Simulation with Arena

An Electronic Assembly and Test System

PART B

Book: Simulation with Arena 4th Ed, David Kelton

Chapter 4

Dr. P.H.Tram, Mar 2020

Lab Objectives
- Learn “Basic Process” modules: Process, Decide, Assign,
Record, Resource, Schedule
- Learn “Advanced process” modules: Failure, Statistics
 An Electronic Assembly and Test System
Sealer
Part A Prep Part A TRIA Rework Scrapped
(1,3,4) 20%
EXPO(45)
Part A Part B
EXPO(5) WEIB
9% 1st shift: 1 Salvaged &
(2.5, 5.3) 80% shipped
TRIA (1,4,8) worker
2nd shift: 2
workers
Part B Prep 91%
Machine
Part B uptime ~
EXPO (120) Shipped
EXPO(30)
Batch of 4 Time to
repair ~
TRIA Time unit: minute
EXPO (4)
(3,5,10) Working hours: 16h/day (2 shifts)
Each station: 1 worker/shift
Additional system features
- Random variables follow
known probability
distributions:
+ Parts arrival time
+ Processing time
+ Defective part ratio
+ Machine uptime (failure)
- Parts arriving in batch
- Different part types have
different processing times
- Operator schedule
Run set-up
- Number of replication: 1
- Replication length: 10 days
- Hours per day: 16 (2 shifts)
- Base time unit: minutes
Third trial
- Modify the simulation model with resource scheduling and machine
failure

- Try to improve the system:

+ Monitor the WIP overtime at the rework station by plotting chart →
decide which shift needs to increase number of workers
+ Increase the number of workers at the rework station at the chosen
shift
+ Conclude on the number of racks should buy at the rework area (each
rack holds 10 assembles)
 Arena concepts
System features Arena modules

Machine failure <Resource data module>

Data definition
<Failure data module>
(Advanced Process)

Operator schedule <Resource data module>

<Schedule data module>
 Arena - Statistics Collection
Required statistics Arena report Arena modules

Status of rework queue Frequencies < Statistic data module>

(frequency that the queue has 0, (Advanced process)
0-10,10-20… items)

Amount of time Sealer is in a fail Frequencies < Statistic data module>

state (Advanced process)

Version 16:
<Frequency>
(Input Output)
Arena Built-in Variables

Arena Built-in Variables Meaning

NQ([process name.Queue]) Number in Queue of the queue of

certain process

Process name.WIP WIP in the Process (number in Q

+ number being processed)
Schedule data module → Resource schedule

- We create a schedule named “Rework schedule” for the resource in the rework process
- Choose Schedule type “Capacity”
- Right click on the “durations”, choose “Edit via Dialog” to give details of the schedule:Add
(capacity, duration) --> the first 8 hours (1st shift): 1 worker, the next 8 hours (2nd shift): 2 workers
Schedule data module → Resource schedule

You can also double

click on the
“duration” to use the
Graphical
Schedule Editor to
edit the information
(except when the
time duration is not
integer or is a
random variable)
Failure data module → Resource failure

- The failure data module is in the Advanced Process Panel (File > Template Panel>Attach→
Arena/Template/AdvancedProcess.tpo)
- We create a Failure named “Sealer Failure” for the sealer process
- Choose Failure type “Time”
- Key in Uptime and Downtime distribution
Resource data module → schedule and failure

At the “Rework process”, choose:

- Type: “Based on schedule”

- Capacity: Choose “Rework Schedule” in the dropdown list
- Schedule rule: “Ignore”
Resource data module

At the “Sealer process”, choose:

- Type: “Fixed capacity”

- Capacity: “1”
- Failure: Double click and choose “Sealer Failure” in the dropdown list of
failure name. Failure rule: wait
Arena “Schedule rule”
Scheduled Scheduled
Break start Break end

Preempt Break time

Wait Entity processing Break time

(BT<<PT) time

Ignore Break time

(BT>>PT)

12 noon 1 pm

(*) During break time, resource capacity is reduced

This rule is applied similarly for machine failure
Statistic data module

- Give a name for the statistics

- Choose type of the statistics to be collected. If it is Frequencies statistics,
choose the frequency type (value/state)
- Enter the Expression of the variable to be recorded (Use Expression builder)
- Enter collection period, report label. If you specify an output file, then each
individual observation is written to an output file.
Statistic Data module
 More about statistics collection
- Tally statistics: taking the average, minimum, or maximum from a list of
numbers (discrete-time)

- Time-persistent statistics: taking the (time) average, minimum, or maximum

of a plot of something during the simulation (continuous-time)

- Counter statistics: accumulated count of something

What statistics is it: average total time in system, average queue length, WIP,
number entities left the system
 More about statistics collection
- Instantaneous Utilization: Time weighted average of [number of units busy/
number of units scheduled at that point in time] over the whole run. (When
there is no capacity scheduled, utilization at that time is zero)

- Scheduled Utilization: Time-average of number of units busy over the whole

run/ Time-average of number of units scheduled over the whole run