15.1 MODEL BUILDING
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If we are building a model for a plant floor layout, we will tend to have certain elements,
- material handling paths (transfer)
- buffers/waiting areas (delays)
- shipping rooms (destination)
- machine tools (activities)
Some of these actions can be stated as exact. For example, a transfer time can be approximated and random (manual labor), or exact (synchronous line), or proportional to a distance.
Some events will occur based on availability. For example, if there are parts in a buffer, a machine tool can be loaded and activity occurs.
Some activities and events will be subject to probabilities. Consider that the operation time in a press may vary, and there is probability of scrapping a part.
The random variations can be modeled as,
- discrete - for individual units
- continuous for variations
Well known distributions include,
This data may be found using data provided by the manufacturer, sampled in-house, etc.
