes occur occur only at discrete
continuously. time points.

We will focus on discrete, dynamic, and stochastic simulation models

Components of System – Examples

Name several entities, attributes, activities , events and state variables for
following systems:

1.A small appliance repair shop

2.A grocery store
System Entities Attributes Activities Events State
Variables
Banking Customers,Tell •Cust_name •Making •Arrival of cust •No. of waiting
System ers Withdrawal cust in bank
•Acct_No •Departure of
•Making cust •No. of busy
Deposit tellers.
•Checking out •Status of
the balance teller:Busy or idle

Small appliance Appliances •Type of Repairing •Arrival of •Number of

repair shop appliance the appliance a job appliances
waiting to be
•Age of •Completion of repaired
appliance a job
•Status of
•Nature of repairperson:
problem busy or idle

Grocery store Shoppers Length of Checking out •Arrival at •Number of

grocery list Checkout shoppers in line
counters
•Number of
•Departure from checkout
checkout lanes in operation
counter
Steps in simulation study
2. Overall Project plan: alternative systems,
evaluation methods &
study plan

3. -start with a simple model.

- Model user involvement

6. i/p para and logical structures of the model are

correctly represented in the prog ?

7.Calibration of model.

8. - length of initialization period

-length of simulation run
- No. of replications to be made of each run.
9. Used to estimate performance
measures

11.- Program documentation – how does the program work

-Model user can change the parameters

- Progress documentation – imp written history of project,

chronology of the work done and decisions taken

- Reporting