Simio and Simulation - Modeling, Analysis, Applications 6th Edition

This sixth edition explains how to use simulation to make better business decisions in application domains from healthcare to mining, heavy manufacturing to supply chains, and everything in between. It is written to help both technical and non-technical users better understand the concepts and usefulness of simulation. It can be used in a classroom environment or in support of independent study. Modern software makes simulation more useful and accessible than ever and this book illustrates simulation concepts with Simio (R), a leader in simulation software.

This edition is written for Simio Version 14 or later – the technical content, figures, and examples have been updated to adjust for 3 years of new releases. The most dramatic change is in format and distribution – we are now distributing this updated book in a free online format to make it accessible to everyone. We have incorporated many new features as well as reader suggestions. We have enhanced the Monte Carlo, input analysis, and output analysis content, and added new coverage of data-driven and data-generated modeling techniques. We added a section introducing the emerging technology of AI and Neural Networks in support of simulation. Finally, we updated the Simulation-based Scheduling in Industry 4.0 chapter, discussing how simulation is contributing to the creation and effective operation of digital twins and operational scheduling and control. End-of-chapter problems have been improved and expanded, and we have incorporated many reader suggestions. We have reorganized the material for an improved flow, and have updates throughout the book for many of the new Simio features recently added.

This book can serve as the primary text in first and second courses in simulation at both the undergraduate and beginning-graduate levels. It is written in an accessible tutorial-style writing approach centered on specific examples rather than general concepts, and covers a variety of applications including an international flavor. Our experience has shown that these characteristics make the text easier to read and absorb, as well as appealing to students from many different cultural and applications backgrounds.

Jeffrey S. Smith is a Technical Fellow at Simio and Professor Emeritus of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Auburn University. Prior to his positions at Simio and Auburn, he was an Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at Texas A&M University. In addition to his academic positions, Dr, Smith has held professional engineering positions with Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and Philip Morris USA. Dr. Smith has a BS in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University and MS and PhD degrees in Industrial Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University. His primary research interests are in manufacturing systems design and analysis, and discrete-event simulation.

Dr. Smith has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Manufacturing Systems and Simulation, and his research work has been funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), Sandia National Laboratories, SEMATECH, the USDA, and the FHWA. His industrial partners on sponsored research include Alcoa, BRP, DaimlerChrysler, Siemens VDO, Continental, Rockwell Software, Systems Modeling Corporation, JC Penney, Fairchild Semiconductor, IBM, Nacom Industries, UPS, and the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Dr. Smith has served as PI or Co-PI on over $10 million of sponsored research and won the annual Senior Research Award of the College of Engineering at Auburn University in 2004. In addition, he has been selected as the Outstanding Faculty Member in the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department at Auburn four times. He has served on several national conference committees, was the General Chair for the 2004 Winter Simulation Conference, and was on the Winter Simulation Conference Board of Directors from 2010 through 2020. Dr. Smith is a Fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) and senior member of INFORMS.

David T. Sturrock co-founded and is now a Technical Fellow for Simio LLC. Until recently he was Vice-president of Products, responsible for development, support, training, and services for Simio LLC. In that role he managed new product development, taught frequent commercial courses, and managed a variety of consulting projects. He currently teaches simulation classes as a Field Faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh. With over 40 years of experience, he has applied simulation techniques in the areas of manufacturing, transportation systems, scheduling, high-speed processing, plant layout, business processes, call centers, capacity analysis, process design, health care, plant commissioning, and real-time control. He received his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from The Pennsylvania State University with concentrations in manufacturing and automation.

David began his career at Inland Steel Company as a plant industrial engineer. During a time of industry consolidation, he built an innovative simulation/scheduling group to improve company-wide effectiveness and efficiency. This effort was so successful that it was expanded to also assist the steelmaker’s suppliers and customers. He subsequently joined Systems Modeling as a development lead for SIMAN and Arena products, then joined Rockwell Automation as the Product Manager for Rockwell’s entire suite of simulation and emulation products. He is an ardent promoter of simulation, having had speaking engagements in over 40 countries across six continents. David is an active member of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), APICS/ASCM, INFORMS, and other professional groups. He is also a co-author of four simulation textbooks, and volunteers with Junior Achievement (JA), BPeace, ShelterBox, and local organizations.

Student Resources

Textbook example models and other student resources to accompany this textbook can be found on the Textbook Student Resources page. The student login and password can be found in the preface of the textbook.

Other general student resources can be found in the Simio LLC Student Resources area.

Instructor Resources

Instructors who are registered to use Simio software can download slides and additional teaching materials on the Textbook Instructor Resources page.

Registered faculty members can request a login and password from [email protected].

Simio software grants and a full description of Simio’s academic program can be found in the Simio LLC Academic area.