Early analysis of dynamic behaviour
Design decisions for system layout and system operation have significant impact on each other, as well as on overall system qualities. Consequently, key decisions must be verified at the earliest possible stage of a project.
Light-weight simulation, combined with a visual representation of the system’s dynamic behavior in the user-domain, provides an excellent basis for early stage system analysis. It requires simple simulation models that describe what the system does, irrespective of its detailed implementation. For appropriate assessment of the results, the visual representation of the simulation results must be easily recognizable for all disciplines involved. This allows design decisions to be made on the basis of this analysis, which reflects the impact of design candidates on the system’s dynamic behavior.
One example of this lightweight simulation is the ‘HappyFlow’ model that evaluates the kinematic behavior of an Océ printer’s paper path. Parameters essential to the printer’s operation include paper flow through the system, timing properties at and between points of interest, paper properties and paper scheduling.
Select the dominant structural view as the representative visual background for displaying results
Determine the essential characteristics
Characterize the flow in terms of what happens when (not how it happens where)
Make a dynamic model of the flow (dealing with multiple goods)
Visualize results using the essential characteristic
Refine model parameters using the previous properties