SIMULATION TUTORIAL

Pieces of a Simulation Model

Entities

Players that move around, change status, affect and are

affected by other entities
Dynamic objects get created, move around, leave
(maybe)
Usually represent real things

Our model: entities are the parts

Usually have multiple realizations floating around

Can have different types of entities concurrently
Usually, identifying the types of entities is the first thing to
do in building a model

Pieces of a Simulation Model (contd.)

Attributes

Characteristic of all entities: describe, differentiate

All entities have same attribute slots but different values
for different entities, for example:

Time of arrival
Due date
Priority
Color

Attribute value tied to a specific entity

Like local (to entities) variables
Some automatic in Arena, some you define

Pieces of a Simulation Model (contd.)

(Global) Variables

Reflects a characteristic of the whole model, not of specific

entities
Used for many different kinds of things

Travel time between all station pairs

Number of parts in system
Simulation clock (built-in Arena variable)

Name, value of which theres only one copy for the whole
model
Not tied to entities
Entities can access, change variables
Writing on the wall (rewriteable)
Some built-in by Arena, you can define others

Pieces of a Simulation Model (contd.)

Resources

What entities compete for

Entity seizes a resource, uses it, releases it

Think of a resource being assigned to an entity, rather than
an entity belonging to a resource
A resource can have several units of capacity

People
Equipment
Space

Seats at a table in a restaurant

Identical ticketing agents at an airline counter

Number of units of resource can be changed during the

simulation

Pieces of a Simulation Model (contd.)

Queues

Place for entities to wait when they cant move on (maybe

since the resource they want to seize is not available)
Have names, often tied to a corresponding resource
Can have a finite capacity to model limited space have
to model what to do if an entity shows up to a queue thats
already full
Usually watch the length of a queue, waiting time in it

Pieces of a Simulation Model (contd.)

Statistical accumulators

Variables that watch whats happening

Depend on output performance measures desired
Passive in model dont participate, just watch
Many are automatic in Arena, but some you may have to
set up and maintain during the simulation
At end of simulation, used to compute final output
performance measures

Overview of a Simulation Study

Understand the system

Be clear about the goals
Formulate the model representation
Translate into modeling software
Verify program
Validate model
Design experiments
Make runs
Analyze, get insight, document results

A Guided Tour Through Arena

What Well Do ...

Start Arena
Load, explore, run an existing model

Browse dialogs and menus

Run the model
Look at results

Construct the same model from scratch

Tour menus, toolbars, drawing, printing
Help system
Options for running and control

Behavior of Arena

Arena is a true Windows application

Appearance, operation, functions, are standard

Interoperability with other software (MS Office, CAD)
Interact, communicate with other software (Chapter 10)

Assume you already know basics of Windows:

Disks, files, folders, paths

Mousing, keyboarding
Resizing, moving, maximizing, minimizing windows
Menu operations
Ctrl, Alt, Shift keys
Cut, copy, paste
Filling out dialog fields

Opening an Existing Model

File > Open or

Why the .doe default

extension to Arena model
filenames?

Navigate to desired disk/directory

Click > Open or double-click Model 03-01.doe
Book models: Rockwell Software\Arena 10.0\Book
Examples
More examples: Rockwell Software\Arena 10.0\Examples

Model window (usually on right side of Arena

window)

button

Where model is built

Resize, maximize, minimize, scroll/pan, zoom
Can have multiple model windows open at once

Cut, Copy, Paste within Arena, and between Arena

and other applications (when sensible)

Flowchart and Spreadsheet Views

Model window split into two views

Flowchart view

Spreadsheet view

Graphics
Process flowchart
Animation, drawing
Edit things by double-clicking on them, get into a dialog
Displays model data directly
Can edit, add, delete data in spreadsheet view
Displays all similar kinds of modeling elements at once

Many model parameters can be edited in either view

Horizontal splitter bar to apportion the two views
View > Split Screen (or push ) to see both flowchart and
spreadsheet views (otherwise, get just flowchart view)

Project Bar

Usually down the left edge of Arena window

Hosts panels with modeling building blocks:
modules

Displays one panel at a time

Both flowchart and spreadsheet modules

Switch to different panels via horizontal buttons
Panels for Basic Process, Reports (after running), Navigate
(to different views within a model or to different hierarchical
submodels, thumbnail), others can be attached
(Template Attach button
) for different modeling levels,
specialties

Usually docked to left edge but can move, float

Hide it via View > Project Bar or its own small

Status Bar

At very bottom of Arena window

Displays various information sensitive to status

Coordinates of cursor in worldspace

Simulation clock value, replication number being executed,
number of replications to be done, when simulation is
running

Hide by clearing (unchecking) View > Status Bar

Moving Around, Up, Down

in Flowchart View of Model Window
Underlying world space for model

Pan with scroll bars, arrow keys, thumbnail

Zoom in (down):
or + key or thumbnail
Zoom out (up):
or key or thumbnail
See all at min altitude:
or * key
To navigate via keyboard,
Named views
the model window must

(x, y) coordinates, arbitrary units (thousands in each

direction)

active ... click in it.

Save a pan/zoom view for different parts ofbemodel
Assign a Hot key (case-sensitive)
Access via View > Named Views or ? key or

Display grid (
), snap to grid (
) toggles
Rulers, alignment, guides, glue see text

Modules

Basic building blocks of a simulation model

Two basic types: flowchart and data
Different types of modules for different actions,
specifications
Blank modules are on the Project Bar

To add a flowchart module to your model, drag it from the

Project Bar into the flowchart view of the model window

Can have many instances of the same kind of flowchart module in

your model

To use a data module, select it (single-click) in the Project

Bar and edit in the spreadsheet view of the model window

Only one instance of each kind of data module in your model, but it
can have many entries (rows) in the spreadsheet view
Can edit via dialog double-click on number in leftmost column

Flowchart Modules

Describe dynamic processes

Basic Process panel flowchart module types:

Nodes/places through which entities flow

Typically connected to each other in some way
Create, Dispose, Process, Decide, Batch, Separate,
Assign, Record

Other panels many other kinds

Shape like flowcharting (also use colors for hints)
Two ways to edit

Double-click to open up, then fill out dialogs

Select (single-click) a module type in model or Project Bar,
get all modules of that type in the spreadsheet view

Data Modules

Set values, conditions, etc. for whole model

Basic Process panel data module types:

Entity, Queue, Resource, Variable, Schedule, Set

Other panels many other kinds

Icons in Project Bar look like little spreadsheets
To use a data module, select it (single-click) in the
Project Bar, edit in spreadsheet view

No entity flow, no connections

Can edit via dialog double-click in leftmost column, or

right-click and select Edit via Dialog
Double-click where indicated to add new row
Right-click on row, column to do different things

Only one instance of each kind of data module in

a model

But each one can have many entries (rows)

Relations Among Modules

Flowchart and data modules are related via

names for objects

Arena keeps internal lists of different kinds of

names

Queues, Resources, Entity types, Variables others

Presents existing lists to you where appropriate

Helps you remember names, protects you from typos

All names you make up in a model must be

unique across the model, even across different
types of modules

Internal Model Documentation

Data Tips on modules, graphics hover mouse

over object to see

Default part generic info on object (name, type)

User-defined part right-click on object, select Properties,
enter text under Property Description
Toggle display of Data tips via View > Data Tips

Project Description Run > Setup > Project

Parameters, enter text under Project Description
Model Documentation Report Tools > Model
Documentation Report

Generates HTML file with model details (can choose which

kinds of details to include)

Browsing Through Model Example 1

Open Model 03-01.doe (in Book Examples

folder)
Three flowchart modules (Create, Process,
Dispose)
Entries in three data modules (Entity, Queue,
Resource)
Animation objects

Resource animation
Two plots
Some (passive) labels, artwork

The Create Flowchart Module

Birth node for entities

Gave this instance of the Create-type module the
Name Part Arrives to System

If we had other Create modules (we dont) theyd all have

different Names

Double-click on module to open property dialog:

The Create Flowchart Module (contd.)

Name for module (type it in, overriding default)

Entity Type enter a descriptive name

Time Between Arrivals area

Can have multiple Entity Types with distinct names

Specify nature of the time separating consecutive arrivals
Type pull-down list with several options
Value depends on Type for Random (Expo) is mean
Units time units for Value

Entities per Arrival constant, random variable,

very general Expression (more later )
Max Arrivals choke off arrivals (from this
source) after this many entities
First Creation time of first arrival (need not be 0)

Editing Flowchart Modules in the

Spreadsheet View
Alternative to dialog for each instance of a

module type
See all instances of a module type at once

Convenient for seeing, editing lots of things at once

Selecting a module in either flowchart or

spreadsheet view also selects it in the other view
Click, double-click fields to view, edit
Right-click in row to Edit via Dialog, define a user
Data Tip (via Properties)
Right-click in expression fields to get Expression
Builder for help in constructing complex
expressions with Arena variables (more later )

The Entity Data Module

A data module, so edit in spreadsheet view only

View, edit aspects of different Types of entities in
your model (we have just one Type, Part)
Pull-down lists activated as you select fields
Our only edit Initial Picture for animation

We picked Picture.Blue Ball from the default list

The Process Flowchart Module

Represents the machine, including the resource,

queue, and entity delay time (processing)
Enter Name Drilling Center
Type picked Standard to define logic here
rather than in a submodel (more later )
Report Statistics check box at bottom

To get utilizations, queue lengths, queue waiting times, etc.

The Process Flowchart Module (contd.)

Logic area what happens to entities here

Action

Seize Delay Release entity Seizes some number of units of a Resource

(maybe after a wait in queue), Delay itself there for the processing time,
then Release the units of the Resource it had Seized we chose this option
Could just Delay entity (red traffic light) no Resources or queueing
Could also Seize Delay (no Release Release downstream)
Could also Delay Release (if Resource had been Seized upstream)
Priority for seizing lower numbers mean higher priority
Different Action choices could allow stringing together several Process
modules for modeling flexibility

Resources define Resource(s) to be seized, released

Double-click on row to open subdialog

Define Resource Name, Quantity of units to be Seized/Released here
Several Resources present (Add) entities must first Seize all

The Process Flowchart Module (contd.)

Delay Type choice of probability distributions,

constant or general Expression
Units time units for the delay (dont ignore)
Allocation how to charge delay in costing
Prompts on next line change depending on
choice of Delay Type specify numerical
parameters involved
Can also edit in spreadsheet view

Sub-dialogs (e.g., Resource here) become secondary

spreadsheets that pop up, must be closed

The Resource Data Module

Defining the Drill Press Resource in the

Process module automatically creates an entry
(row) for it in the Resource data module
Can edit it here for more options

Type could vary capacity Based on Schedule instead of

having a Fixed Capacity

Would define the Schedule in the Schedule data module later

Failures could cause resource to fail according to some

pattern

Define this pattern via Failure data module (Advanced Process

panel) later

The Queue Data Module

Specify aspects of the queues in the model

Type specifies queue discipline or ranking rule

We only have one, named Drilling Center.Queue

(the default name given the Process name)
If Lowest or Highest Attribute Value, then another field
appears where you specify which attribute

Shared it this queue will be shared among

several resources (later )
Report Statistics check for automatic collection
and reporting of queue length, time in queue

Animating Resources and Queues

Got queue animation

automatically by
specifying a Seize in the Process module

Entity pictures (blue balls) will line up here in animation

Dont get Resource animation automatically

To add it, use Resource button in Animate toolbar get

Resource Picture Placement dialog

Identifier link to Resource name in pull-down list

Specify different pictures for Idle, Busy state
For pre-defined artwork, Open a picture library (.plb filename extension)
Scroll up/down on right, select (single-click) a picture on right, select Idle or Busy
state on left, then
to copy the picture

To edit later, double-click on picture in flowchart view

The Dispose Flowchart Module

Represents entities leaving model boundaries

Name the module
Decide on Record Entity Statistics (average,
maximum time in system of entities exiting here,
costing information)
Check boxes for statistics collection and reporting:
Most are checked (turned on) by default
Little or no modeling effort to say yes to these
But in some models can slow execution markedly
Moral if you have speed problems, clear these if you dont care

Connecting Flowchart Modules

Establish (fixed) sequence of flowchart modules

through which entities flow
To make a connection

Connect (Object > Connect), cursor becomes cross hairs

Click on exit point
from source module, then entry point
on destination module

Green, red boxes light up to aid in hitting exit, entry points

Intermediate clicks for non-straight line in segments

To make many connections

After each connection, right-click in blank space, select

Repeat Last Action from pop-up menu
Or, double-click on , place multiple connections (no rightclick needed), right-click or Esc to end

Connecting Flowchart Modules (contd.)

Object menu toggles

Auto-Connect automatically connect entry point of newly

placed module from exit point of selected module
Smart Connect force segments to horizontal/vertical
Animate Connectors show entities moving along
connectors (zero time for statistics collection)

Move entry/exit points relative to their module

Right-click on entry/exit point

Select Allow Move from pop-up
Drag entry/exit point around

Dynamic Plots

Trace variables, queues as simulation runs a

kind of data animation
Disappear after run is ended (to keep, must save
data, postprocess via Output Analyzer later)
Plot button
from Animate toolbar Add for

Expression to plot (help via Expression Builder later)

Min/Max y-axis values (initially guesses, maybe revise)

Arena can do this automatically and dynamically in Plot dialog

Number of corners to show (# History Points) at a time

Stepped option (for piecewise-constant curves)
Colors

In Plot dialog Time Range (x axis, Base Time

Units), cosmetics, automatic scaling options
Drop plot in via crosshairs (resize, move later)

Dressing Things Up

Add drawing objects from Draw toolbar

Similar to other drawing, CAD packages

Object-oriented drawing tools (layers, etc.), not just a
painting tool

Add Text to annotate things

Control font, size, color, orientation

Setting the Run Conditions

Run > Setup menu dialog five tabs

Project Parameters Title, your name, Project Description,

output statistics
Replication Parameters

Number of Replications
Initialization options Between Replications
Start Date/Time to associate with start of simulation
Warm-up Period (when statistics are cleared)
Replication Length (and Time Units)
Base Time Units (output measures, internal computations)
Hours per Day (convenience for 16-hour days, etc.)
Terminating Condition (complex stopping rules)

Tabs for animation speed, run control, reports, array sizes

Terminating your simulation:
You must specify part of modeling
Arena has no default termination
If you dont specify termination, Arena will usually keep running forever

Running It

Plain-vanilla run: Click

from Standard toolbar
(like audio/video players)

First time or after changes: Check

Enters run mode can move around but not edit
Speed up or slow down animation display via slider bar

Or > on keyboard to speed up, < to slow down

When done, asked if you want to see summary reports

Click
to get out of run mode (cant edit until you do)
Can pause run with or Esc key

Other run control, viewing, checking options

Viewing the Reports

Click Yes in the Arena box at the end of the run

Default installation shows Category Overview

report summarizes many things about the run

Opens up a new reports window (separate from model

window) inside the Arena window
Project Bar shows Reports panel, with different reports
(each one would be a new window)
Remember to close all reports windows before future runs

Reports have page to browse (

and
)
Also, table contents tree at left for quick jumps via

Times are in Base Time Units for the model

Viewing the Reports Examples

Entity Time Total Time Part:

Avg. time in system was 6.4397 min., max was 12.6185

Resource Usage Instantaneous Utilization

Drill Press:

Utilization was 0.9171 (busy 91.71% of the time)

Process Other Number In Drilling Center:
During the run, 7 parts entered the Drilling Center
Process Other Number Out Drilling

Center:

Entity Time Wait Time Part:

Avg. wait time in all queues was 3.0340 min. (counts only
entities that left the system, but Queue Time Waiting
Time Drilling Center.Queue counts all entities that left
this queue, so can differ)
Entity Other Wip Part:
Average Work in Process was 1.7060, max WIP was 4

5 entities left the Drilling Center (so were produced)

Types of Statistics Reported

Many output statistics are one of three types:

Tally avg., max, min of a discrete list of numbers

Time-persistent time-average, max, min of a plot of

something where the x-axis is continuous time

Used for discrete-time output processes like waiting times in queue,

total times in system

Used for continuous-time output processes like queue lengths, WIP,

server-busy functions (for utilizations)

Counter accumulated sums of something, usually just

nose counts of how many times something happened

Often used to count entities passing through a point in the model

More on Reports and their Files

Reports we just saw based on a MS Access

database that Arena writes as it runs

Arena also produces a plain-text summary report

(.out filename extension)

Can be saved and viewed later

Viewing within Arena done via Crystal Reports to query the
Access database

Was in previous versions of Arena, underlying SIMAN

simulation language
Fairly cryptic, but gives quick view of lots of output data

Get multiple reports for multiple replications

Half Width columns for confidence intervals
on outputs in long-run simulations more later

Build It from scratch

Build same model from scratch

Handy user-interface tricks:

Right-click in an empty spot in flowchart view small box of

options, including Repeat Last Action useful in repetitive
editing like placing lots of the same module type
Ctrl+D or Ins key duplicates whatevers selected in
flowchart view, offsetting it a bit drag elsewhere, edit

Attach modeling panels youll need to Project Bar

if theyre not already there

Build It from sracth (contd.)

Place and connect flowchart modules

Edit flowchart and data modules as needed

Experiment with Expression Builder right-click in

expression field

Add plots, animation, artwork

Add named views (? key or View > Named Views
or ), with hot key (case-sensitive)
Edit Run > Setup dialog
Displays in text

Compact way of saying what needs to be done in a dialog

Omits Arena defaults
Shows completed dialogs, table of actions needed

Displays for Create, Process, Dispose

Modules

Displays for Queue-Length Plot,

its Expression-Builder Entry
Right-click
here, then click
Build Expression,
to get this

Electronic Assembly/Test System

(example 2)

Produce two different sealed elect. units (A, B)

Arriving parts: cast metal cases machined to
accept the electronic parts
Part A, Part B separate prep areas
Both go to Sealer for assembly, testing then to
Shipping (out) if OK, or else to Rework
Rework Salvaged (and Shipped), or Scrapped

Part A

Interarrivals: expo (5) minutes

From arrival point, proceed immediately to Part A
Prep area

Go immediately to Sealer

Process = (machine + deburr + clean) ~ tria (1,4,8) minutes

Process = (assemble + test) ~ tria (1,3,4) min.
91% pass, go to Shipped; Else go to Rework

Rework: (re-process + testing) ~ expo (45)

80% pass, go to Salvaged; Else go to Scrapped

Part B

Interarrivals: batches of 4, expo (30) min.

Upon arrival, batch separates into 4 individual
parts
From arrival point, proceed immediately to Part B
Prep area

Go to Sealer

Process = (machine + deburr +clean) ~ tria (3,5,10)

Process = (assemble + test) ~ weib (2.5, 5.3) min. ,
different from Part A, though at same station
91% pass, go to Shipped; Else go to Rework

Rework: (re-process + test) = expo (45) min.

80% pass, go to Salvaged; Else go to Scrapped

Part A Create Module

Name: Part A Arrive

Entity Type: Part A
Time Between Arrivals

Type: Random (Expo)

Value: 5
Units: Minutes

Pull-down list with options

Pull-down list with options

Once these entries are

made, they are placed on
the list for names of that
type (Module Name,
Entity Type, etc.) and will
appear on future pulldown lists for that type of
name.

Default whats not mentioned above

Part B Create Module

Name: Part B Arrive

Entity Type: Part B
Time Between Arrivals

Type: Random (Expo)

Value: 30
Units: Minutes

Pull-down list with options

Pull-down list with options

Entities per Arrival: 4

Part A Attributes Assign Module

Name: Assign Part A Sealer and Arrive Time

Add button:

Type: Attribute
Attribute Name: Sealer Time
New Value: TRIA(1, 3, 4)

Add button:

Type: Attribute
Attribute Name: Arrive Time
New Value: TNOW (to compute time in system on exit)
TNOW is the internal Arena variable name for the simulation clock; see
Help > Arena Help > Contents >
Variables, Functions, and Distributions > Date and Time Variables

Part B Attributes Assign Module

Name: Assign Part B Sealer and Arrive Time

Add button:

Type: Attribute
Attribute Name: Sealer Time
New Value: WEIB(2.5, 5.3)

Add button:

Type: Attribute
Attribute Name: Arrive Time
New Value: TNOW
Names for things in Arena
Default names usually suggested
Names placed on appropriate pull-down lists for future reference
All names in a model must be unique (even across different kinds of objects)

Prep A Process Module

Name: Prep A Process

Action: Seize Delay Release
Resources subdialog (Add button):

Type: Resource (a pull-down option)

Resource Name: Prep A
Quantity: 1 (default)

Delay Type: Triangular

Units: Minutes
Minimum: 1
Value (Most Likely): 4
Maximum: 8

If several Resources were

named (Add button),
entity would have to
Seize them all before the
Delay could start.

Prep B Process Module

Name: Prep B Process

Action: Seize Delay Release
Resources subdialog (Add button):

Type: Resource (a pull-down option)

Resource Name: Prep B
Quantity: 1 (default)

Delay Type: Triangular

Units: Minutes
Minimum: 3
Value (Most Likely): 5
Maximum: 10

Sealer Process Module

Name: Sealer Process

Action: Seize Delay Release
Resources subdialog (Add button):

Type: Resource (a pull-down option)

Resource Name: Sealer
Quantity: 1 (default)

Delay Type: Expression

Units: Minutes
Expression: Sealer Time

Recall Sealer Time attribute

was defined upstream for both
Parts A and B now its value is
being used allows for different
distributions for A and B.

Sealer Inspection-Result Decide Module

Decide module provides branch points

By Condition (entity Attributes, global Variables)

By Chance (multi-sided, possibly-biased hypercoin flip)

Name: Failed Sealer Inspection

Type: 2-way by Chance (default)
Percent True: 9
Different exit points for True, False results
connect appropriately downstream

Rework Process Module

Name: Rework Process

Action: Seize Delay Release
Resources subdialog (Add button):

Type: Resource (a pull-down option)

Resource Name: Rework
Quantity: 1 (default)

Delay Type: Expression

Units: Minutes
Expression: EXPO(45)

Had to use the general Expression

choice for Delay Type since what we
want (EXPO) is not directly on the
Delay Type pull-down list.

Rework Inspection-Result Decide

Module
Name: Failed Rework Inspection
Type: 2-way by Chance (default)
Percent True: 20

Record Modules

Arena collects and reports many output statistics

by default, but sometimes not all you want
We want time in system (average, max) of parts
sorted out by their exit point (Shipped, Salvaged,
Scrapped)

Its this sorting that Arena doesnt do by default ... it would

automatically sort by Entity Type if we had Entities checked
in Run > Setup > Project Parameters (which we dont)

Record module can be placed in the flowchart to

collect and report various kinds of statistics from
within the model run as entities pass through it

Shipped Parts Record Module

Name: Record Shipped Parts

Type: Time Interval

Attribute Name: Arrive Time

This option records the length of time that elapsed up to

now (TNOW) from when an entity attribute was marked with
a time stamp upstream ... Attribute Name is below ...
There are several other options for Type explore via
Record modules Help button!
Was defined upstream as the clock value in the Assign
modules instantly after each entity was Created

Tally Name: Record Shipped Parts

Determines the label in the reports

Other two Record modules

just like this except for Name
and Tally Name.

Dispose Modules

Three separate exit points for three separate part

disposition (Shipped, Salvaged, Scrapped)
Could have directed all three exit types to a single
Dispose module

But having separate ones produces animation counts of the

three dispositions

Also, having separate Dispose modules allows

for differentially checking the boxes to Record
Entity Statistics

Produces flow statistics separated by entity type (if Entities

Statistics Collection is checked in Run > Setup > Project
Parameters), not by final disposition of part so we did
need our Record modules and Arrive Time attribute