An approach to the construction and usage of simulation modeling in the shipbuilding industry

The authors describe a two-level modeling approach for developing simulation models in the shipbuilding industry. At the shop floor level, a series of low-level models simulates the behaviors of individual hull components as they are fabricated and processed through the shop. Output from one model is used as input to the next in accordance with the appropriate manufacturing sequence. A single high-level model simulates the overall shipbuilding process, modeling the manufacturing of major assemblies as they are fabricated. Both levels are schedule-driven to allow for the analysis of a proposed schedule with respect to capacity requirements, inventory, throughput, etc. In addition, each is animated to graphically depict its behavior. A parallel development effort of the high-level model with the low-level models has provided both an initial rough-cut analysis tool for forecasting and planning and a framework for integration of the low-level models into a single implementation for detailed macro analysis