Operations Management: Processes and Supply Chains, 12th Edition

Reasons for Using Simulation Models

Simulation is useful when waiting-line models become too complex. Using simulation for analyzing processes may be based on other reasons as well. First, when the relationship between the variables is nonlinear or when the situation involves too many variables or constraints to handle with optimizing approaches, simulation models can be used to estimate operating characteristics or objective function values and analyze a problem.

Second, simulation models can be used to conduct experiments without disrupting real systems. Experimenting with a real system can be costly. For example, a simulation model can be used to estimate the benefits of purchasing and installing an automated processing system without first ...