Creating a focused application simulator with flexible decision making capabilities

In attempting to reach a larger, less technical audience, one of the most debated topics in simulation has been how to effectively bridge the gap between the flexibility and detail available in general purpose simulation languages, and the ease of use, simplicity and more limited modeling skills required of data-driven simulators. Many vendors have promoted the concept of "templates", user-defined, reusable pieces of model code that are object or object-like building blocks. Building blocks are a great time saving concept, however, this leaves one large assumption unaddressed: that the template user can accurately define the logic to link the building blocks together. Trained analysts with time constraints can greatly benefit from modeling templates, but less technical users still have a huge risk of creating inaccurate models. If, instead of a template, a more focused, generic model (Focused Application Simulator and Trainer, FAST) is constructed, it is possible to build in additional levels of pre-defined logic and data consistency control. This paper presents a brief literature review of Dual Resource Constrained (DRC) systems and task assignment (movement decision) rules for cross-trained operators. These concepts have been incorporated into a FAST model that includes a non-programming way to define the decision making for production line balancing, and an interactive, simulation-based training method for teaching operators and supervisors the rules they are expected to follow.