An Agent-based Strategy for Deploying Analysis Models into Specification and Design for Distributed APS Systems

TL;DR

This paper introduces an agent-based strategy that seamlessly converts analysis models into specification and design models for distributed APS systems, integrating the entire simulation cycle.

Contribution

It presents the first integrated framework combining two methodologies to convert analysis models into design models for distributed APS systems.

Findings

Enables complete simulation cycle coverage in distributed APS systems

Integrates analysis, specification, and design phases

Facilitates simulation experiment implementation

Abstract

Despite the extensive use of the agent technology in the Supply Chain Management field, its integration with Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) tools still represents a promising field with several open research questions. Specifically, the literature falls short in providing an integrated framework to analyze, specify, design and implement simulation experiments covering the whole simulation cycle. Thus, this paper proposes an agent-based strategy to convert the 'analysis' models into 'specification' and 'design' models combining two existing methodologies proposed in the literature. The first one is a recent and unique approach dedicated to the 'analysis' of agent-based APS systems. The second one is a well-established methodological framework to 'specify' and 'design' agent-based supply chain systems. The proposed conversion strategy is original and is the first one allowing simulation analysts to integrate the whole simulation development process in the domain of distributed APS.