When you run a simulation model you see the work that you do (products, patients, paper work etc.) move around the organization or plant; the clock in the corner of the screen tells you what the equivalent time would be in the real system. Simulation is animated which enables visualisation of a new design or process and a greater ability to visualise the impact of experiments in an existing designs or processes. You can see bottlenecks, over-utilized resources and under resourced elements of a system. The software automatically collects performance measures as the model runs so that you can not only see visually what will happen, you can also get accurate numerical results to prove your case.
Identification of process bottleneck
What can be simulated?
There are many scenarios that can be simulated: as a general rule systems that involve a process flow with discrete events can be simulated. Thus any process for which a flowchart can be drawn should be able to be simulated. The processes from which you’ll gain most benefit from simulating are those that involve change over time and randomness. For example, a service station: nobody can guess at exactly which time the next car will arrive at the station, whether they will decide to purchase petrol only or other goods. Modelling complex dynamic systems like this effectively in any other way is not possible.
Why simulate?
There are many process improvements that can be made using simulation; for example, higher quality and efficiency from capital assets, better management of inventory and higher return on assets. Some of these improvements could be made without simulation, so an important question is ‘Why use simulation instead of another method?’ The factors affecting this selection are the benefits of Simulation over Real Life Experimentation and Simulation over other Mathematical Modelling Techniques.
Simul8 solution provider
Taranto Consultancy is a certified Simul8® solution provider and can provide advice on selection of appropriate scenarios for modelling as well delivering cost-effective analysis of your challenges and potential solutions.
Please visit Capterra to comment on our service
Simul8® is a registered trademark of SIMUL8 Corporation.