Table of Contents

Preface

          Motivation .......................................................................................ix

            How to use the booklet ....................................................................ix

Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................1

            Sec. 1: What is process simulation? ...................................................2

            Sec. 2: What does SimQuick do? ......................................................3

            Sec. 3: How does SimQuick incorporate uncertainty? ........................4

            Sec. 4: System requirements and “installation” ....................................6

Chapter 2: Waiting Lines .................................................................8

            Sec. 1: Solving a problem with SimQuick ..........................................9

                        Example 1: A Bank ...............................................................9

Modeling the process (with a process flow map) ......10

Entering the model into SimQuick ............................10

Interpreting SimQuick results ...................................15

Improving the process, Variation 1 ..........................19

Improving the process, Variation 2 ..........................21

            Sec. 2: Additional waiting line processes ..........................................23

Example 2: A grocery store checkout ..................................23

Example 3: A call center ......................................................24

Example 4: A fast-food restaurant drive-thru ................…....25

Example 5: A bank with a discrete distribution .....................26

Example 6: A bank with changing demand ...........................27

            Sec. 3: Waiting lines with Decision Points.........................................29

Example 7: An airport security system .................................30

Example 8: A department of motor vehicles .........................33

Example 9: A hospital emergency room ...............................35

Sec. 4: Waiting lines with priorities and resources .............................36

Example 10: Cross-trained workers at a fast-food restaurant ..37

Example 11: Value meals at a fast-food restaurant .................40

Chapter 3: Inventory in Supply Chains ................ 44

            Sec. 1: A periodic review inventory policy ..........................................46

Example 12: Grocery store inventory ......................................46

            Sec. 2: Reorder point inventory policies ..............................................49

Example 13: An electronics superstore ...................................49

                        Example 14: A warehouse ......................................................53

                        Example 15: Two stores and a warehouse ..............................54

            Sec. 3: More complex inventory policies .............................................56

                        Example 16: An appliance store ..............................................57

            Example 17: A department store .............................................63

Chapter 4: Manufacturing ..................................................69

            Sec. 1: Linear flow processes ..............................................................70

                        Example 18: A generic linear flow process ...............................71

Example 19: A manufacturing cell ............................................73

            Sec. 2: Assembly/disassembly processes .............................................75

Example 20: Box manufacturing ..............................................75

            Sec. 3: Batch and job shop processes .................................................79

Example 21: Pharmaceutical manufacturing ..............................79

Example 22: A single machine job shop ...................................83

            Sec. 4: Quality and reliability in processes ............................................86

Example 23: A quality control station .......................................86

            Example 24: A machine with breakdowns ................................89

Chapter 5: Project Management ...................................90

Example 25: A software development project ................................91

Example 26: A house addition project ...........................................95

Appendix 1: The Steps in a Simulation Project ........................97

Appendix 2: Enhancing SimQuick with Excel Features .......98

Appendix 3: Using Custom Schedules ........................................104