Automatic simulation model generation for supporting facility planning in SMEs

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often view Discrete Event Simulation (DES) as a troublesome task for supporting decision-making processes (COPERNICO, 2011), due to the amount of time, skill and cost which could involve during the modelling processes. In literature, increasing interests are focusing on automatically generate DES model that is a simulation model is not created manually using the modelling tools of the chosen simulator; rather it is generated from external data sources using interfaces of the simulator and algorithms for creating the model.

This paper proposed a DES module aims to support SMEs to generate process flow DES models automatically. The proposed approach includes an online data capture tool which can capture all necessary model data for develop a DES model for the SME, then this model data would generate a data file which could be read by the DES module in real-time. By this approach, SME could generate DES model instantly without spending huge amount of time on identifying data requirement, developing model from scratch, and learning how to use a particular simulation tool.