Skip to main content

Multi-agent Simulation-based Decision Support System and Application in Networked Manufacturing Enterprises

  • Chapter
Book cover Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Networked Manufacturing Enterprises Management

Part of the book series: Springer Series in Advanced Manufacturing ((SSAM))

  • 1637 Accesses

Abstract

The recent financial crisis has had a major negative impact on the global economy, and particularly had a significant impact on the global manufacturing industry due to the ever-decreasing customer demand. For manufacturing enterprises, especially those who run businesses in multiple countries, it is now a good time to operate in a smarter way and lead the new era that is taking shape underneath the present crisis. We introduce a multi-agent-based simulation tool in this chapter, with a description of the overall architecture, modelling elements, operational policies, etc. The tool has been used in a commercial project with a leading high-tech manufacturer. The complex relationships between service levels, inventory cost, transportation cost, and forecasting accuracy were well studied. The project results show that networked enterprises can really get better insight from such a quantitative analysis and would be able to identify solid opportunities for cost saving and performance improvement.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bagchi S, Buckley SJ, Ettl M et al. (1998) Experience using the IBM supply chain simulator. In: Proceedings of the 1998 Winter Simulation Conference, pp. 1387–1394

    Google Scholar 

  • Banks J, Buckley S, Jain S et al. (2002) Panel session: opportunities for simulation in supply chain management. In: Proceedings of the 2002 Winter Simulation Conference, pp. 1652–1658

    Google Scholar 

  • Brun A, Cavalieri S, Macchi M et al. (2002) Distributed simulation for supply chain coordination. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Working Seminar on Production Economics, Igls, Austria

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen F, Drezner Z, Ryan JK et al. (2000) Quantifying the bullwhip effect in a simple supply chain: The impact of forecasting lead times, and information. Mgmt Sci., 46(3):436–443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cloutier L, Frayret JM, D’Amours S et al. (2001) A commitment-oriented framework for networked manufacturing coordination. Int. J. Comput. Integr. Manuf. 14:522–534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong J, Ding H, Ren C et al. (2006) IBM SmartSCOR–A scor based supply chain transformation platform. In: Proceedings of the 2006 Winter Simulation Conference, pp. 650–659

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox MS, Barbuceanu M, Teigen R (2000) Agent-oriented supply chain management. Int. J. Flex. Manuf. Syst. 12(2/3):165–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gan BP, Low Y, Lim C et al. (2000) Parallel discrete-event simulation of a supply chain in semiconductor industry. In: Proceedings of HPC ASIA

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaelbling LP, Littman ML, Moore AW (1996) Reinforcement learning: A survey. J. Artif. Intell. Res., 4:237–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimbrough SO, Wu D, Zhong F (2002) Computers play the beer game: can artificial agents manage supply chains?. Decis. Support Syst., 33(3):323–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleijnen JPC (2003) Supply chain simulation: A survey. Int. J. Simul. Process Mod., 103:1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Law AM, Kelton WD (2000) Simulation modeling and analysis, third edition, McGraw-Hill, Boston, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Lendermann P, Julka N, Gan BP et al. (2003) Distributed supply chain simulation as a decisionsupport tool for the semiconductor industry. Simulation 79(3):126–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mondal S, Tiwari MK (2003) Formulation of mobile agents for integration of supply chain using the KLAIM concept. Int. J. Prod. Res., 41(1):97–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nissen ME (2000) Agent-based supply chain disintermediation versus reintermediation: Economic and technological perspectives. Int. J. Intell. Syst. Account., Fin. Mgmt, 9:237–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pontrandolfo P, Gosavi A, Okogbaa OG et al. (2002) Global supply chain management: a reinforcement learning approach. Int. J. Prod. Res., 40(6):1299–1317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu M, Ding H, Dong J et al. (2007) Impact of business service modes on distribution systems: a reinforcement learning approach. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Services Computing, July

    Google Scholar 

  • Repast (2008) http://repast.sourceforge.net/

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubinstein RY, Kroese DP (2007) Simulation and the Monte Carlo method. Wiley-Interscience

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadeh-Koniecpol N, Hildum D, Kjenstad D et al. (1999) MASCOT: An agent-based architecture for coordinated mixed-initiative supply chain planning and scheduling. In: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Autonomous Agents (Agents '99), May

    Google Scholar 

  • Scalable Simulation Framework (SSF) (2008) http://www.ssfnet.org/homePage.html

    Google Scholar 

  • Shen W, Kremer R, Ulieru M et al. (2003) A collaborative agent-based infrastructure for internetenabled collaborative enterprise. Int. J. Prod. Res., 41(8):1621–1638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sudra R, Taylor SJ, Janahan T (2000) Distributed supply chain simulation in GRIDS. In: Proceedings of the 2000 Winter Simulation Conference, pp.356–361

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton RL, Barto AG (1998) Reinforcement leaning–An introduction, MIT Press, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  • Swaminathan JM (1997) Modeling supply chain dynamics: a multi-agent approach. Decis. Sci., 29(3):607–632

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Terzi, S, Cavalieri S (2004) Simulation in the supply chain context: A survey. Comput. Ind., 53: 3–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Towill DR, Naim MM, Wikner J (1992) Industrial dynamics simulation models in the design of supply chains. Int. J. Physical Distrib. Logist. Manag., 22(5):3–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Tzafestas S, Kapsiotis G (1994) Coordinated control of manufacturing/supply chains using multi-level techniques. Comput. Integr. Manuf. Syst., 7(3):206–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Dong J, Ding H et al. (2008) An introduction to IBM general business simulation environment. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Winter Simulation Conference, pp.2700–2707

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. Ding .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag London Limited

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ding, H., Wang, W., Qiu, M., Dong, J. (2010). Multi-agent Simulation-based Decision Support System and Application in Networked Manufacturing Enterprises. In: Benyoucef, L., Grabot, B. (eds) Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Networked Manufacturing Enterprises Management. Springer Series in Advanced Manufacturing. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-119-6_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-119-6_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84996-118-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84996-119-6

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics