INCONTROL Simulation Solutions and the Chair of Transportation Systems and Logistics, University of Dortmund, built the simulation platform ED TransSim which supports the strategic layout planning and the development of operational rules in logistics depots.
Therefore a simulation platform with two independent libraries on different levels of detail was set up: the first one, ED TransSim-Node, for modeling e.g. forwarding agencies and distribution centers; the second, ED TransSim-Net, for modeling logistics networks.

ED TransSim-Node
The Enterprise Dynamics based simulator allows detailed modeling of internal and external material and information flow in logistics nodes of road haulage, e.g. all yard and internal processes of a forwarding agency can be simulated.The library includes layout specific
objects, different vehicle types and resources as well as strategic objects, e.g. the Yard Management.

For modeling a logistics node, new internal as well as external layout atoms were developed. Based on the processing of vehicles, which is not limited to traffic infrastructure, new functional area atoms were needed: Holding areas for vehicles both at the doorman and in the yard, shunting areas for coupling and detaching of trailers respectively for picking up and setting down swap bodies and containers as well as functional areas at the loading points of the terminals, where not only loading and unloading, but also switching processes of shunting can be executed. Within the depot, forklift networks, loading and unloading buffers, gates, ramps and storage locations can be modeled.

Furthermore, a railway siding with cranes is included to offer the modeling of different logistics nodes, e.g. terminals of bimodal traffic. All atoms can be visualized in 2D and 3D.

In addition, individual strategy atoms were developed for modeling the process of vehicle routing within the yard, e.g. the Yard Management. Even within the forwarding agency, strategy atoms are used, e.g. for managing buffer and storage locations. Relating to a forwarding depot, the handling takes place in two waves (outbound and inbound groupage). If no real consignment data is available, shipments and arrival lists of vehicles can be created based on user-defined parameters concerning the shipment and fleet structure
by using an additional DataGenerator which is also available as a separate module of ED TransSim-Node.

Objectives / Application

• Derivation of operational rules for internal and external logistics processes
• Peak performance rating of layouts and strategies
• Monitoring the utilisation of yard areas, resources and staff intraday
 

ED TransSim-NET
The network of several logistics nodes and their corresponding transports can be modeled with the ED TransSim-Net library. Each node has specific parameters like:

• number of gates
• handling times
• sorting performances
• arrival and cut-off times

A user-defined network can be set up by using realistic geographical data to locate depots and hubs. Different types of network structure, e. g. Hub-and-spoke, direct traffic network, can be represented. With TransSim-Net, strategic decisions can be simulated, e.g. effects of changes in network or shipment structure. Furthermore, routing decisions, schedules and cut-off-times as well as node capacities can be analysed and optimized.

A DataGenerator module automatically generates vehicles based on user-defined parameters concerning the shipment and fleet structure.A 2D visualization of the network on a map allows retracing the flow of goods.

Objectives / Applications

• Design of logistics networks
• Utilisation of nodes in consideration of the resources
• Determination of schedules and cut-off-times

TransSim-Node and TransSim-Net are independently available applications and can optionally be delivered with their related DataGenerator modules.