Introduction to Discrete
Event Simulation
Dr Fahim Ahmed
Material in these slides are developed and owned by Management Science department , University of Strathclyde
What is Simulation?
• 'Simulated time' usually moves much faster than 'real' time - so a day
in a factory might be simulated in the few seconds in the simulation
model.
• Simulation is used to help with the design or modification of complex
systems (for example, factories, businesses etc) by experimenting
with alternative combinations of resources (people, machines etc)
and with alternative operating policies.
What is Simulation?
• Simulated time' usually moves much faster than 'real' time - so a day
in a factory might be simulated in the few seconds in the simulation
model.
So, specifically, when should we use simulation?
• Use simulation when there is a flow of work through a process and
the flow gets held up because some of the resources that process it
are not available all the time
An Example ( A bank problem)
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Customer exits
Customer enters
Queue for Billing
Billing service
Service
World outside
World outside the World inside the bank the bank
bank
Relevant for Simulation world
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Customer exits
Customer enters
Queue for Billing
Billing service
Service
World outside
World outside the World inside the bank the bank
bank
Relevant for Simulation world
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)(First Simul8 model )
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Customer exits
Customer enters
Queue for Billing
Billing service
Service
World outside
World outside the World inside the bank the bank
bank
Relevant for Simulation world
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)(First Simul8 model )
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Dummy Activity
Customer exits
Customer enters
Queue for Billing
Billing service
Service
World outside
World outside the World inside the bank the bank
bank
Relevant for Simulation world
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)(First Simul8 model )
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Dummy Activity
Customer exits
Customer enters
Queue for Billing
Billing service
Service
World outside
World outside the World inside the bank the bank
bank
Relevant for Simulation world
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)(First Simul8 model )
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Dummy Activity
Customer exits
Customer enters
Queue for Billing Billing service
Service
World outside
World outside the World inside the bank the bank
bank
Relevant for Simulation world
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)(First Simul8 model )
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Dummy
Activity Customer
Customer exits
enters
Queue for Billing Billing service
Service
World outside
World outside the World inside the bank the bank
bank
Relevant for Simulation world
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)(First Simul8 model )
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Dummy
Activity Customer
Customer exits
enters
Queue for Billing Billing service
Service
World inside the bank
Relevant for Simulation world
Snapshot from Simul8 (where are customers ?)
An Example ( A bank problem)- revisit (how/why are queue forming ?)
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Customer exits
Customer enters
Queue for Billing
Billing service
Service
World outside
World outside the the bank
bank
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)- revisit (how/why are queue forming ?)
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Customer exits
Customer enters
Queue for Billing
Billing service
Service
World outside
World outside the the bank
bank
Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
An Example ( A bank problem)- revisit (how/why are queue forming ?)
Queue for Cashier Cashier service
service
Customer exits
Customer enters
Queue for Billing
Billing service
Service
Arrival pattern World outside
World outside the Queue capacity Processing time
the bank
bank Opening hours
Shelf life Processing capacity
Min wait time Staff/resource available Images from:
• Simul8 library
• freeimages.com
Snapshot from Simul8 (where are customers ?)
Opening hours
Arrival pattern Queue capacity
Shelf life
Min wait time
Processing time
Processing capacity
Staff/resource available
