Can I consider my model terminating?

[cubakija]

Hi again ,

I am not sure how to categorize my model.
I simulate one shift production of a packaging line. At the end of the shift all conveyors are cleaned of products, but some remain in the buffer unpacked. These products are not taken in the count by that shift, but by the following. So, only the first shift is "unbalanced", because every new shift take account of the number of the unpacked products from the previous shift. The quantity that could remain in a buffer is 2% max.
Can I consider my model TERMINATING, as 2% doesn't mean much to me?

Regards,

[kvasudevan]

The general rule of thumb for systems that drain out at the end of the shift and have an unbalanced 1st shift is to consider them as steady state (non-terminating) simulations to account for the swinging trends in the first shift.

Given that a shift is a relatively short period of time, a terminating simulation would not be advisable as you may miss the long term trends that result because of the swinging production.
Terminating simulations are run if you are interested in analysis only the 1st 100 customers or the 1st 1000 parts etc. Also, Simulation run-time is generally never set to 8 hrs or 12 hrs etc. By a lame rule of thumb, at least 100 hours!!

I believe the below link would help you understand the scenario and arguments favoring a steady state simulation better.
http://mat.gsia.cmu.edu/simul/node17.html#SECTION00062000000000000000

Hope this helps,

- Karthik, PMC

[cubakija]

Karthik, thanks for the valuable advice and the link.

Regards,
cubakija

[rwilcox]

I too commend the link -- my professor has referred to; it helped many classmates and myself. Regards, rwilcox

[Puneeta]

many thanks to you !

[Puneeta]

Yes, surely , if the 2% max are not much of placebos.