scholarly journals Simulation Modeling: Risk Free Evaluation of Performance Alternatives

Author(s):  
Dennis A. Schaffer

Computer simulation is not a new technology; it has been used extensively by military, academic, and industrial organizations since the 1950’s for everything from critical strategic planning to validation of black hole and expanding universe theories. Early projects were hampered by excessive cost, cumbersome hardware, and complex programming but recent advances in personal computer power and application software have provided a basis for rapid advancement of simulation as a powerful, cost effective, risk free tool that can be used to analyze and improve any operating system. Computer simulation modeling is now used throughout the world as a primary decision making tool by all major automotive manufactures, can makers, financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and food processors. The Florida citrus industry is faced with a continuous challenge to cut operating costs while improving quality and service, and we are asked to meet the challenge on a severely limited budget with utmost speed. We know changes must be made, and we even have a good idea what they are, but we are not sure which changes should be made first, or if they will really work as well as we think. We also know that trial and error methods of testing changes can be financially risky and disruptive to the existing process. A wrong decision to proceed with trial and error testing can have extreme consequences for both the decision-maker and the business, and many excellent ideas are never implemented due to a justified “fear of failure”. Simulation allows many ideas to be tested in a greatly compressed time frame without committing capital, wasting time, or disrupting the process. Simulation promotes creative thinking and provides credible data for informed decision-making at all levels of an operation that cannot be obtained by any other method. Paper published with permission.

2013 ◽  
Vol 423-426 ◽  
pp. 2196-2201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeng Zhong Wang ◽  
Bin Shi

Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) is recognized as an important method to design and rehabilitate highway bridge structures. ABC is bridge construction that uses innovative planning, design, materials, and construction methods in a safe and cost-effective manner to reduce the onsite construction time that occurs when building new bridges or replacing and rehabilitating existing bridges. ABC uses both new technology and innovative project management techniques to reduce the impact of bridge construction projects on the public and to reduce bridge construction costs. In the early stages of a construction project, engineers need to assess whether elements of ABC are achievable and effective for a specific bridge location. Use of decision-making tools in early stages of planning is advocated as a mechanism for helping decision maker assess alternatives with more confidence and for preventing investment in alternatives that are more costly. In this study, a set of decision making tools, based on the Bridge Construction Index (BCI) were developed. This tool is prepared for transportation specialists and decision-makers to determine if ABC techniques are more effective than traditional construction for a given bridge replacement or rehabilitation project.


2009 ◽  
Vol 113 (1147) ◽  
pp. 575-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Liddle ◽  
M. Jabbal ◽  
W. J. Crowther

AbstractThe use of flow control (FC) technology on civil transport aircraft is seen as a potential means of providing a step change in aerodynamic performance in the 2020 time frame. There has been extensive research into the flow physics associated with FC. This paper focuses on developing an understanding of the costs and design drivers associated with the systems needed and certification. The research method adopted is based on three research strands:1. Study of the historical development of other disruptive technologies for civil transport aircraft,2. Analysis of the impact of legal and commercial requirements, and3. Technological foresight based on technology trends for aircraft currently under development.Fly by wire and composite materials are identified as two historical examples of successful implementation of disruptive new technology. Both took decades to develop, and were initially developed for military markets. The most widely studied technology similar to FC is identified as laminar flow control. Despite more than six decades of research and arguably successful operational demonstration in the 1990s this has not been successfully transitioned to commercial products. Significant future challenges are identified in cost effective provision of the additional systems required for environmental protection and in service monitoring of FC systems particularly where multiple distributed actuators are envisaged. FC generated noise is also seen as a significant challenge. Additional complexity introduced by FC systems must also be balanced by the commercial imperative of dispatch reliability, which may impose more stringent constraints than legal (certification) requirements. It is proposed that a key driver for future successful application of FC is the likely availability of significant electrical power generation on 787 aircraft forwards. This increases the competitiveness of electrically driven FC systems compared with those using engine bleed air. At the current rate of progress it is unlikely FC will make a contribution to the next generation of single-aisle aircraft due to enter service in 2015. In the longer term, there needs to be significant movement across a broad range of systems technologies before the aerodynamic benefits of FC can be exploited.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-29
Author(s):  
Constance Hilory Tomberlin

There are a multitude of reasons that a teletinnitus program can be beneficial, not only to the patients, but also within the hospital and audiology department. The ability to use technology for the purpose of tinnitus management allows for improved appointment access for all patients, especially those who live at a distance, has been shown to be more cost effective when the patients travel is otherwise monetarily compensated, and allows for multiple patient's to be seen in the same time slots, allowing for greater access to the clinic for the patients wishing to be seen in-house. There is also the patient's excitement in being part of a new technology-based program. The Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System (GCVHCS) saw the potential benefits of incorporating a teletinnitus program and began implementation in 2013. There were a few hurdles to work through during the beginning organizational process and the initial execution of the program. Since the establishment of the Teletinnitus program, the GCVHCS has seen an enhancement in patient care, reduction in travel compensation, improvement in clinic utilization, clinic availability, the genuine excitement of the use of a new healthcare media amongst staff and patients, and overall patient satisfaction.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. K. Handoyo ◽  
M. R. Mashudi ◽  
H. P. Ipung

Current supply chain methods are having difficulties in resolving problems arising from the lack of trust in supply chains. The root reason lies in two challenges brought to the traditional mechanism: self-interests of supply chain members and information asymmetry in production processes. Blockchain is a promising technology to address these problems. The key objective of this paper is to present qualitative analysis for blockchain in supply chain as the decision-making framework to implement this new technology. The analysis method used Val IT business case framework, validated by the expert judgements. The further study needs to be elaborated by either the existing organization that use blockchain or assessment by the organization that will use blockchain to improve their supply chain management.


MRS Bulletin ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5-6
Author(s):  
Horst D. Simon

Recent events in the high-performance computing industry have concerned scientists and the general public regarding a crisis or a lack of leadership in the field. That concern is understandable considering the industry's history from 1993 to 1996. Cray Research, the historic leader in supercomputing technology, was unable to survive financially as an independent company and was acquired by Silicon Graphics. Two ambitious new companies that introduced new technologies in the late 1980s and early 1990s—Thinking Machines and Kendall Square Research—were commercial failures and went out of business. And Intel, which introduced its Paragon supercomputer in 1994, discontinued production only two years later.During the same time frame, scientists who had finished the laborious task of writing scientific codes to run on vector parallel supercomputers learned that those codes would have to be rewritten if they were to run on the next-generation, highly parallel architecture. Scientists who are not yet involved in high-performance computing are understandably hesitant about committing their time and energy to such an apparently unstable enterprise.However, beneath the commercial chaos of the last several years, a technological revolution has been occurring. The good news is that the revolution is over, leading to five to ten years of predictable stability, steady improvements in system performance, and increased productivity for scientific applications. It is time for scientists who were sitting on the fence to jump in and reap the benefits of the new technology.


2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Pleban ◽  
Jennifer S. Tucker ◽  
Vanessa Johnson Katie /Gunther ◽  
Thomas R. Graves

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pranav C

UNSTRUCTURED The word blockchain elicits thoughts of cryptocurrency much of the time, which does disservice to this disruptive new technology. Agreed, bitcoin launched in 2011 was the first large scale implementation of blockchain technology. Also, Bitcoin’s success has triggered the establishment of nearly 1000 new cryptocurrencies. This again lead to the delusion that the only application of blockchain technology is for the creation of cryptocurrency. However, the blockchain technology is capable of a lot more than just cryptocurrency creation and may support such things as transactions that require personal identification, peer review, elections and other types of democratic decision-making and audit trails. Blockchain exists with real world implementations beyond cryptocurrencies and these solutions deliver powerful benefits to healthcare organizations, bankers, retailers and consumers among others. One of the areas where blockchain technology can be used effectively is healthcare industry. Proper application of this technology in healthcare will not only save billions of money but also will contribute to the growth in research. This review paper briefly defines blockchain and deals in detail the applications of blockchain in various areas particularly in healthcare industry.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document