Well designed experiments can dramatically improve the statistical accuracy of simula tion output data and facilitate the statistical analysis. In this paper we propose an experimental design strategy for designing robust systems using discrete-event simulation. The proposed strategy is motivated by Genichi Taguchi's strategy for improving product and process quality in manufacturing. Robust systems are systems that not only satisfy performance criteria, but also are not sensitive to uncontrollable environmental conditions or noise in the system's environment. We demonstrate the proposed experimental design strategy with a jobshop example and discuss the potential benefits of employing such a strategy for designing robust systems in general.
Adlakha, V.G. , and G.S. Fishman (1982). "Starting and Stopping Rules for Simulation Using A Priori Information." European Journal of Operations Research, 10, No. 4: 379-394.
2.
Box, G.E.P., and N.R. Draper (1987). Empirical Model Building and Response Surfaces . John Wiley & Sons, New York .
3.
Box, G.E.P., W.G. Hunter and J.S. Hunter (1978). Statistics for Experimenters. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Fishman, G.S. (1973). Concepts and Methods in Discrete Event Digital Simulation. John Wiley & Sons , New York.
6.
Heidelberger, P., and P.D. Welch (1981). "Adaptive Spectral Methods for Simulation Output Analysis." IBM Journal of Research and Development, 25 No. 6: 860-876.
7.
Heidelberger, P., and P.D. Welch (1983). "Simulation Run Length Control in the Presence of Initial Transient." Operations Research, 31, No. 6:1109-1144.
8.
Hunter, J.S. , and T.H. Naylor (1970). "Experimental Designs for Computer Simulation Experiments." Management Science ,16, No. 7: 422-434.
Kackar, R.N. (1985). "Off-Line Quality Control, Parameter Design, and the Taguchi Method. "Journal of Quality Technology, Vol.17, No. 4,176-188.
11.
Kleijnen, J.P.C. (1987). Statistical Tools for Simulation Practitioners , Marcel Dekker, New York.
12.
Law, A.M. (1975) "Statistical Analysis of Simulation Output Data: The State of the Art." Operations Research, 31, No. 6: 983-1029.
13.
Law, A.M., and J.S. Carson (1979). "A Sequential Procedure for Determining the Length of a Steady-State Simulation." Operations Research, 27, No. 5:1011-1025.
14.
Law, A.M. and W.D. Kelton (1991). Simulation Modeling and Analysis, second edition . McGraw-Hill, New York.
15.
Montgomery, D.C. (1984). Design and Analysis of Experiments. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
16.
Pignatiello, J.J., and J.S. Ramberg (1985). "Off-Line Quality Control, Parameter Design, and the Taguchi Method, A Discussion." Journal of Quality Technology, Vol.14, No. 4, 198-206.
17.
Pignatiello, J.J. and J.S. Ramberg (1987). "Performance Measures Independent of Adjustment: An Explanation and Extension of Taguchi's Signal-To-Noise Ratios, A Discussion." Technometrics, 29.
18.
Pignatiello, J.J. (1988). "An Overview of the Strategy and Tactics of Taguchi." IIE Transactions, 20(3), 247-254.
19.
Ross P.J. (1988). Taguchi Techniques for Quality Engineering. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
20.
Schruben L.W. (1979a) "Designing Correlation Induction Strategies for Simulation Experiments." In: Current Issues in Computer Simulation, edited by N.R. Adam and A. Dogramaci, Academic Press, New York.
21.
Schruben L.W. (1979b). "Controlling Initialization Bias in Simulation Experiments." School of Operations Research and Industrial Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
22.
Schruben, L.W. , H. Singh, and L. Tierney (1982). "Detecting Initialization Bias in Simulation Output." Operations Research , 30, No. 3: 569-590.
23.
Solomon, S. (1984). Simulation of Waiting-Line Systems. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
24.
Wild, R.H. (1989) "An Expert System Framework for Finding Robust System Designs in Discrete-Event Simulation Using a Taguchi Strategy." Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Management Information Systems, University of Arizona.
25.
Wilson, J.R. (1984). "Variance Reduction Techniques for Digital Simulation." American Journal of Mathematical and Management Sciences, 4, Nos. 3 and 4: 277-312.
26.
Wilson, J.R. and A.A.B. Pritsker (1978a). "A Survey of Research on the Simulation Startup Problem." SIMULATION , 31, No. 2: 55-58.
27.
Wilson, J.R. and A.A.B. Pritsker (1979b). "Evaluation of Startup Policies in Simulation Experiments." SIMULATION , 31, No. 3: 79-89.
