SimEvents is a discrete event simulation

Discrete Event Simulation

In discrete-event simulation, the operation of a system is represented as a chronological sequence of events. Each event occurs at an instant in time and marks a change of state in the system...

 tool developed by MathWorks. It adds a library of graphical building blocks for modeling queuing systems to the Simulink

Simulink

Simulink, developed by MathWorks, is a commercial tool for modeling, simulating and analyzing multidomain dynamic systems. Its primary interface is a graphical block diagramming tool and a customizable set of block libraries. It offers tight integration with the rest of the MATLAB environment and...

 environment. It also adds an event-based simulation engine to the time-based simulation engine in Simulink

Process/Logistics simulation

SimEvents is used to model process flows and logistics in order to understand resource availability, inventory management techniques, and the effects of arbitrary events on a mission plan.

For example, SimEvents can simulate manufacturing processes for capacity planning and production planning.

SimEvents is also used to simulate logistics of vehicle maintenance schedule. Such a model may include:

• Generation of repair demand based on mean times between failures and repairs
• Different failure types with specific maintenance requirements
• Pool of maintenance resources

A SimEvents model can be used to estimate through-life support (TLS) requirements such as the size of repair pools, provisioning of spares. A SimEvents model can also predict characteristics such as availability, serviceability and end-to-end latencies based on a specific maintenance schedule.

Modeling performance of a system architecture

SimEvents is used to build a discrete-event model of the architecture of an electronic system. This architecture model simulates the transactions between different components such as processors, memory, or a communication bus. Simulation of this model provides plots of performance characteristics such as throughput, latency, packet loss and utilization. Systems engineers can use this model to understand the constraints on various shared resources in the electronic system

Capabilities

SimEvents provides a graphical drag-and-drop interface for building a discrete-event model.

Library blocks

SimEvents provides libraries of entity generators, random number generators, queues, servers, graphical displays and statistics reporting blocks.

Use of MATLAB in a discrete event simulation

Integration with MATLAB

MATLAB

MATLAB is a numerical computing environment and fourth-generation programming language. Developed by MathWorks, MATLAB allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces, and interfacing with programs written in other languages,...

allows customization of the process flow in a SimEvents model. A MATLAB function can be developed to represent a task-scheduling sequence, routing of parts, or production recipes in a process flow. Since SimEvents and MATLAB are within the same tools environment, it is straightforward to generate custom random distributions of input tasks as well as to generate custom statistics from a SimEvents model using a MATLAB function.

Multi-domain simulation

SimEvents and Simulink can be used in the same simulation model to simulate hybrid or multi-domain systems that have both time-based and event-based components.