Simulation Optimization Decision Support for Ship Panel Lines

Greenwood, A., Hill. T. W., Vanguri, S., Walden, C., Miller, J., Eksioglu, B., & Jain, P. (2005). Simulation Optimization Decision Support for Ship Panel Lines. In M. E. Kuhl, N.M. Steiger, F.B. Armstrong, J.A. Joins (Eds.), Proceedings of the 2005 Winter Simulation Conference. Washington, DC.

Simulation is a powerful tool that is used to understand and analyze the effect of changes on real systems. However, developing and using simulation models requires high-level engineering skills. The objective of this research is to put state-of-the-art problem-solving technologies into the hands of decision makers, e.g. planners and supervisors. This paper presents a Decision Support System (DSS) that utilizes discrete-event simulation models and heuristic op-timization, yet permits effective use without detailed knowledge of the methodologies. The system is developed for the Panel Shop at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems’ (NGSS) Pascagoula Operations; the shop is considered the bottleneck for the shipyard. This system focuses on two key opportunities for improvement: sequencing panel pro-duction and resource allocation among steps in the produc-tion processes. The DSS is designed to be reused in simi-lar operations at other shipyards and portions of the DSS may be used to apply simulation optimization to most in-dustries.