Simulation as one of the core technologies for digital enterprises: assessment of hybrid rescheduling methods

Abstract

The current paper tackles the problem of managing the uncertainties during the execution of predictive schedules in a dynamic environment. The dynamic environment in question is represented by a simulation model – connected to a production scheduler system – with flexible modelling capabilities. The paper addresses the simulation module of the proposed architecture highlighting its main functionalities and advantages, compared to former simulation-based solutions. By applying the proposed architecture, which constitutes a coherent part of a digital enterprise approach, the solution methods for stability-oriented rescheduling can be thoroughly tested and analysed. An evaluation of several scenarios of the rescheduling threshold and the timing of rescheduling are also presented in an industrial case-study.

Keywords:

• Simulation
• Production control
• Rescheduling
• Stability

Acknowledgements

The research was supported, partially, by the project ‘Real-time, cooperative enterprises’ in the frame of the National Research and Development Programme by the Ministry of Education, Hungary (Grant No. 2/010/2004). A part of the work was covered by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund, Hungary, Grant No. and T049481.