Simulation model reuse: definitions, benefits and obstacles

Discrete-event simulation first emerged in the late 1950s and it has grown in popularity steadily to be now recognized as the most frequently used of the classical Operational Research techniques across a range of industries—manufacturing, travel, finance, health and beyond. I have been engaged with such simulation from 1964 up to the present day. This paper reviews the history and evolution of discrete-event simulation from his personal perspective, with a particular interest in software development up to 1992. Extrapolating from that history, the paper goes on to comment on the prospective continuing evolution of simulation and its software.

Forty years of discrete-event simulation—a personal reflection

Is it really true that simulation models and simulation software should always be regarded as candidates for reuse, or is it better to be selective? What are the obstacles to simulation software and model reuse? Can these be surmounted and, if so, at what cost? There is a range of levels at which simulation software may be reused, a range of costs to be borne and range of benefits that may be achieved. It is crucial to consider the issue of validity when considering model reuse and this needs to be a fundamental part of any reuse strategy. There may be circumstances in which reuse is economic, especially when a small, low-fidelity model will suffice.

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Simulation software and model reuse: a polemic

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00121149/document

Contribution to reusability and modularity of manufacturing systems simulation models: Application to distributed control simulation within DFT context

Critical Issues in the development of component-based discrete simulation

Software reuse technology has the potential of impacting significantly the software development process. This paper addresses issues of software reuse and their application to simulation software. A simple classification scheme is presented to assist in the identification of software components. Historical approaches to reuse are then discussed along with desirable attributes of reuse systems and components. Following this, impacts of reuse technology on the software development process are discussed. The paper concludes with sections on the application of reuse to simulation and a methodology for developing reuse systems.

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Richard Reese

Papers

Software reuse and simulation