Application of simulation and modeling
Why simulation
It may be too difficult, hazardous, or expensive to observe a real, operational system.
Parts of the system may not be observable (e.g., internals of a silicon chip or biological system).
In many situations experimenting with actual system may not be possible at all. For example, it is not possible to conduct experiment, to study the behavior of a man on the surface of moon.
In some other situations, even if experimentation is possible, it may be too costly and risky.
Uses of simulation
Analyze systems before they are built
Reduce number of design mistakes and optimize design
Analyze operational systems
Create virtual environments for training, entertainment
Verify analytic solutions
Optimize the system design such as routing algorithm or assembly line
Test new designs and policies
Semiconductors, telecommunications, civil engineering designs & presentations
When to use simulation
Simulation is very useful for experiments with the internal interactions of a complex system, or of a subsystem within a complex system.
Simulation can be employed to experiment with new designs and policies, before implementing.
Simulation can be used to verify the results obtained by analytical methods and reinforce the analytical techniques.
Simulation is very useful in determining the influence of changes in input variables on the output of the system.
Simulation helps in suggesting modifications in the system under investigation for its optimal performance.
Application areas of simulation and modeling
Manufacturing: Design analysis and optimization of production system, materials management, capacity planning, layout planning, and performance evaluation, evaluation of process quality.
Business: Market analysis, prediction of consumer behavior, and optimization of marketing strategy and logistics, comparative evaluation of marketing campaigns.
Military: Testing of alternative combat strategies, air operations, sea operations, simulated war exercises, practicing ordinance effectiveness.
Healthcare Applications: Such as planning of health services, expected patient density, facilities requirement, hospital staffing, estimating the effectiveness of a health care program.
Communication Applications: Such as network design, and optimization, evaluating network reliability, manpower planning, sizing of message buffers.
Computer Applications: Such as designing hardware configurations and operating system protocols, sharing networking.
Economic Applications: such as portfolio management, forecasting impact of Govt. Policies and international market fluctuations on the economy. Budgeting and forecasting market fluctuations.
Transportation Applications: Design and testing of alternative transportation policies, transportation networks-roads, railways, airways etc. Evaluation of timetables, traffic planning.
Environment Applications: Solid waste management, performance evaluation of environmental programs, evaluation of pollution control systems.
Biological applications: Such as population genetics and spread of epidemics, Internal structure of a complex biological system.
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