Skip to content

Components and connections

What is a simulation component?

A simulation component describes a logical part of a system that should be modeled. An example would be a model of a flow shop. This model can have simulation components for:

  • Machines
  • Vehicles
  • Operators

And each simulation component has attributes that describe its current state. A machine can for example have:

  • Unique Id: Unique identifier of the machine
  • Processing Time: Time it takes to do one task at the machine
  • Setup time: Time it takes to swap the tool of the machine
  • Energy consumption: How much energy is consumed while idle/producing?
  • Buffer Size: Size of the buffer for raw material that is used at this machine

What is a connection in the simulation?

A connection describes a information flow between components in the simulation. E.g. a machine could inform a vehicle that it needs more material for further production or a machine finishes a production and informs the next machine.

Another example is a component InputParser that parses sensor data. The parsed results can be provided to other components via a connection.