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The main SCMB function of automatic data-driven supply chain simulation model creation consists primarily of three areas:

Data input. The SCMB uses a database of information to directly create a set of entities within an Arena simulation model, representing a potential supply chain configuration, each with properties relevant to the capabilities of a specific supplier. The SCMB database includes both product and supplier-related information, and is best described as an extended Bill of Materials (BOM), such as might typically be held in the ERP system of a company engaged in the final assembly of a complex product.

Control mechanisms. The primary control mechanism for this supply chain simulation is the order-passing method. Two order-passing modes are available as model configuration options: either traditional (sequential inter-supplier ordering with associated order processing lead times), or the Collaboration Hub (an integration entity which simulates a web portal system transmitting demand to suppliers). In either case, the SCMB automatically creates the appropriate elements for order-passing. Parameters of the model control mechanism include inventory policy (zero stock, stock for finished goods only, raw materials only, or both) and inventory replenishment policy.

Performance measures. The performance measures are shared with company internal logistics simulation work. The present implemented performance measures included the following:

The last of these requires that a variation in schedule or some operational constraint is introduced to the simulation. Supply chain CTR is defined as the ratio of average supply chain cycle time under variation to average cycle time without variation. This measure of flexibility and robustness is aimed at assessing the effect of sudden demand surges and disruptions in supply (e.g. a transportation problem or throughput limitation at a supplier).
The Supply Chain Model Builder

The SCMB software is intended to serve two purposes: first to demonstrate the capability of a database system to provide a practical representation of the supply chain for complex products; second to facilitate automatic data-driven supply chain simulation modelling (the main purpose of VIVACE WP 2.5).

The diagram below shows the SCMB architecture. It is composed of two main components: the graphical user interface (SCMB GUI, the square box at the upper centre.) and an associated Access database (at the lower centre of the diagram). Functionalities that can be invoked from the SCMB GUI include data import, data entry, data query, supply chain data model display, producing simple static deterministic supply chain performance measures, printing static results as well as invoking the automatic data-driven supply chain simulation model creation process (the top right box).  In addition to local data input to the SCMB, the concept also included the potential for supplier and product data being made available from the Extended Enterprise Collaboration Hub (EECH), which is being developed by VIVACE WP 3.6.