An Undergraduate Systems Engineering Design Project
for Using Constructive and Virtual Simulation for an Armed UAV
Design
Suzanne Oldenburg DeLong and Paul West (United States
Military Academy)
Abstract:
This paper presents a design project for undergraduate
systems engineering students in which Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (AUAV’s)
are designed, using the systems engineering design process taught at the
United States Military Academy, and tested using constructive and virtual
simulation. These results are compared to theoretical results obtained through
applying Lanchester analysis. Students first analyze the stakeholders’ needs
and develop alternatives. The students research commercial off the shelf
(COTS) UAV airframes, sensors and weapon systems that meet the stakeholders’
needs. Using design of experiments and response surface optimization,
laboratory experimentation is conducted using Janus simulation and Janus
Evaluator Tool Set (JETS) output software to test the feasible alternatives
under varying weather conditions and altitudes to examine performance against
a predetermined enemy threat. The students evaluate the alternatives using
multi-attribute utility theory and encompassing all the objectives defined in
the stakeholder analysis. Sensitivity analysis is applied and a recommendation
is made to the decision maker.
Linda Arouses a Sleeping Barber
John H.
Reynolds (Mary Washington College)
Abstract:
This paper presents an approach that gives students
insights into parallelism and exposure to discrete-event simulation techniques
without requiring that they have formal courses in either. I apply the rather
curious Linda coordination model to the classic Sleeping Barber Problem used
frequently to illustrate inter-process communication activities in operating
system courses. Normally, customers seeking haircuts are represented as
processes spawned as faceless entities with no regard to inter-arrival times
or proper ordering of departures for those who get cuts. This paper uses
elementary discrete-event simulation techniques to introduce this sought for
realism while preserving the original motivation of using the Sleeping Barber
to demonstrate process concurrency.
Using Simulation to Teach Business Processes Design
and Improvement
Marvin S. Seppanen (Productive Systems) and Sameer
Kumar (University of Saint Thomas)
Abstract:
A course titled, “Process Design and Improvement:
Computer Based Tools" was developed and offered by the authors in Fall 2000
and 2001 for part-time graduate students in Manufacturing Systems Engineering
and Technology Management programs at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota.
The objective of the course is to introduce students to the current software
and methods used to organize data and model manufacturing and industrial
systems through virtual representation of business operations choosing
problems from their workplaces. The course was created to make the complex
processes and tools of computer modeling more accessible to non-specialists
for a better understanding of how their operations work. It is not unusual
that people only know a small part of their overall system. This gives them a
way to see the big picture. A case study illustrates the application of these
tools.
Panel: Using Simulation to Teach Probability –
Words and Deeds
Matthew Roshenshine and Russell R. Barton (The
Pennsylvania State University), David Goldsman (Georgia Institute of
Technology), Lawrence M. Leemis (The College of William & Mary) and Barry
L. Nelson (Northwestern University)
Abstract:
This panel has been put together to promote the use of
simulation as a teaching tool to expedite the learning and, more importantly,
the understanding of probability theory. "In a nutshell," the thesis upon
which this panel is based is that the simulation approach is more effective
than a mathematical approach on a stand-alone basis. It also dominates any
statistical approach as a pedagogical tool.
