Leveraging Auto-generative Simulation for Decision Support in Engineer-to-Order Manufacturing

Abstract

In the sphere of Engineer-to-Order (ETO) manufacturing, the demand for highly customized and rapidly adaptable solutions is escalating, particularly in the context of Industry 4.0 and the burgeoning focus on hyper-customization in Industry 5.0. Traditional, rigid simulation structures often fall short in adapting to these dynamic requirements, creating a need for more flexible simulation frameworks. This paper introduces a novel auto-generative Discrete Event Simulation (DES) system specifically designed to address the unique challenges of ETO manufacturing. Unlike traditional rigid simulation architectures, the proposed system offers substantial flexibility and modularity, significantly easing the development effort. Developed in MATLAB and Simulink, this paper not only presents the foundational logic and architecture of the system but also provides a practical implementation guide. By aligning with the imperatives of Industry 4.0 and 5.0, this research fills a significant gap in the literature and offers a scalable, adaptable simulation-based Decision Support System (DSS) for ETO manufacturing.