Process control using interactive simulation in a virtual factory

Abstract

Factory operations have been modeled for years to understand the relationship between the different design and policy factors and the performance measures of interest. The increasing awareness of the need to manage factories as a link in the supply chain places a corresponding requirement for an enhanced approach for factory modeling. A manufacturer has to ensure that its suppliers are efficient, both in cost and in the delivery of components to its logistics providers. Moreover the logistics providers should be able to sustain the right level of responsiveness at a competitive cost. Finally, products should be efficiently carried on to its direct customers and then on through the successive stages until it reaches the end user customers. This project proposed a virtual factory or virtual environment that based on real case study. The flow of the process of that real factory is studied and modeled Based on that model, an interactive simulation is used to simulate the results and the results are used to make decision making. The interactive simulation system is used by the students as learning aid and the system is continuously managed by students on the internet over certain period It provides an immersive environment in which students are able to live-with"