Subjective validation for short-term material flow simulation

Material flow simulation, by means of discrete event simulation (DES), is frequently applied to support decision-making in production planning and control. However, manual modeling can be time-consuming and error-prone. Hence, numerous studies propose the automation of model generation and synchronization to overcome these challenges. However, in this context, validation techniques are rarely addressed. Therefore, we introduce a subjective validation technique for short-term material flow simulation based on a coherent methodology for data acquisition and visualization. The methodology is utilized to evaluate the outcome of an approach for computerized model generation and simulation. By means of an industrial use case, we hypothesize the causes for the deviation between the operation of a manufacturing system and the simulation of its generated virtual companion.