A Decision Support System Architecture Based on Simulation Optimization for Cyber-Physical Systems

Simulation modeling (SM) is going to gain more interest due to the rise of Industry 4.0. Although, SM has been used extensively to analyze the behavior of complex manufacturing systems in a cost-efficient manner without disrupting the production process, it has many limitations that contradict with the industry 4.0 era. These limitations include; the large computational time, black-box characteristic, and not being able to directly run optimization analysis. Metamodeling combines the merits of SM and design of experiments by achieving optimal solutions at a limited computational time, and the ability to study complex systems with an explicit form and deterministic output. This paper proposes an architecture of a Decision Support System (DSS) based on a simulation metamodeling optimization approach to assist in making timely and informed decisions, using the emerging technologies of industry 4.0 and cyber-physical system concepts. The main modules and information flow path within the DSS are demonstrated in detail. To illustrate the applicability of the DSS, it has been implemented in a leading home appliance factory. The results indicate that this promising tool can easily be adopted in smart factories to aid in tactical and operational planning activities. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.