An object-oriented framework for simulating supply systems

A framework is a set of reusable classes that work together to facilitate the construction of software within a particular domain. In this paper, we present an object–oriented framework for developing simulation models involving supply chain networks. The key object–oriented artefacts for modelling inventory–based supply chain networks are presented including the classes, their attributes, relationships, and behaviours. The framework's implementation within Java is also presented through a number of examples. The examples illustrate the capabilities of the framework to build large–scale multi–echelon, multi–item inventory networks with time–based transport between locations.