Comparative Analysis of Discrete-Event Simulation Programs

Sammanfattning

Choosing the right discrete-event simulation (DES) software is a challenging and important task. Given the announcement that sales and support of AFRY’s primary DES software, AutoMod, will be discontinued by December 31, 2026, and the lack of a recent review of the current market offerings, it is a essential for AFRY to explore new alternatives. The aim of the thesis is to help AFRY analyze and select appropriate DES programs for future use. This involves identifying relevant DES programs available on the market, developing a set of evaluation criteria for comparison, and validating the selected software by modeling a relevant problem. The methodology consists of an initial exploratory research strategy followed by a problem-solving approach. Data will be collected through a literature review, interviews, survey, and a feasibility study. Among the six software that eventually was tested hands-on, Emulate3D was recommended as the most suitable replacement for AutoMod. Emulate3D and FlexSim excelled in flexibility and performance, with Emulate3D having an advantage in model overview and flexibility, aligning more closely with AFRY’s needs. Visual Components met most criteria, but its slower simulation speeds limits its use for simulating models with high demand on performance. In conclusion, the final recommendation is for AFRY to consider Emulate3D as a future replacement of AutoMod.