Discrete Event Simulations

Considered by many authors as a technique for modelling stochastic, dynamic and discretely evolving systems, this technique has gained widespread acceptance among the practitioners who want to represent and improve complex systems. Since DES is a technique applied in incredibly different areas, this book reflects many different points of view about DES, thus, all authors describe how it is understood and applied within their context of work, providing an extensive understanding of what DES is. It can be said that the name of the book itself reflects the plurality that these points of view represent. The book embraces a number of topics covering theory, methods and applications to a wide range of sectors and problem areas that have been categorised into five groups. As well as the previously explained variety of points of view concerning DES, there is one additional thing to remark about this book: its richness when talking about actual data or actual data based analysis. When most academic areas are lacking application cases, roughly the half part of the chapters included in this book deal with actual problems or at least are based on actual data. Thus, the editor firmly believes that this book will be interesting for both beginners and practitioners in the area of DES

A discrete event simulation model for unstructured supervisory control of unmanned vehicles

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 33).Most current Unmanned Vehicle (UV) systems consist of teams of operators controlling a single UV. Technological advances will likely lead to the inversion of this ratio, and automation of low level tasking. These advances will also lead to a growth in UV use in large-scale applications such as urban search and rescue, which will require the use of both teams of operators and teams of UVs. This growth will in turn require research and development in the area of team supervisory control of multiple UVs. Human-in-the- loop experimentation is often used during this research but can be time consuming and expensive. The time and cost of experimentation can often be drastically reduced by using predictive models. However there is a lack of such models in the area of multiple-operator supervisory control of multiple- UVs. This problem is addressed in this thesis through the following method: First, current predictive models of human supervisory control of UVs are analyzed, and attributes of systems related to this modeling space are identified. Second, a queuing-based multiple-operator multiple-vehicle discrete event simulation model (MO-MUVDES) is developed which captures these attributes, including the ability to predict performance in situations with low observable exogenous event arrivals. MO-MUVDES also incorporates traditional system variables such as level of vehicle autonomy, vehicle and operator team structure, and operator switching strategy. The accuracy and robustness of the MO-MUVDES model were measured by a two-stage validation process using data from a human-in-the-loop supervisory control experiment, and a Monte Carlo simulation. The first stage of the validation process used data from the experiment as input for the MOMUVDES model which was then used to generate predictions of operator performance. In the second stage of validation, a sensitivity analysis was performed on the MO-MUVDES model. This validation process achieved confidence in the model's ability to predict operator performance and a measurement of the robustness of the model under varying input conditions. Additionally, the process indicated that discrete event simulation is an effective technique for modeling team supervisory control of UVs in a situation where exogenous event arrivals are not clearly observable. As a result, the MO-MUVDES model could be used to reduce development time for systems within its modeled space.by Anthony D. McDonald.S.B

Intelligent Simulation Modeling of a Flexible Manufacturing System with Automated Guided Vehicles

Although simulation is a very flexible and cost effective problem solving technique, it has been traditionally limited to building models which are merely descriptive of the system under study. Relatively new approaches combine improvement heuristics and artificial intelligence with simulation to provide prescriptive power in simulation modeling. This study demonstrates the synergy obtained by bringing together the "learning automata theory" and simulation analysis. Intelligent objects are embedded in the simulation model of a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS), in which Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) serve as the material handling system between four unique workcenters. The objective of the study is to find satisfactory AGV routing patterns along available paths to minimize the mean time spent by different kinds of parts in the system. System parameters such as different part routing and processing time requirements, arrivals distribution, number of palettes, available paths between workcenters, number and speed of AGVs can be defined by the user. The network of learning automata acts as the decision maker driving the simulation, and the FMS model acts as the training environment for the automata network; providing realistic, yet cost-effective and risk-free feedback. Object oriented design and implementation of the simulation model with a process oriented world view, graphical animation and visually interactive simulation (using GUI objects such as windows, menus, dialog boxes; mouse sensitive dynamic automaton trace charts and dynamic graphical statistical monitoring) are other issues dealt with in the study

A Framework For Workforce Management An Agent Based Simulation Approach

In today\u27s advanced technology world, enterprises are in a constant state of competition. As the intensity of competition increases the need to continuously improve organizational performance has never been greater. Managers at all levels must be on a constant quest for finding ways to maximize their enterprises\u27 strategic resources. Enterprises can develop sustained competitiveness only if their activities create value in unique ways. There should be an emphasis to transfer this competitiveness to the resources it has on hand and the resources it can develop to be used in this environment. The significance of human capital is even greater now, as the intangible value and the tacit knowledge of enterprises\u27 resources should be strategically managed to achieve a greater level of continuous organizational success. This research effort seeks to provide managers with means for accurate decision making for their workforce management. A framework for modeling and managing human capital to achieve effective workforce planning strategies is built to assist enterprise in their long term strategic organizational goals

Advanced transport operating system software upgrade: Flight management/flight controls software description

The Flight Management/Flight Controls (FM/FC) software for the Norden 2 (PDP-11/70M) computer installed on the NASA 737 aircraft is described. The software computes the navigation position estimates, guidance commands, those commands to be issued to the control surfaces to direct the aircraft in flight based on the modes selected on the Advanced Guidance Control System (AGSC) mode panel, and the flight path selected via the Navigation Control/Display Unit (NCDU)