Using simulation for plant monitoring in real time

We have developed a means of interfacing simulation systems to a manufacturing plant in such a way as to permit the use of simulation to provide real time visualization of the operation of the plant, via 3D animation. The system also permits collection of statistics relating to the manufacturing operation. Because the simulation is continually updated to reflect the current state of the plant, the simulation may also be used for predictive purposes to examine the effect of changes imposed on the operation. We have demonstrated successfully the real time monitoring technique by animating, on the basis of emulated factory floor devices, a simulation model of a sheep processing line involving multiple robots, machines, conveyors, and manual labour units. The client/server approach used is capable of supporting distributed monitoring and control across a factory network. The technique is independent of proprietary simulation packages, and so provides benefits of versatility and application independence.