An activity simulation model for the analysis of the harvesting and transportation systems of a sugarcane plantation

We developed a discrete event simulation model of the harvesting and transp ortation systems of a sugarcane plantation in Mexico that covers all proces ses from the burning of the cane to its unloading in the mill yard. The mod el was built to solve a problem with the amortization of machinery used in the plantation. The model was fit and validated using plantation field data collected over an entire year. With model results we showed that machinery is underutilized and found possible solutions to the problem. The solution s involve increasing the efficiency of machinery use, thereby allowing a re duction in the amount of machinery without increasing sugarcane processing times. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.