Simulation planning and execution

Design of experiment The following describes the events regarding vessel arrival times and the subsequent planning and execution that is done prior to berthing a vessel. The experimental setup for the simulations also follows these events. 

Testing must be conducted in a typical end-user environment, or in a simulated end-user environment, identical with the environment where the software/computer system will be used. Documentation of testing can be recorded as raw data, such as in a logbook, and should include the parameters tested, and the results of testing. The data should be tabulated as a final report document that includes all details included in the test plan, their execution, the results, and conclusions. The final report document must be signed by appropriate personnel, reviewed as needed, and archived. Upon successful completion of testing, the software/computer system can be released for testing and use in an actual end-user environment. 

Both parallel processes in the Design Department and the Plastics Engineering Company can be inter-connected (Fig. 3.92). According to the plan of the process manager in the Design Department, the two simulation tasks Simulate Extraction and Simulate Distillation shall be synchronized with the task Determine Process Parameters of the other organization with respect to their execution states and documents shall be transferred between these tasks. This is an example of inter-organizational control and data flow. 

The remainder of this chapter deals with the elements of the overall process for an overall project. These include simulation project assessment, project planning, project execution, project reporting, and project utilization. 

The necessity of the project must be evaluated. This can only be done after review of all documents, the study plan, and current data, and discussion with the current development leaders for the agent. It may be that sufficient knowledge has already been created for the project to proceed. It is important to address the trade-offs of doing versus not doing the simulation project. If, for example, a Phase 2 study has already documented efficacy, the dosing strategy, optimal patient selection for Phase 3, and Phase 3 would then be executed as a formality and for assessment of adverse events. In that case a modeling and simulation may not be necessary. 

Clinical trials always have detailed plans and protocols that describe the objectives, hypotheses, assumptions, data collection methods, data analysis methods, and so on. In like manner, the simulation plan describes a simulation process that is agreed to by the simulation team. The plan describes the work to be done, records to be maintained, and reports to be written. This plan should be written in enough detail so that another researcher could pick it up and execute the simulation with corresponding results. The plan must be critiqued and modihed if needed. The preparation of the plan also provides an opportunity to evaluate objectives, assumptions, methods, and goals of the project. 

The word system is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as a whole composed of parts in orderly arrangement according to some scheme or plan. In present day parlance, we tend to think of systems as connected with computers. However, the word is used in a wider sense in Operational Research to imply the building of conceptual and mathematical models to simulate problems and provide quantitative or qualitative information to executives who have to control operations, e.g. a maintenance system, a system governing purchase and use of protective clothing, a training system etc. 

Typically, to ensure steadiness, the berth locations are fixed (or minimum changes made) for the vessels set to arrive in the nearest shifts. This is done to prevent last minute resource re-allocation, which may lead to inefficient resource management. Steadiness is measured based on changes in the plan and the execution within the next two shifts (16 h) from the current time. Due to uncertainty in arrival time, the measure is based only on changes in vessel location. In the simulation, to ensure 100% steadiness, we will also impose upper and lower bound constraints on the berthing location of the vessels. 

Online control of the AlR-1 robot is done from within the UltraSIM/UlScan generic scanner control module. With a scanning program as input, the control application is able to calculate and perform cartesian motion for any usual robot manipulator having an inverse solution. The planned robot motion can be simulated off-line before online execution regarding joint and robot position, speed and acceleration. During robot inspection the 3D virtual inspection environment is updated real-time according to the actual robot motion. 

Both Bayer and InfraServ Knapsack carry out similar projects in their design departments. A project can include conceptual process design as well as basic and detail engineering. For the modeling, simulation, and optimization of chemical processes, several tools like CHEMCAD [592] or Aspen Plus [516] are used. In addition, laboratory experiments may be required to determine reaction parameters or other physicochemical data. A project can also include the planning, construction, operation, and analysis of a pilot plant. Depending on the customer s demands, not all of these project phases are executed. 

The overall objectives of the simulation and how the simulation will be used must be clearly stated in the plan. These will drive model selection and the approach to the execution of the simulation. 

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