A knowledge-based simulation system for manufacturing scheduling

The development of computer technology, artificial intelligence, and simulation modelling has become increasingly complex, and yet the application of these techniques is necessary for a company to be effective and competitive. However, the end users may not have the necessary sophistication to apply these technologies effectively on their own. Combining these technologies to provide intelligent interfaces may be beneficial to the non-expert user. This paper discusses a conceptual knowledge-based simulation system and illustrates its applicability using a hypothetical manufacturing example. The example focuses on interfacing knowledge from an expert with a simulation model to make scheduling decisions in a manufacturing environment. The knowledge system is constructed using the M.1 expert system package and the simulation is performed using SLAM II.