Abstract: In the past, simulation methodologies have been primarily used to plan and analyze systems. Over the last decade, simulation models have also been utilized as scheduling tools where ``work to" schedules have been generated from a simulation model and then used on the shop floor to control the flow of product. Most recently, simulation has been used as a real time controller for factory systems. In this seminar, the various uses of simulation will be presented. The various uses, requirements and development for these various type of simulation models will be discussed. An interface to a shop-floor control system will also be discussed to show how a simulation can be linked to an operational manufacturing system. The interfaces of schedules and controllers will be illustrated. A discussion of resource management and interfacing will also be given to show how simulation interacts with the various resources in a manufacturing system. Finally, a brief overview of on-going work on automatic simulation generation will be presented.

Biography: Dr. Richard Wysk is the William E. Leonhard Chair in Engineering and Professor of Industrial Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. He received his B.S.(1972) and M.S.(1973) from the University of Massachusetts and Ph.D.(1977) from Purdue University. He has also served as a faculy of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Texas A & M University where he held the Royce Wisenbaker Chair in Innovation. He has held engineering positions with General Electric and Caterpillar Tractor Company. Dr. Wysk's research and teaching interests are in the general area of Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM). He has spent most of his professional life addressing Group Technology (GT), Computer-Aided Process Planning and Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMSs) planning, design and control.
Dr. Wysk has coauthored six books including Computer-Aided Manufacturing, with T.C. Chang and H.P. Wang -- the 1991 IIE Book of the Year and the 1991 SME Eugene Merchant Book of the Year. He has also published more than a hundred technical papers in journals. Dr. Wysk is an IIE Fellow, an SME Fellow, a member of Sigma Xi, a member of Alpha Pi Mu, and Tau Beta Pi. He is the recipient of the IIE Region III Award for Excellence (1982), the SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award (1981) and the David F. Baker IIE Distinguished Research Award (1993). Dr. Wysk has served the engineering community as a leader of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) (more than 15 years of service). He Chaired the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Accreditation Committee for 5 years. He served on the Engineering Accreditation Committee (EAC) of ABET, and was an Alternate on the ABET Board of Directors (1995-7). Dr. Wysk was a member of the Criteria Committee of ABET during the development of the last two major Criteria revisions for Engineering Curricula. He has also served as a Director for SME (1996-8), and an Advisor to the Western Governor's University and the College of Engineering of Florida A&M/Florida State University.

Time:Feb. 11, 2000 @ 2:30 P.M.
Place:Room 1202, Martin Hall
Hosts: Professors S. K. Gupta and J. W. Herrmann, Department of Mechanical Engineering