Automation in modeling: using automation for finishing room capacity planning

Capacity planning of a furniture finishing system using both deterministic analysis and stochastic simulation is conveniently performed with the aid ActiveX Automation. Users interactively build a complete model of a finishing system with an Excel interface, which creates a deterministic model. The spreadsheet de-couples data input from the simulation model construction and execution, and provides a user-friendly tool for analyzing a finishing system. Using the spreadsheet, simulation data is provided to the deterministic model, and an Arena simulation model and animation of individual finishing line operations is constructed through ActiveX automation. A manufacturing manager unfamiliar with modeling techniques can use the interface to plan the finishing system and conduct simulation experiments with various input parameters such as line loading techniques, operations balancing, and line speeds. Through the interface, results from the simulation can be used in an iterative process to analyze and refine design parameters of the finishing line.