Arena

Arena is an easy-to-use, powerful tool that allows you to create

and run experiments on models of your systems. By testing out
ideas in this computer "laboratory," you can predict the future
with confidence and without disrupting your current business
environment.
Arena consists of various modules namely:
Create Module - This module is intended as the starting point
for entities in a simulation model. Entities are created using a
schedule or based on a time between arrivals. Entities then leave
the module to begin processing through the system. The entity
type is specified in this module.
Assign Module - This module is used for assigning new values
to variables, entity attributes, entity types, entity pictures, or
other system variables. Multiple assignments can be made with
a single Assign module.
Station Module The Station module defines a station (or a set
of stations) corresponding to a physical or logical location
where processing occurs. If the Station module defines a station
set, it is effectively defining multiple processing locations. The
station (or each station within the defined set) has a matching
Activity Area that is used to report all times and costs accrued
by the entities in this station. This Activity Areas name is the
same as the station. If a parent activity area is defined, then it
also accrues any times and costs by the entities in this station.
Route Module The Route module transfers an entity to a
specified station, or the next station in the station visitation
sequence defined for the entity. A delay time to transfer to the
next station may be defined. When an entity enters the Route
module, its Station attribute (Entity.Station) is set to the

destination station. The entity is then sent to the destination

station, using the route time specified. If the station destination
is entered as By Sequence, the next station is determined by the
entitys sequence and step within the set (defined by specialpurpose attributes Entity.Sequence and Entity.Jobstep,
respectively).
Sequence Module The Sequence module is used to define a
sequence for entity flow through the model. A sequence consists
of an ordered list of stations that an entity will visit. For each
station in the visitation sequence, attributes and variables may
be assigned values in the Sequence module.
Failure Module - The Failure module is designed for use with
resources. When a failure occurs, the entire resource (regardless
of its capacity) is failed. Failures are designed to be used with
single-capacity resources or with multiple-capacity resources
whose individual resource units all fail at the same time.
Failure Rules
-The Failure module is used in conjunction with the Resource
module (Basic Process panel) and can also be used in
conjunction with the Stateset module (Advanced Process panel).
-When specifying the Uptime in this State only, the specified
state must be a member of a stateset defined in a Stateset
module or one of the autostates (such as Busy, Idle).
-Count-based failures occur after the resource has been released
the number of times specified.
-If additional failures occur while a failure is in progress, they
will be acted on consecutively in the order they occurred (i.e.,

the second failure will have its full duration, starting

immediately after the first failure ends).
Queue Module - This data module defines the queues in the
simulation system. You can use it to change the ranking rule for
a specified queue. The default ranking rule for all queues is First
In, First Out unless otherwise specified in this module. There is
an additional field that allows the queue to be defined as shared.