A well-kept secret?

Simulation appears to offer manufacturing industry a very powerful tool for responding to change in a competitive world. A 1991 U.K. study confirms that simulation is a valuable technology across common application areas, with wide-ranging benefits secured to a high level of user satisfaction. Yet awareness of the technology in industry is very low and some £300M pa of benefits are being missed. Higher education is providing little awareness in potential ‘client’ areas. There are other obstacles to wider use but research in the field is fragmented and unfocussed, with fundamental research very low and results poorly disseminated. The study proposes a plan of action including Reginal Support Centres, wider education, and a National Framework for simulation research.