How factory physics helps simulation

Factory physics provides a systematic description, expressed as laws, of the underlying behavior of a system. These laws can provide important assistance in performing simulation studies. They help in deciding what performance measures to collect and what alternatives to evaluate as well as in interpreting simulation results. The laws help identify the properties of systems that may be important to include in models. They provide an analytic foundation that helps in understanding the behavior of systems as well as giving insight into the types of issues addressed in simulation studies. Verification and validation evidence can be collected based on these laws. This paper examines the application of specific factory physics laws to the activities of a simulation project. Examples showing the application of these principles in industrial projects, masters level student projects, and application studies used in undergraduate and graduate simulation classes are given.