Ancillary effects of simulation

Simulation can often be one of the first modeling tools implemented at a manufacturing site. When this occurs, much effort must be used to get current manufacturing data into the simulation model. The amount of time and data needed to get the simulation running to an acceptable validation level and to maintain that validation level over time, should lead to an effort to automate the loading of factory data into simulation. If this automation effort is efficient and comprehensive, it can become the cornerstone of a system that benefits manufacturing from more than just simulation analysis. The other benefits range from the development of a simple times theoretical analysis of the line to the complex development of an infinite capacity planning system. This paper will discuss a real world example of the extra benefits received from implementing simulation at a semiconductor manufacturing plant