Recent Reseach in Simulation Optimization

With the prevalence of computers in modern organizations, simulation is receiving more atention as an effectvie decision -making tool. Simualtion is a computer-based numerical technique which uses mathmatical and logical models to approximate the behaviror of a real-world system. However, iptimization of synamic stochastic systems often defy analytical and algorithmic soluions. Although a simulation approach is often free fo the liminting assumption s of mathematical modeling, cost and time consiceration s make simulation the henayst's last resort. Therefore, whenever possible, analytical and algorithmica solutions are favored over simulation. This paper discussed the issues and procedrues for using simulation as a tool for optimization of stochastic complex systems that are dmodeled by computer simulation . Its emphasis is mostly on issues that are speicific to simulation optimization instead of consentrating on the general optimizationand mathematical programming techniques . A simulation optimization problem is an optimization problem where the objective function. constraints, or both are response that can only be evauated by computer simulation. As such, these functions are only implicit functions of decision parameters of the system, and often stochastic in nature as well. Most of optimization techniqes can be classified as single or multiple-resoneses techniques . The optimization of single response functins has been researched extensively and consists of many techniques. In the single response category, these strategies are gradient based search techniques, stochastic approximate techniques, response surface techniques, and heuristic search techniques. In the multiple response categroy, there are basically five distinct strategies for treating the responses and finding the optimum solution. These strategies are graphica techniqes, direct search techniques, constrained optimization techniques, unconstrained optimization techniques, and goal programming techniques. The choice of theprocedreu to employ in simulation optimization depends on the analyst and the problem to be solved. For many practival and industrial optimization problems where some or all of the system components are stochastic, the objective functions cannot be represented analytically. Therefore, modeling by computersimulation is one of the most effective means of studying such complex systems. In this paper, after discussion of simulation optmization techniques, the applications of above techniques will be presented in the modeling process of many flexible manufacturing systems.