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In the framework of the COPERNICO research project configurators were developed under the Siemens Tecnomatix Plant Simulation software environment, which support the rapid creation of the discrete event simulation (DES) models of several types of manufacturing systems. With the use of the configurators after defining the required input data -such as the product mix, production processes, layout prototype, etc. -the DES models of the manufacturing system alternatives will be automatically created. The layout prototypes are based on a cladistics classification of manufacturing systems. The aim of the configurators is not only to purely create the simulation models but also to create models that can be used for further optimisations, that can be done e.g. by using the built in genetic algorithms tool, based on specific objectives. In this paper some research results are demonstrated on how the configurators create DES models and how the models can be applied. IntroductionToday the design or re-design process of manufacturing systems requires wider and deeper integration of design methodologies and software tools. The design process should include the synthesis, analysis and optimisation tasks integrating the equipment selection and the layout planning activities as well.In order to achieve that integrated models should be developed that represent the products, processes and manufacturing equipment in a virtual environment. Several parameters -such as the product mix, control strategies of material flow, layout types, parameterised existence of equipment etc. -should be represented in these integrated models in order to be able to optimise the key performance indicators in a more comprehensive way. Small companies cannot afford investing in expensive modelling systems and employing personnel to design their new manufacturing facilities or model and evaluate their existing manufacturing systems. Therefore, affordable, easy-to-use modelling tools are needed that support the rapid design of manufacturing systems. The COPERNICO research project [1] aimed to achieve these goals. The major technical objectives of the project were to develop a cladistics based classification system of manufacturing systems, and to develop several software tools to support the rapid design, simulation, visualisation and evaluation of manufacturing systems. In the framework of the project configurator software tools were developed that support the rapid creation of the discrete event simulation (DES) models of several types of manufacturing systems.This paper first presents a literature survey of using DES for the design of manufacturing systems. Then the layout prototypes that serve the basis for systematic layout design are described. These layout prototypes were defined using the species derived by the COPERNICO cladistic classification system. And at last the paper describes the main functions and the internal structure of the DES configurators that support the rapid creation and evaluation of the DES models of manufacturing systems, and ...

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One of the main aims of the COPERNICO European research project is to develop a manufacturing system configurator that is able to automatically create the simulation models of various manufacturing system layout variants. It means that the production process (e.g. type and order of operations) can be described, the type of production systems (e.g. workstations, machine tools), the type of the material flow solutions and the material handling systems (e.g. robots, conveyors), and the layout type can be selected, the product mix can be defined, the scheduling strategy can be chosen, then the discrete event simulation model of the manufacturing system can be automatically or semi-automatically created. As a first approximation a configurator has been developed that is driven by manual user data input. Later on several data, such as layout type or number of machines, will be automatically determined with the help of a manufacturing system ontology. The paper presents the first version of the configurator and an automatically created workable simulation model.

The main objective of the thesis is to create a discrete event simulation model with the Plant Simulation software tool of a metal-cutting manufacturing system which is under design and manufacturing. Furthermore, the aim was to examine, evaluate and create additional layout variations and analyse them according to various criteria. The paper presents the current manufacturing system and its modified alternatives with their physical arrangements and simulation models, and the simulation results. The evaluation criteria were the following: annual volume that can be manufactured, the number of input and output buffers, the number of workpiece carriers (manipulators), the utilisation of production machines, and the expected energy consumption. Moreover, the effects of the programmed speed of the robot and the availability of the machines on some selected characteristics were also examined. ÖsszefoglalásA dolgozat fő célja egy tervezés és gyártás alatt álló forgácsoló gyártórendszer diszkrét eseményvezérelt folyamatmodelljének létrehozása Plant Simulation szoftver segítségével, annak vizsgálata, kiértékelése, majd további elrendezési variációk létrehozása és elemzése különböző szempontok alapján. Bemutatásra kerül a tervezett gyártósor és annak néhány módosított változata, azok fizikai megoldási alternatívái illetve szimulációs modelljei, és a szimulációs vizsgálatok eredményei. Vizsgálati szempontok a következők voltak: éves gyártható darabszám, be-és kimeneti tárolók száma, munkadarab hordozók (manipulátorok) száma, az egyes gyártóberendezések kihasználtsága és az egyes rendszerek várható energiafogyasztása. További vizsgálódások tárgya volt a robot programozott sebességének és az egyes gépek hozzáférhetőségének hatása a vizsgált jellemzőkre. Kulcsszavak:gyártórendszer, diszkrét eseményvezérelt szimuláció, automatizált forgácsoló gyártósor