Chapter Six

Simulation Modeling with Arena

In this chapter you are able o know:

 Basic of process panel, examples and exercise
 Advanced process and transfer

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Introduction to Modeling Using Arena Simulation
• There are several simulation modelling software packages
that are available in the market today.

• Some of the other common ones besides Arena are, SIMUL8,

WITNESS, AutoMOD, ED, ANYLOGIC and SIMUL.

• But the minimum requirement for running the examples in

this and the next chapter will be the academic version of the
software tool called Arena.

• It integrates all the functionalities required for a successful

simulation including: Input and output data analysis, Model
logic construction and Animation.
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Arena Windows and Project Bar

Flowchart view

Project Bar

Spreadsheet View

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 …cont’d

• Simulation models normally represent complex systems and are

sometimes complex to build.
• It is therefore important to understand what pieces are put
together and how, particularly in Arena.
• The main building blocks in Arena are the flowchart and data
modules.
 Flowchart View
 Graphics

 Process flowchart
 Animation, drawing
 Edit things by double-clicking on them, get into a dialog

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 …cont’d
 Spreadsheet view
 Displays model data directly
 Can edit, add, delete data in spreadsheet view
 Displays all similar kinds of modeling elements at
once
 View > Split Screen to see both flowchart and
spreadsheet views
 Project Bar
 Usually down the left edge of Arena window
 Hosts panels with modeling building blocks: modules
 Both flowchart and spreadsheet modules
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 …cont’d

 Displays one panel at a time

 Switch to different panels via horizontal buttons
 Panels for Basic Process, Reports (after running), Navigate
(to different views within a model or to
different hierarchical submodules, thumbnails)… other can be
attached (template attach button ) ) for different modelling
levels, specialists
 Usually docked to left edge but can move, float
 Hide it via View > Project Bar or its own small

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MODULES
Basic building blocks of a simulation model Two
basic types: flowchart and data

Different types of modules for different actions,

specifications
“Blank” modules are on the Project Bar
• To add a flowchart module to your model, drag
it from the
Project Bar into the flowchart view of the
model window
• Can have many instances of the same kind of flowchart
module in your model
• To use a data module, select it (single-click) in the Project
Bar and edit in the spreadsheet view of the model window
• Only one instance of each kind of data module in
your model, but it can have many entries (rows) in the
spreadsheet view
• Can edit via dialog – double-click on number in leftmost
column
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1. FLOWCHART MODULES
Describe dynamic processes
Nodes/places through which entities flow
Typically connected to each other in some way

Basic Process panel flowchart module types:

Create, Dispose, Process, Decide, Batch, Separate, Assign,
Record
Other panels – many other kinds
Shape like flowcharting (also use colors for hints)
Two ways to edit

Double-click to open up, then fill out dialogs

Select (single-click) a module type in model or Project Bar, get
all modules of that type in the spreadsheet view
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 2. DATA MODULES
• Set values, conditions, etc. for whole model

• No entity flow, no connections

• Basic Process panel data module types:
• Entity, Queue, Resource, Variable, Schedule, Set

• Other panels – many other kinds

• Icons in Project Bar look like little spreadsheets
• To use a data module, select it (single-click) in the Project
• Bar, edit in spreadsheet view
• Can edit via dialog – double-click in leftmost column, or
right-click and select Edit via Dialog
• Double-click where indicated to add new row
Right-click on row, column to do different things
• Only one instance of each kind of data module in a model
But each one can have many entries (rows)
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 Simple Processing System with Illustrative Example

Machine
(Server)
Arriving Departing
7 6 5 4
Blank Parts Finished Parts
Queue (FIFO) Part in Service
• Blank parts arrive to a drilling center, are processed by a single drill
press, and then leave;
• Interarrival time is exponentially distributed with a mean of 5
• Processing time follows a triangular distribution of the form (1, 3, 6)
 Min = 1, mod = 3, max = 6

• General intent: for 20 minutes of operation time

 Estimate expected production
 Waiting time in queue, queue length, proportion of time machine is busy
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The Create Flowchart Module
• “Birth” node for entities
• Releases incoming entities into your model
• To add a Create module to your model, drag it from
the Project Bar into the flowchart view of the model
window
• You must have separate create modules to create entities
of different types

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Double-click on module to open
property dialog

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Name—Unique module identifier. This Value—Determines the mean of the
name is displayed on the module exponential distribution (if Random is used) or
shape. the constant value (if Constant is used) for the
Entity Type—Name of the entity time between arrivals. Applies only when
type to be generated. (E.g. Type is Random or Constant.
Entity1, Part A, Part B)

Entities per Arrival—Number of entities that

will enter the system at a given time with each
arrival.

Max Arrivals—Maximum number of entities that

this module will generate. When this value is
reached, the creation of new entities by this module
ceases.

Units— Time units used for interarrival and

first creation times. Does not apply when Type
Type—Type of arrival stream to be generated. is Schedule.
Types include: Random (uses an Exponential
First Creation—
distribution, user specifies mean), Schedule Starting time for
(uses an Exponential distribution, mean the first entity to
determined from the specified Schedule arrive into the
module), Constant (user specifies constant system.
value, e.g., 100), or Expression (pull down list Does not apply
of various distributions). when
Type is Schedule.
 Double click & Edit the dialog box as shown
below for our example

You can also edit the create module in this spreadsheet

view
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The Entity Data Module
It is a data module, appears in the
spreadsheet view only
View, edit aspects of different Types of
entities in your model (we have just
one Type, Part)
Pull-down lists activated as you
select fields
Our only edit – Initial Picture for
animation
We picked Picture.Blue Ball from
the default list

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Process Module
This module is intended as the main processing method in
the simulation.
Typical Uses
Machining a part
Reviewing a document for completeness
Fulfilling orders
Serving a customer

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 Name—Unique module identifier.
Double click on the Process module and edit
This name is displayed on the
the dialog box as shown below
module shape.

Type—Method of specifying logic

within the module.
Standard processing signifies that
all logic will be stored within the
Process module and defined by a
particular Action.

Submodel indicates that the logic

will be hierarchically defined in a
"submodel" that can include any
number of logic modules.

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 Action
– Seize Delay Release – entity Seizes some number of units of a
Resource (maybe after a wait in queue), Delay itself there for
the processing time, then Release the units of the
Resource it had Seized – we chose this option
– Could just Delay entity (red traffic light) – no Resources or
queueing
– Could also Seize Delay (no Release … Release downstream)
– Could also Delay Release (if Resource had been Seized
upstream)
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 Add Resource

Quantity—Number of
resources of a given name
that will be
seized/released.

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Resource Data Module
• Defining the Drill Press Resource in the Process module automatically creates
an entry (row) for it in the Resource data module
• Can edit it here for more options
 Type – could vary capacity Based on Schedule instead of Fixed Capacity
– Would define the Schedule in the Schedule data module … later
 Failures – could cause resource to fail according to some pattern
– Define this pattern via Failure data module (Advanced Process
panel) … later

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Queue Data Module
• Defining the Drill Press Resource in the Process
module automatically creates an entry (row) for it in the
Queue data module
• Type – specifies queue discipline or ranking rule
• If Lowest or Highest Attribute Value, then another
field appears where you specify which attribute
• Shared – if this queue will be shared among several
resources (later …)
• Report Statistics – check for automatic collection and
reporting of queue length, time in queue

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 Animating Resources and Queues

• Got queue animation automatically

by specifying a Seize Action in the Process module
• Entity pictures (blue balls) will line up here in animation
• Don’t get Resource animation automatically
• To add it, use Resource button in Animate toolbar
… get Resource Picture Placement dialog
 Identifier – link to Resource name in pull-down list
 Specify different pictures for Idle, Busy state
• For pre-defined artwork, Open a picture library (.plb
filename extension)
• Scroll up/down on right, select (single-click) a picture on right,
ft, on le
select Idle or Busy state
hen to copy the picture t
• To edit later, double-click on picture in flowchart view

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Introduction to Modeling Using Arena Slide 19
Animating Resources

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Dispose Module
 Represents entities leaving model boundaries
 Name the module: “Parts Leaving System”
 Decide on Record Entity Statistics (average, maximum
time in system of entities exiting here, costing
information)

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Run > Setup > Replication Parameter

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 Dynamic Plots

• Trace variables, queues as simulation runs – a kind of “data

animation”
• Disappear after run is ended (to keep, must save data, postprocess
via Output Analyzer – later)
• Plot button from Animate toolbar… “Add” for
• Expression to plot (help via Expression Builder … later)
• Min/Max y-axis values (initially guesses, maybe revise)
• – Arena can do this automatically and dynamically in Plot dialog
• Number of “corners” to show (# History Points) at a time
• Stepped option (for piecewise-constant curves)
• Colors

• In Plot dialog – Time Range (x axis, Base Time Units), cosmetics,

automatic scaling options
• Drop plot in via crosshairs (resize, move later)
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The complete model

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 Running it

• This function is accessible via options in the Run menu

or the corresponding buttons on the Standard toolbar.
• The Go button initiates or resumes a replication.
• The Pause button pauses the replication.
• The modeler can resume execution by clicking on any
of the buttons above.

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 Viewing the Reports

• Click Yes in the Arena box at the end of the run

• Opens up a new reports window (separate from model window) inside
the Arena window
• Project Bar shows Reports panel, with different reports (each one would
be a new window)
• Remember to close all reports windows before future runs
• Default shows Category Overview report –
installation
summarizes many things about the run
• Reports have “page” to browse ( and )
• Also, “table contents” tree at left for quick jumps via ,
• Times are in Base Time Units for the model

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• Entity → Time → Total Time → Part:
• Avg. time in system was 6.4397 min., max was 12.6185

• Resource → Usage → Instantaneous Utilization → Drill Press:

• Utilization was 0.9171 (busy 91.71% of the time)

• Process → Other → Number In → Drilling Center:

• During the run, 7 parts entered the Drilling Center

• Process → Other → Number Out → Drilling Center:

• 5 entities left the Drilling Center (so were produced)

• Entity → Time → Wait Time → Part:

• Avg. wait time in all queues was 3.0340 min. (counts only entities
that left the system, but Queue  Time  Waiting Time  Drilling
Center.Queue counts all entities that left this queue, so can differ)
• Entity → Other → Wip → Part:
• Average Work in Process was 1.7060, max WIP was 4

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35
 Exercise

From the “ Kelton's Simulation With Arena”

book please do the following
exercises accordingly:
Ex. 4-1, 4-4, 4-6 and 4-7

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================= Chapter 6 _End ================

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