Improving simulation model adaptability with a production control framework

Simulation models provide a powerful tool for the analysis of manufacturing systems, but their utility beyond the design stage of the system life cycle is hampered by the high cost of model maintenance. To reduce this cost, models must be made more adaptable. We believe that adaptability can be increased by separating the flow of material from the flow of information through a model system, especially with respect to changes related to production control. Coordination of these flows, however, requires a production control framework. In this paper, we propose a three-level, hierarchical production control framework and define the elements necessary to implement it in a simulation model. We demonstrate the use of this approach by considering a simple flow shop undergoing production control changes. We define the parameters of the shop using the framework and implement the changes with little effort