Research in object-oriented manufacturing simulations: an assessment of the state of the art

Object-oriented programming (OOP) has been revolutionizing software develop ment and maintenance. When applied to simulation of manufacturing systems, OOP also provides an opportunity for developing new ways of thinking and mo deling. In this paper, we identify existing large-scale, persistent OOP-bas ed research efforts focusing on manufacturing system simulation, and presen t an integrating framework for discussing the associated modeling abstracti ons, implementation strategies, common themes, and distinctive features. Th e goal is to identify the fundamental research and application issues, asse ss the current state of the art, and identify key research needs.