Modeling the factory of the future

Describes how the Research Queueing Package Modeling Environment (RESQME) provides a hierarchical, graphical environment to simulate computer integrated manufacturing. RESQME provides the modeler with primitives that support the construction of a diverse set of tool types, line control mechanisms and processing rules. The modeler can combine these primitives into higher-level objects that directly represent the tools and decision mechanisms of the manufacturing line. RESQME then simulates the flow of information and materials among these higher-level objects and the use of this information for processing and routing decisions. As an example, the authors describe modeling a continuous flow manufacturing line where processing decisions are based on real-time information of expected product arrivals from upstream processes and buffer availability at downstream processes. An overview of RESQME, concentrating on the functionality required for this type of modeling, is given