paper arena

ESCUELA SUPERIOR POLITÉCNICA DEL LITORALINGENIERÍA Y ADMINISTRACIÓN DE LA PRODUCCIÓN

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Arena Simulation Software Nadia Moromenacho Solís

Escuela Superior Politécnica del LitoralGuayaquil, Ecuador

[email protected]

ABSTRACT

This paper presents information about the simulation language Arena. Some features of this simulation software, also presents the advantages and disadvantages of the software described. Arena is a programming language whose main feature is the ability to adapt to the level of programming required in each case, even within the same model. This allows Arena not lose flexibility, including the possibility of using general purpose languages such as Microsoft Visual Basic or C. The Arena Simulation Software is Discrete Event Simulation most used in the world.Also this document is a case where the software was applied Arena. This case is very interesting, a clothing manufacturer want to model their regional distribution without disrupting business or affect customer satisfaction.

Keywords: Arena, Characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the software and case study.


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1. Introduction

Discrete event simulation allows you to quickly analyze a process or system’s behavior over time, ask yourself “why” or "what if" questions, and design or change processes or systems without any financial implications. The Arena Simulation Software is the most used Discrete Event Simulation Software in the world. Arena is a programming language whose main feature is the ability to adapt to the level of programming required in each case, even within the same model. This allows Arena not lose flexibility, including the possibility of using general purpose languages such as Microsoft Visual Basic or C.

2. Definition and Concepts

Definition: Arena (created by Rockwell Software) is an application that allows the realization of simulation with a high level of detail models, both conceptually and with the use of animations.

Some concepts:Entities: representing people, objects, or anything else, real or imagined, that move through the model, can cause changes in system status or affect others.

An attribute is a characteristic common to all entities, but with a specific value to differentiate from one another. Attributes are local variables (local for each entity). Arena can assign these attributes automatically or be defined by yourself if needed.

Variables (Global): A variable is a piece of information that reflects some characteristics of the system, no matter how many or what types of entities can be. There are two types of variables: Variables manufactured by

Arena (number of entities in the queue, number of employed resources, simulation time, etc.) and user-defined variables (number of entities in the system, etc.).

Resources represent everything necessary for a process: people, machines, tools, etc. They are static model elements and they are housed in institutions, potentially by different user-defined states: busy, free, and faulted, etc.

Stations: Arena represents the systems by dividing them into subsystems. These subsystems are called stations.

Conveyors and transporters: an entity may be transferred from one station to another in different ways:A direct connection: the entity should not wait until it is available to any means transport.Conveyors: they function as conveyor belts. Once the entity requests the access from one station to another, must wait for there site in the tape to start the transport.Transporters: in this case there are a number of vehicles responsible for conducting the transport. The entity after requesting a vehicle has to be expected to be available to able to transport.

Accumulators statisticians: they act as accumulators statisticians as the simulation progresses, such as: the number of parts produced, total time waiting in a queue, number of entities that have gone through a tail, the longest that has remained in the queue, the total of time passing in the system for all entities that are disappearing, the area under the curve of some functions, other.

An event is something that happens in an instant of time (simulated) that can make


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change, attributes, variables, or accumulators statisticians, such as: the arrival or the output of the system of an entity, the end of the simulation. At Arena, this information is stored in a calendar of events.

Simulation clock: the current time in the simulation is saved in a variable called simulation clock.

Start and stop: Arena does many things automatically, but is not able to decide issues of modeling such as start and stop. The user is who should determine the conditions for appropriate start, how much should last the execution or if it should stop at a particular moment in time when a specific event occurs.

3. Characteristics1

The Arena Simulation software has some characteristics.

Flowchart modeling methodology includes a large library of pre-defined building blocks to model your process without the need for custom programming

Complete range of statistical distribution options to accurately model process variability

Ability to define object paths and routes for simulation

Statistical analysis and report generation

Performance metrics and dashboards

Realistic 2D and 3D animation capabilities to visualize results beyond numbers

1 https://www.arenasimulation.com/what-is-simulation/discrete-event-simulation-software

4. Advantage2

Improve visibility into the effect of a system or process change

Explore opportunities for new procedures or methods without disrupting the current system

Diagnose and fix problems

Reduce or eliminate bottlenecks

Reduce operating costs

Improve financial forecasting

Better assess hardware and software requirements

Reduce delivery times

Better manage inventory levels, personnel, communications systems, and equipment

Increase profitability through overall improved operations

5. DisadvantagesThe disadvantages are not many. But a possible drawback is the cost of software and the adaptation of this application.

6. Case study

Then a case where the Arena simulation software facilitates migration distribution model without service interruption occurs. This case can be found on the website of the company Rockwell Automation Arena.

Simulation Facilitates Apparel Manufacturer’s Transition from National to Regional DistributionArena® Simulation Software Enables Apparel Company to Migrate Distribution Model without Disruption to Service

2 https://www.arenasimulation.com/what-is-simulation/discrete-event-simulation-software


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BackgroundA major apparel manufacturer wanted to modify its distribution operations as part of an effort to fulfill customer satisfaction requirements. A corporate re-engineering study had convinced the company to transition from a national distribution center to a regional distribution system. ChallengeApparel manufacturer needed to transition from National to Regional distribution model without disrupting business or negatively impacting customer satisfaction.

SolutionA simulation model developed with Arena evaluated the flow of product from manufacturing to distribution to customer. The model incorporated historical customer orders (more than 30,000/day), source shipments from manufacturing to their distribution facilities and transportation requirements for all shipments. The Arena model evaluated nine different migration scenarios under various historical and projected system data requirements. Daily staffing and transportation plans were included as input to the model. By utilizing a user-friendly Excel interface, users were able to change shipping, receiving and transportation staffing at each of the distribution facilities on an hourly basis.The model results included daily values on over 10,000 products at each distribution facility; including inventory valued and missed orders. Staging requirements and dock utilization statistics were also calculated on a daily basis, as were daily transportation costs to and from each distribution facility.

ResultsThe simulation model demonstrated that several peak days of product receipts and shipments were greatly impacted by the staffing allowances and capacities at the regional distribution facilities. During the analysis phase, the Arena consulting team was able to identify the staffing required to meet target customer satisfaction levels.The model results detailed the costs associated with each scenario and, along with customer

satisfaction criteria, provided a statistical basis for selecting a transition scenario. The range of costs among the scenarios was greater than $30 million. The simulation results, along with optimal staffing levels for the chosen scenario, provided a smooth transition of distribution systems for the company.

7. Bibliography

Borja Gómez Rojo. (2006). Sistemas con Logística de Retorno. PROYECTO FIN DE CARRERA.

Heidy Mejía Avila, Marjorie Galofre Vásquez. (Julio - Diciembre de 2008). Aplicación de software de simulación. Recuperado el 29 de Agosto de 2014, de http://www.uac.edu.co/images/stories/publicaciones/revistas_cientificas/prospectiva/volumen-6-no-2/articulo6-v6n2.pdf

Rockwell Automation. (s.f.). Rockwell Automation. Recuperado el 31 de Agosto de 2014, de https://www.arenasimulation.com/industry-solutions/retail-simulation-software

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