Simulation, object-oriented programming, and system description methodology: a progress report

Concerns the modelling of complex hierarchical manufacturing systems, where overall control of the manufacturing organisation is devolved through manufacturing cells and ultimately to individual operations. Control is maintained at the many levels by the flow of instructions from higher levels, but it is essential to the coordination of lower level activities that actual performance results in revised control through some form of feedback loop. The background of simulation is outlined in relationship to object-oriented programming, and then the proprietary software used is considered. Three strands of related research undertaken to date are described, then it is shown how these strands may be drawn together to form an integrated manufacturing system modelling package