How to use Input Analyzer

1
 Readings

n Kelton et al. – Chapter 4.6.4

© D. Terekhov 2017 2
 Arena Input Analyzer
n A tool to automate and simplify the
process of fitting a distribution

© D. Terekhov 2017 3
3
 Arena Input Analyzer
n A tool to automate and simplify the
process of fitting a distribution, which
handles the following steps of the
overall process
n Steps 2 a) and b)
n Step 3
n Step 4

© D. Terekhov 2017 4
4
 Steps for Using Input Analyzer

1. Create a .txt or .dst (plain ASCII) file

containing the data
2. In Input Analyzer, click on New. Then
click on Data File / Use Existing
3. Fit one or more distributions using Fit or
Fit All commands
Fit all available Fit a particular distribution
distributions 14
 Steps for Using Input Analyzer
4. If there is a distribution that fits the
data well, choose that distribution.
Otherwise, go back to step 1.
5. Copy expression from Input Analyzer
into the appropriate field of Arena model

Might have to repeat the

process multiple times… until
you find a good fit!
14
Input Analyzer Options
n Changing the # of Bins
n Options > Parameters > Historgram

n Viewing results after closing Analyzer

n .OUT files
n E.g., BETA.OUT is a summary of fitting the
Beta distribution to the data
n SUMMARY.OUT gives a summary of FitAll
15
Sample Input Analyzer Output
n Data Summary – summary stats such as
max, min, average, # of points
n Histogram Summary – # of intervals
n Distribution Summary – provides fit
information

15
 Fit Distribution Summary
Distribution: Beta

Expression: 10 + 29 * BETA(1.87, 2.16)

Square Error: 0.002348

*
Arena: this is the
!(𝑁$ − 𝑛𝑝$ )) expression you use in
$+, the relevant module
15
FitAll Distribution Summary
n FitAll chooses distribution based on
lowest squared error!
Function Sq Error
Weibull 0.0284
Beta 0.0551 The squared errors
Exponential 0.128 may be close à you
Erlang 0.128
Lognormal 0.141 need to look at the
Gamma
Normal
0.169
0.578
fit in more detail
Triangular 0.647
Uniform 0.696

10
 Chi-Square Test # of bins in the
histogram

Chi Square Test # of bins -

Number of intervals = 11 # params
estimated
Degrees of freedom = 8 -1
Test Statistic = 5.57
Corresponding p-value = 0.695

𝑃./ 𝑇 ≥ 𝑡
© D. Terekhov 2017 11
 K-S Test
Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test
Test Statistic = 0.0315
Corresponding p-value > 0.15

𝑃./ 𝑇 ≥ 𝑡

© D. Terekhov 2017 12
 So…
n Input Analyzer does all the work for us
– we just input the data file, get an
expression, and use the expression in
the Arena module!
WRONG!!!!!!

© D. Terekhov 2017 13
 CAUTION!
n Input Analyzer cannot always give us
conclusive evidence
n What if the p-value of the best fit
distribution is very low?
n Input analyzer cannot detect problems
with your data such as outliers or
dependence

© D. Terekhov 2017 14
 So…
n You need to perform all steps
previously described!
n Specifically, need to use summary
statistics, observations & knowledge of
system together with Arena Input
Analyzer, not just rely on the tool itself!

© D. Terekhov 2017 15
Questions?

16