Resources

Efforts to address climate change causes have fallen short so far. This is resulting in major efforts to address the symptoms.

Over the past 30 years, many health systems have pursued improvements in care delivery to be safer and more effective/efficient. When these activities fail to achieve expected results, two common failures are typically…

The ADVANCE Act (AA), recently signed into law, will help the U.S. build nuclear reactors faster. Energy demand is expected to grow rapidly as data centers, electric vehicles and others search for clean/reliable…

In the age of Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing relies on multiple technologies to improve performance. One technology is digital twins (DT), which interact with AI, machine learning and more to help companies develop/maintain…

Per the Qu 2024 State of Digital Report, quick service (QSR) and fast casual restaurants will add more kiosks in stores this year, along with new mobile apps and voice AI on the…

Per WSJ, the U.S. Air Force recently announced its latest effort to leverage digital twins (DT). This effort, called Model One, integrates 50 military simulations into a unified system to adapt to changes…

Per WSJ, Ukraine stopped buying nuclear fuel from Russia after their invasion in 2022. Russia had been their top supplier and nuclear power accounted for more than half of Ukraine’s electricity generation. Westinghouse…

Voice commerce (VC) is gaining traction with shoppers. While the full potential of AI voice assistants remains to be seen, the convenience of ordering products with voice commands opens up a wide range…

Per MIT Technology Review, AI is driving a shift in computer chips. Four trends are shown below to define chips of the future, who will make them, and which technologies will emerge:  …

Per WSJ, the cup of coffee is a social and environmental disaster. However, synthetic coffee is poised to come to your dining table. Worldwide, people drink 2 billion cups of coffee daily. Since…

Amazon opened its largest warehouse in MA, a five-story facility with ~4 million square feet of space. The fulfillment center cost about $400 Million to build and has 12 miles of conveyor belts…

Per WSJ, the U.S. is years behind Russia and China in developing hypersonic missile technology. Silicon Valley wants to help the military catch up. Hypersonic aircraft/weapons can fly at 5x the speed of…

Per WSJ, hyperscale data centers (much larger than previous generations of data centers) are upending utility plans to cut use of fossil fuels. These facilities will provide computing power to meet the needs…

India’s Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) is building the world’s biggest clean energy plant. It’s five times the size of Paris, visible from space, and will generate enough electricity to power Switzerland. AGEL…

A.T. Kearney’s 2024 Reshoring Index (KRI) examines a U.S. market more reliant on goods made closer to home, continuing a trend over the past few years. The KRI increased significantly in 2023 as…

The National Academy of Engineering, and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, in collaboration with numerous other contributors, earlier this year released their consensus study report titled “Foundational Research Gaps and Future…

Per the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North American robot sales declined 30% from record 2022 sales levels. Companies bought 31,200 robots in 2023 versus 44,200 in 2022 and 39,700 in 2021. Sales…

Per WSJ, approval of a $95 Billion aid package frees up funding that was held up in Congress for four months. Two-thirds of it will go toward new military equipment for Ukraine, Israel…

Per Architectural Record, many colleges were traditionally heated by steam heat from fossil fuels. To reach climate goals, a growing number of schools are moving toward district energy systems based on geo-exchange (GEX)…

Per the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines, hundreds of former leaders are calling for the U.S. Senate to ratify the UN Convention on the Law of the…

Per WSJ, scientists are exploring new methods to cool the planet since global efforts to address climate change are flagging and time is perceived to be running out. These approaches were once considered…

MOSIMTEC supported Sibanye-Stillwater (SS) at their Nye Mine. SS produces platinum, palladium and gold. The Nye Mine in MT is ~4 miles long and 4500 feet from top to bottom. MOSIMTEC developed a…

Per IOT World Today, companies across sectors have been tasked to decarbonize for many years. Leaders need strategies for net zero to meet company needs/public perceptions. For many firms, decarbonization methods work with…

MIT Technology Review has an annual list of promising technologies that could have a major impact on the world. Here are their 10 technologies for 2024: AI for Everything.  We are in the age…

MineTwin (MT) is a configurable simulation-based decision support tool for underground and surface mines. It provides fast/powerful simulation models that consider constraints and inter-dependencies of real-world mines including: Development and production mining Flexible…

Per WSJ, Albemarle announced plans in 2023 for a $1.3 Billion lithium processing plant in SC to supply the growing electric vehicle (EV) industry. Fast forward to 2024 and they have deferred project…

Per MIT Technology Review, China dominates the market for rare earth elements (REE), but the U.S. is racing to catch up. Reducing fossil fuels and adopting lower carbon technologies are the best options…

Per WSJ, U.S. companies, trying to reduce their exposure to China, are turning to factories in countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Mexico. Many companies, including Apple and Tesla, have shifted some production…

John Deere (JD) plans to improve connectivity to farmers with its new agreement with SpaceX. The companies plan to provide rural areas with cutting-edge satellite communications (SATCOM) services using SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet…

UNCTAD, the UN’s trade and development body, has significant concerns over growing disruptions to global trade. It says that recent attacks on ships in the Red Sea, along with geopolitical tensions affecting shipping…

McKinsey’s 2023 Global Survey on AI shows rapid growth of generative AI (GAI) tools. Less than one year after many of these tools debuted, one-third of respondents say their companies are using GAI…

Per WSJ, Johnson & Johnson is making a big bet on using data science (DS) and artificial intelligence (AI) to support its healthcare work. They have hired 6,000 data scientists/digital specialists in recent…

Per Business Wire, New Private Equity (NPE) is a next generation private equity firm that leverages data and analytics to invest in leading companies and provide comprehensive technology-enabled operational value-add. NPE is focused…

Per WSJ, CarbonScape (CS), a New Zealand company, is hoping to cut China’s hold on the graphite market, used to make electric vehicle (EV) batteries. At a NZ test plant, they feed wood…

Per a company announcement, Amazon plans to integrate drone deliveries into its fulfillment network to reach customers faster. Prime Air drones will start deploying at some of the company’s same-day delivery sites in…

Per MIT Technology Review, Twelve is a company to watch. They are commercializing a process to break down/reform CO2 into nearly any chemical now produced by fossil fuels. The company is producing sustainable…

Per Pharma’s Almanac, digital twins (DT) have many potential applications in the pharma industry, from accelerating drug discovery/development to optimizing manufacturing processes and clinical trials and potentially facilitating development of personalized medicines. One…

Per WSJ, California and the European Union (EU) are both poised to approve rules requiring companies that do business there to disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Note: the CA bill was signed…

Twelve years ago, Randall Atkinson bought a coal mine in WY for $2 Million. Several years later, government researchers asked if they could test to see if the ground contained rare-earth elements. Recent…

Per CNBC, Regent, a startup developing electric seagliders to transport people/cargo, has raised $60 Million and partnered with Japan Airlines to bring the company’s flying electric ferries to the waterways of Japan. Regent…

Per Harvard Business Review, most manufacturing/service operations repeat in some way; this provides the opportunity to continuously improve their underlying processes. Until recently, process improvement (PI) methods were performed by human experts. This…

Per WSJ, many companies have promised to produce large amounts of green hydrogen, but none have succeeded. Electric Hydrogen (EH) is the industry’s first unicorn, recently raising $380 Million from BP, United Airlines,…

Per MIT Technology Review, H2 Green Steel (HGS) is a 2023 climate tech company to watch. HGS is building a large steel plant in northern Sweden that will rely on green hydrogen to…

Per AP News, foreign companies operating in China say tensions with Washington over technology, trade and other issues and uncertainty over Chinese policies are damaging the business environment and causing some to reassess…

Per WSJ, rising demand for housing is at odds with efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions as the building blocks for construction, concrete and cement, are both extremely polluting. About 7% of carbon emissions…

Per WSJ, the mining sector is working to change perceptions that mining hurts the environment by contributing to climate change. This perception is impacting efforts by some companies to get new projects permitted…

2023 AnyLogic Conference MOSIMTEC presented at the 2023 AnyLogic Conference. It was a joint presentation with Crouch Engineering of a recent model developed for US Sugar using the AnyLogic cloud and rail library....

Per WSJ, a decade after data analytics promised to revolutionize agriculture, most farmers still aren’t using data tools or specialized software, and of those who do, many are swamped by a deluge of…

Healthcare facilities are a maze of interconnected systems. Without optimization, these systems can hinder output, patient care and customer satisfaction. MOSIMTEC’s healthcare simulation solutions can improve facility patient care flow, simulate any scenario…

The U.S. has been dependent on Russian uranium, importing significant amounts despite geopolitical tensions. U.S. companies spend more than $1 billion per year with Russia’s state-owned nuclear agency, Rosatom, with $411 Million spent…

Per the WSJ, a $7.95 bottle of Bath & Body Works (BBW) foaming hand soap used to take three months to put together. The pieces had to travel more than 13,000 miles from…

Per the Wall Street Journal, field pennycress, also called CoverCress, is generally considered a weed. However, its very high oil content, about 50% higher than that of a soybean, makes it much more…

Airports represent a unique challenge when it comes to resource, capacity and efficiency planning. With so many dynamic and interconnected processes involved, it can be an enormous challenge to predict how changes to…

Per WSJ, humanoid robots are on their way to warehouses. Agility Robotics and Boston Dynamics are among those companies designing robots more closely modeled after human beings for use in distribution centers. They…

Making intelligent decisions for pharma industry processes can be enormously challenging due to the complex matrix of interconnected systems. With advanced pharma process simulation and predictive modeling, companies can intelligently visualize and plan…

MOSIMTEC will be presenting at the upcoming AnyLogic Conference 2023. It will be a joint presentation with Crouch Engineering of a recent model developed for US Sugar using the AnyLogic cloud and rail…

Per the WSJ, Albemarle, based in Charlotte, NC, started off in 1887 as a paper mill, making blotter paper and paper for commercial packaging. In 1962, it bought a much bigger chemical company….

Per the Wall Street Journal, the classic fruitiness of IPA beer usually comes from hops, the flowers that give many beer varieties their flavors. But if you order this beer at a local…

Usage of drones for commercial purposes continues to grow every day. Drones can help in multiple industries – retail, agriculture, mining, oil & gas, rail and many more. A drone system comprises different…

Western companies are looking for a backup to China as the world’s factory floor, a strategy known as “China Plus One.” Only India has a labor force and internal market comparable in size…

The oil & gas industry is a hotbed of innovation, driven by the need to increase production, reduce cost, improve safety and cut the carbon footprint. Digital technologies are playing an increasing role…

Per WSJ, some companies that set out to build e-Commerce fulfillment services when pandemic-driven online sales boomed are now cutting back on their logistics ambitions. E-Commerce service provider Shopify, apparel retailer American Eagle…

The Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry is growing fast. Key challenges include meeting order demand at peak times, problems with procurement/inventory management, high delivery costs and staffing needs/levels. Companies also highlight significant challenges…

The auto industry’s shift to electric vehicles (EVs) has triggered a scramble to lock in supplies of lithium, nickel, graphite and other materials core to battery making, much of which are currently mined…

Shipping tiny online orders in big boxes is getting closer to becoming a thing of the past. Big e-Commerce retailers are now using machines that make packages to custom fit the items being…

Construction of U.S. factories reached $108B in 2022, a new record. Much of the growth is in electric vehicle batteries and semiconductors, areas backed by government incentives, also from companies looking to increase…

Like AI a few years ago, digital twins (DT) have moved from highly specific applications into a widespread management best practice. DT is replacing historical data-driven models used for business strategy. Pharma/cosmetics companies…

A study by Oracle indicates that access to more information doesn’t necessarily lead to better decision making. While 83% of those surveyed agree that access to more data should make decisions easier, 86%…

The drive toward net zero will increase demand for lithium, cobalt and other minerals many times over. An offshore wind project uses nine times the minerals of a natural gas-fired power plant of…

Occidental is spending >$1B to build the first in a planned fleet of plants using direct-air capture to pull CO2 out of the air. The plan will help it reach net zero emissions…

Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) is partnering with Windlab on a project called the North Queensland Super Hub. Energy from the project will produce green hydrogen and feed renewable power to the Australian grid….

Firms are looking for factory space to cut dependence on China. Countries like India, Mexico, Vietnam and Cambodia are competing on subsidies, tax breaks and other perks to lure those companies. Per the…

Facebook went all in on the metaverse. They changed their name to Meta and spent billions, but now see a decline in excitement around the idea. They laid off thousands in their metaverse…

Use of 3-D printed parts for manufacturing is growing fast; costs have fallen rapidly. They could help companies re-shore manufacturing and get around supply chain bottlenecks, factory shutdowns and tariffs. GM recently made…

The Association for Engineering Management (ASEM) recently released the 3rd Edition of The Engineering Management Handbook, which includes a chapter on simulation with practical application case studies as part of the broader Operations…

Glenwood Management and CarbonQuest (CQ) recently announced usage of a new carbon capture technology in five NYC buildings. The installation is designed to prevent up to 5,000 tons of carbon emissions per year….

Per the International Federation of Robotics, a half million industrial robots were installed in 2021, beating the 2018 record by 22%. The world now has 3.5 million industrial robots. Three factors are driving…

In emergencies, internet can be cut which hinders communication for response/rescue. MOSIMTEC worked with Danish university students to create a UAV model to meet this need. The students evaluated key parameters such as…

Herndon, VA March 6, 2023 – MOSIMTEC, LLC is pleased to announce its corporate partnership with the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE).  As a premier provider of simulation modeling services, MOSIMTEC…

ChatGPT has made AI a household word. AI is now taking Digital Twins (DT), a top technology trend, to the next level. AI can improve DT efficiency by providing insights beyond what real-world…

Monte Carlo Simulation of Financial Models Monte Carlo Simulation of Financial Models In this MOSIMTEC monte carlo simulation model built with AnyLogic, the user can enter a wide variety of input values to...

The Biden administration is betting big on solar power, but the U.S. has little manufacturing for almost any solar energy components. China controls >80% of the supply chain and spends 10x as much…

Trade and investment between the U.S. and Europe is booming due to the Ukraine war and fraying ties with China. The U.S. now imports more goods from Europe than China, a big shift…

Per Emeritus, there are many benefits to training employees. Examples include less turnover/layoffs, greater employee engagement, enhanced management, increased productivity and team functionality, stronger competitive advantage and averting/addressing skill gaps. Computer simulation is…

Many U.S. companies are considering moving their manufacturing out of China. Producers of Crocs shoes, Yeti coolers, Roomba vacuums and GoPro cameras have done it, but it’s harder than it looks. Velong Enterprises,…

Per Northrop Grumman (NG), the use of digital twins (DT) is key to digital transformation success. NG helped found the DT Consortium and works with government/industry partners to deliver DT benefits to the…

U.S. companies are bringing jobs/supply chains home at a historic pace. Per the Reshoring Initiative, American companies are on pace to reshore or return to the U.S. 350,000 jobs in 2022, up 35%…

Starbucks is rethinking kitchens to be more efficient. In a technology lab, they explore ways to bring equipment closer together, and make syrup pumps, milk dispensers and ice bins that work better. U.S….

An Event Graph is a graphical representation of a discrete system for which a static simulation algorithm can work on. It is an intermediary step between system specification and simulation implementation. An Event…

Battered by rising gas prices, European manufacturers are shifting operations to the U.S. Lower energy prices and recent incentives for manufacturing/green energy have tilted the playing field toward the U.S. Dutch chemical firm…

Per The AnyLogic Company, the key elements of a digital twin (DT) are a dynamic simulation model and data that reflect the current state of a live system. DT’s enable experimentation, analysis and communication,…

Industry 4.0 is causing a convergence of manufacturing processes and software in the industrial sector. DigitalTwin Technology GmbH (DT) is a software tool that empowers manufacturers to implement diverse Industry 4.0 business models…

INTERPARFUMS LUXURY BRANDS, INC. (IP), a fragrance seller, is moving away from Chinese production. More companies surveyed by McKinsey are also working to manufacture goods closer to home. IP is shifting much of its…

Walmart drone delivery is ready for liftoff. They are expanding drone deliveries across six states with operator DroneUp, bringing the total network to 37 sites by year-end. The retailer said it will be able…

U.S. importers seeking relief from West Coast bottlenecks are causing backups at East/Gulf Coast ports. Dozens of container ships are now backed up in NY, Houston and Savannah. Shippers are diverting goods to…

Per McKinsey & Company’s 2022 Global Survey, the share of companies adopting automation technology is climbing. However, few companies have achieved automation’s full potential. Automation leaders make large changes to their processes/platforms, often building…

Brazil is rushing to roll out high-tech alternatives to fertilizer as global prices surge, impacted by the war in Ukraine. Drones with cameras hover over farms, allowing farmers to use fertilizer only where…

Harley-Davidson’s North American retail sales volume dropped 28% in 2Q22 to just under 35,000 motorcycles. Their U.S. market share dropped to 41% for the first half of 2022 versus 45% at the end…

Rio Tinto built its most technologically advanced mine in western Australia. The Gudai-Darri mine employs 600 workers on site, also >70 in a control center in Perth, but is facing labor shortages. Nearly…

Inflation accelerated to 9.1% in June, the highest rate since 1981. Prices for gasoline, household energy, groceries and shelter rose 60%, 22%, 12% and 6%, respectively. Energy prices were driven by high crude…

Per McKinsey, company adoption and strategic importance of digital technologies have grown dramatically. However, most firms achieve less than one-third of the impact they expected from digital investments. Three factors have emerged as…

I(Coleman Kredich) have had the privilege to work for MOSIMTEC this past summer (2022). Going into this internship, I thought I was going to just be doing busy work (cleaning excel files, going...

While companies are concerned about inflation, they continue to increase investments in automation. In 1Q22, they purchased the most robots ever in a single quarter according to the Association for Advancing Automation. North…

Governments hit by food/fuel shortages due to the Ukraine war are less focused on climate change. Businesses are taking a bigger role to cut rising temperatures. Climate startups raised >$20 Billion in 1H22….

MIT researchers say they have found a potent new tool in the fight against #globalwarming . It is basically cat litter. Their findings could greatly reduce the amount of methane in the atmosphere…

A.T. Kearney’s Reshoring Index highlights a shift in sentiment. Thanks to the pandemic, trade wars, tariffs and supply chain snafus, American companies are getting serious about reshoring. Companies are now pursuing best cost…

A big risk to the economy is the inventory swing. Companies worry about not having enough inventory, so order a lot. As demand softens, they end up with too much and have to…

Volkswagen AG has faced a cascade of crises – COVID, brittle supply chains, chip shortages, rising raw material prices, now war. They are rethinking globalization to adapt. Constant shocks cut VW production by…

Each year brings new technology trends. Many of these are now changing how we live and work – digital twins, IoT, remote work, crypto and more. So what are the emerging trends for…

The oil industry is running out of workers, cash and equipment to produce more oil. Inflation is also hitting hard, raising prices for everything. Drillers face delays and high costs for roughnecks, steel…

As risks to global supply chains grow, it is important to cultivate multiple sources for parts/materials. The U.S.-China trade war, COVID-19, then the Russian invasion of Ukraine have driven this point home. Modern…

The Wendy’s Company’s and Chipotle Mexican Grill are testing new experiences in virtual worlds to explore the potential of the metaverse, a virtual environment where people can use digital avatars to work, play…

Inflation hit a 40-year high of 8.5% in March. Prices for used cars/trucks, energy, air travel and food were 35%, 32%, 24% and 9% higher, respectively, than a year ago. Prices were driven…

The Czinger Vehicles 21C supercar isn’t just fast, it’s revolutionary. it might change how cars are manufactured – from Henry Ford’s assembly line to additive manufacturing (AM) driven by 3D printing. The Czinger…

Drone deliveries are taking off. After years of hype, companies are beginning commercial operations and the FAA is testing an air-traffic control system for unmanned aircraft below 400 feet. Zipline is working on…

As the metaverse expands, businesses are adding tools to fill the virtual void. They are also targeting a younger audience that is growing up in immersive 3D worlds. Adobe just released a metaverse…

Panasonic, one of the largest industrial emitters of greenhouse gases (5x the size of Apple) is under pressure to cut emissions. They recently achieved “virtually net zero” carbon dioxide at a Wuxi, China…

The U.S. Department of Labor recently reported that productivity rose by 1.9% in 2021, after gains of 2% in 2019 and 2.4% in 2020. Productivity is particularly important as the U.S. struggles with…

Digital twins (DT) are virtual portrayals that act as the real-time digital equivalent of any physical asset or system. Per Emergen Research, the DT market is expected to reach $106 Billion by 2028…

Small firms are bearing the brunt of supply chain snarls and rising prices, forcing many to tap cash reserves or take on debt to survive. Large companies have the heft to navigate pressures;…

Automakers are again embracing vertical integration, similar to the early days of the auto industry. Multiple manufacturers seek to control more of their supply chains for electric vehicles (EV), rather than relying on…

The free trade vision of the past 30 years is fracturing. Russian sanctions are the latest blow, but the concept of globalization, nations trading with few barriers, has been under pressure for years….

The Russian invasion of Ukraine will snarl supply chains even more. Per Interos, about 4,000 U.S. and European firms have Tier 1 suppliers in Russia or Ukraine, while >300,000 firms have Tier 2/Tier…

U.S. inflation reached a 40-year high in January, rising to a 7.5% annual rate. Prices rose sharply for food, vehicles, shelter and electricity. Businesses are scrambling to keep up with rising material and…

Hospitals are creating digital twins (DT) of patient care units. The DT can help enhance processes, improve patient experience, cut operating cost and increase care quality. Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in Dublin worked…

Per Simio Software, Industry 4.0 systems such as IoT, big data, and AR will help mining companies achieve 10X ROI. Using process digital twin technology will enable a further leap in returns to…

Digital twins (DT), virtual representations of the real world, are going mainstream in all shapes and forms. NVIDIA and Amazon Web Services (AWS) now offer simulation engines that allow businesses to build 3D…

Supply chain snarls continue to limit availability of new inventory. Retailers are responding by getting returned items on-sale faster, particularly as e-Commerce increases the percent of returned items. Companies are investing in multiple…

AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS INC. (AEO) acquired Quiet Logistics for $350 MM in November. This was their second logistics-related purchase in 2021 as retailers struggle to get goods to stores. Quiet Logistics has 8…

Companies are wrestling with how big their inventory should be. Many firms got stuck with too much inventory when COVID hit demand. Many firms are short of stock now due to rising demand…

Strong robot sales in 3Q21 brought total YTD orders to 29,000 units and $1.48B, record numbers for the North American robotics market according to the Association for Advanced Manufacturing. Labor shortages are driving…

Bottlenecks and strong demand have rekindled inflation. Based on the November CPI, price increases for new cars, men’s apparel and furniture hit record levels. But assuming supply-demand imbalances will continue, and then they…

Growing on-line purchases and labor shortages are forcing pharma to rethink distribution. Some manufacturers want to move distribution in-house, automate tasks like pallet handling, and move to automated storage/retrieval systems, automatic guided vehicles…

EY surveyed 305 CEOs to reveal perspectives on the future enterprise. Thriving companies are building for the future and increasing transformation spend; surviving companies are protecting what they have. While many companies raised…

With global trade slowed and bad weather increasing, businesses are rethinking the status quo in favor of reliability, even if it costs more. Some are moving production closer to home, buying suppliers or…

Using drones for retail deliveries is within reach. Walmart recently invested in DroneUp, the nationwide on-demand drone delivery provider, to continue growing their drone delivery capability. Walmart partnered with DroneUp last year for…

Hot-tub maker Bullfrog Spas saw demand rise due to COVID, but its global supply chain is snarled. On a typical day, its UT factory gets 40,000 gallons of chemicals, 400 sheets of plastic…

The oil and gas industry is increasingly leveraging digital twins to improve decision-making. Per GlobalData Plc, COVID increased the need to reduce cost and make operations more sustainable with technology. GlobalData highlights projects…

Fast food companies continue to face staff shortages and wage inflation. While many use self-serve ordering kiosks and other tech tools to automate customer-facing jobs, more are turning to robots to staff the…

Labor shortages are gripping China as young people shun factory jobs and migrant workers stay home. With demand for Chinese goods surging, factory owners can’t fill jobs and strain to meet orders. The…

McKinsey & Company annual IT strategy survey shows how technology investments are proving their worth. They highlight seven lessons. Key messages include: At least 2/3 of technology initiatives yielded cost reduction, employee improvements…

Business of Data by Corinium recently published survey results on how 300+ data executives manage enterprise data assets to fuel reliable data-driven decision-making. Effective decisions depend on data that’s accurate, consistent and contextual….

U.S. ports are severely stressed. For example, West Coast ports face booming import/export levels from Asian trade, staffing shortages, container congestion, backlogs of anchored container ships and other bottlenecks. Port productivity is a…

COVID continues to snarl global supply chains. Inventories are low. Prices are high. Shipping delays are rife. Average price worldwide to ship a 40-foot container overseas hit $8,796 on July 8, up 333%…

While job openings are at record levels, many employers say they will need fewer employees in the future. COVID pushed companies to invest in automation and implement other changes to curb hiring. Raytheon…

Per Simio Software, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), aka software robots, automates routine rule-based processes using configured script and AI/machine learning. RPA market revenue is expected to triple from $3B now to $10B in…

Long delivery waits and higher costs are hurting efforts of small/midsize businesses to benefit from the rising economy. As large companies rush to restock, smaller firms are battling over dwindling cargo space on…

Polaris Inc. , the leading maker of off-road vehicles in the U.S., has been hit hard by parts shortages. They change strategies on the fly to cope with parts delays and stock on…

Factory orders are rising fast, but problems abound. Factories face shortages of parts/workers, rising raw material costs, supply chain disruptions and logistics bottlenecks. MRS Machining, a Wisconsin maker of precision metal parts, recently…

June consumer prices rose 5.4% from 2020, the biggest surge in 13 years. Prices rose for many products including used cars and trucks, airline fares, apparel and more. Many companies are passing along…

Disruptive companies are changing the rules of the game in manufacturing. Relativity Space (RS) is a great example using 3D-printing to build its Terran 1 rocket. Aerospace products are often built one at…

COVID, freak weather, chip shortages and other factors have automakers re-thinking the Just In Time (JIT) approach. JIT, where goods are received as needed, cuts waste and adds savings by having parts delivered…

Traditionally, production plans and schedules are essentially obsolete given deviations from the original plan. Simulation and Risk-Based Planning and Scheduling (RPS), using Simio Software, incorporate inherent system variation in the plans/schedules, highlight schedule…

Per Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Factory of the Future is a vision for how to enhance manufacturing by improving plant structure, digitization and processes. Enhancing each area is considered vital for performance improvement…

The U.S. economy is roaring back to life. Demand for many items is soaring. But many companies can’t catch up due to production bottlenecks, labor shortages, supply chain woes and other problems. Restaurants…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains a Conditional Sailing Order to keep cruise ships from sailing in the U.S. to prevent COVID. The Cruise Lines Int’l Association estimates a loss of…

A flurry of supply problems have slammed global manufacturing. Many companies are having trouble keeping up with demand, facing delays and cost increases, also pressure to increase prices to maintain profit margins. Toyota…

Fast food drive-thrus are morphing. Traditional single lane, garbled intercom and window payment/pickup are poised to become a relic of the past. Starbucks employees at some locations move through car lines taking orders…

Many factories are struggling to keep up with demand. Supply chain bottlenecks are a big factor, including product shortages from overseas contract manufacturers, shipping delays and cost increases. Semiconductor problems are acute. Demand…

Renewable energy is a major focus of Biden Harris Administration. Solar farms, including large collections of photovoltaic panels for capturing energy, converting to electricity, and sending to power grids are key to success….

Nuclear accounts for one-fifth of U.S. electricity generation and half of carbon-free power. There are 94 nuclear reactors at 56 plants in 28 states. Each reactor core has roughly 150-250 fuel assemblies. Every…

The White House is studying whether supply chains for key industries should be stress tested due to semiconductor shortages impacting the auto industry. Stress tests could include hypothetical scenarios and whether to stockpile…

Billions of COVID vaccine doses need to be produced. Contract manufacturing by third parties is critical, for large companies like Pfizer with mass production expertise and for smaller companies like Moderna with no…

The U.S. faced shortages of supplies needed to address COVID-19. The Defense Production Act (DPA) enabled the President to compel domestic companies to manufacture these supplies. On February 5, the Biden administration announced…

COVID vaccinations are moving to ever larger sites. FEMA is planning to operate up to 100 federally run mass vaccination facilities. The National Football League (NFL) has offered its stadiums as vaccination locations….

One of Pres. Biden’s top priorities is tackling climate change. Wind power, onshore and offshore, is one solution, with linkage to smart grids optimizing renewable/conventional energy sources. Building wind farms is complex. You…

A new administration brings new priorities. Four top focus areas for President Biden are COVID-19, climate change, the economy and healthcare. Each area presents challenges. The COVID vaccine rollout highlights a complex supply…

Data is a strategic asset, critical for managing and leveraging current/emerging technologies. You need to pay as much attention to your data as you do to hard assets such as equipment. This is…

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a common manufacturing KPI for equipment productivity. If OEE is 100%, a work center is considered at full capability during planned production time. OEE = Availability x Performance…

One benefit of Industry 4.0 is smart factories. Per SAP, these are “highly digitized, largely autonomous facilities that take full advantage of advanced technologies like big data, AI, robotics, analytics and IoT.” Digital…

Robots are a pillar of Industry 4.0. Per SAP, autonomous mobile robots (AMR) vary greatly in size and function, from inventory scanning drones to robots for pick and place operations. Equipped with cutting-edge…

Big Data is a pillar of Industry 4.0. Per SAP, data is “collected from a wide range of sources, from factory equipment and IoT devices to ERP and CRM systems…Analytics powered by AI…

Simulation/Digital Twins are a pillar of Industry 4.0. A Digital Twin (DT) is a virtual simulation of a real world machine, product, process or system based on sensor data or other data sources….

We’re in the 4th industrial revolution (Industry 4.0). Per SAP, it takes automation/computerization to the next level via digital industrial technology, powered by Industrial Internet of Things (IIot) and autonomous systems using computer-based…

COVID hit warehouses hard. Demand surged for some items, crashed for others. Staffing was hit by the virus, also by social distance requirements. Demand for eCommerce, cold storage and same day/next day delivery…

A Guide to Simulation Software Selection A Guide to Simulation Software Selection “What is the best simulation package?” is a question MOSIMTEC consultants are often faced with.  However, there is no single right...

Management consulting was down 13% in 2020. According to Source Global Research (SGR), HR, strategy and operational improvement projects were down 28%, 19% and 17%, respectively, as of October 30, with technology projects…

Per Gartner, one-third of companies have or plan to move their supply chains out of China by 2023. Alternatives include reshoring to the U.S., Vietnam, India and Mexico. There are reasons to change,…

Drones are everywhere! There are more startups, users, uses and excitement every day. Amazon recently won FAA approval for its Prime Air drone delivery fleet, joining UPS/Alphabet Inc. who previously received FAA approvals….

The vaccine cold chain from factory to syringe is challenging, but particularly in least developed countries (LDCs). Three billion people live in countries with inadequate temperature-controlled storage to support the COVID vaccine effort….

Per McKinsey & Company, the mine-to-market value chain can unlock value for mining companies. Focus on end-to-end processes (mining, processing, transportation, equipment), rather than silos, can create sustainable competitive advantage. Enhancing the value…

A chemical manufacturer was constructing one of the largest petrochemical facilities of its kind, designed and built in a single phase. The production facility had limited space for on-site storage and produced goods…

Multiple sports have used pandemic-safe bubbles to protect athletes from COVID. The NBA and NHL were very effective, with MLB and NFL less so. Other industries have used the same concept. Tyler Perry…

COVID is giving distributors a headache. Companies are experiencing unprecedented drops in demand and explosive increases in demand in other areas. Despite the efforts of governments, industry, scientists, and healthcare workers, some major…

COVID hit restaurants hard. Per The Wall Street Journal, >15,000 failed since the pandemic began, but Domino’s Pizza thrived. How did they do it? Domino’s innovated. Carside pickup offers contactless delivery in your…

Healthcare will be tested this fall by COVID and flu season. Hospitals, clinics and medical offices are in danger of being overwhelmed. Already high demand for lab testing could surge. Vaccine development will…

Billions of vaccine doses are produced annually. Most all require cold storage; 25% lose effectiveness due to temperature excursions outside the required range costing $34B annually. For COVID vaccines, there is a rush…

Industrial batteries are everywhere – cars, drones, robots, and more – and technology is changing fast. Battery performance powers asset performance so battery decisions drive results. Decisions are myriad. Which batteries are best…

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to simulation of human intelligence in machines programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. Spending on AI software is rising >30% annually and expected to top $125B…

The U.S. ski industry lost $2 Billion in revenue last winter due to COVID-19. An early outbreak in the pandemic was at a ski festival in Idaho where >100 skiers became infected. While…

South Korea is showing us where the world is headed. The government announced a Digital New Deal to focus on big data, AI and 5G, and aims to be the world’s 3rd ranked…

Cruise ships were growing fast until they became a poster child for COVID-19. As of early May, >40 ships had cases, some weren’t allowed to dock, and multiple deaths were reported. Many crew…

When COVID hit, companies went into crisis mode. After 6 months, they’re getting visibility into today’s reality. Chevron is planning for lower oil prices. Equity Residential, with 78,000 apartments, says some renters now…

Here come the robots! While robotics was already a national trend, COVID-19 has taken it to the next level. Robots are popping up everywhere for health/efficiency reasons. Meatpackers are exploring robot butchers –…

Sports are a sanctuary. They give us the thrill of victory and agony of defeat. They’re coming back to life, in fits and starts, but are they doing enough to protect players and…

Interest in warehouse automation is surging, based on a survey of warehouse operators by Intelligrated. E-Commerce (66%), Grocery, Food and Beverage (59%) and Logistics (55%) industries are most willing to invest in automation….

Schools are in a bind. Kids need to learn, parents need to work, teachers need to teach, but COVID is an ever-present danger. School decisions are local. All make their best decisions with…

A business model is a company’s plan for making a profit, including products, services, markets, pricing and cost. But models come and go. You need to keep them fresh or customers will lose…

COVID decimated hotels. Occupancy rates fell to 22% in April, but rose to 48% in the week ending 7/25. Per The Wall Street Journal, automation and AI are key to recovery. Customers need…

Per The Wall Street Journal, COVID is transforming oil drilling from on-site specialists, who steer drill bits and interpret well data, to remote engineers often working at home. Oil field providers, like Schlumberger,…

Per WSJ, packaged food companies are struggling to keep shelves stocked, so have changed procurement strategies. General Mills temporarily increased the number of suppliers by 20%, including contract manufacturers and raw material suppliers,…

Per Wall Street Journal, COVID has disrupted food supply chains. Shortages have emerged. Prices have risen. Crops have been dumped. The future of cities is also in question. As more employees work remotely,…

At the end of June, private equity’s $1.48 Trillion in dry powder has done little to help the companies they own. Thirty-four PE-backed companies went bankrupt from March to mid-June according to Pitchbook…

The impact of COVID on retailers is growing. Bankruptcies are soaring, with Ascena Retail Group, parent of Ann Taylor/Lane Bryant, Tailored Brands, parent of Men’s Wearhouse/Jos. A. Bank, and Lord & Taylor most…

Gartner identified “Digital Twins” as Top Ten Strategic Technology Trends for 2017, 2018 and 2019. A digital twin is a “dynamic virtual model of a process, product, or service, that enables companies to…

Breathtaking changes in technology have led to immense changes in computer simulation. Simulations of today can process huge amounts of data, incorporate loads of variables and variability, and explore multiple options, including worst…

Manufacturers of multiple products and product lines face a common problem: how to support parts replenishment for assembly lines. If you don’t do it right, parts aren’t available when needed, production plans falter,…

New York Times focused on businesses looking to “reshore” supply chains. Japan has funded $2.2B to help companies shift production out of China. European trade ministers are also looking to diversify sourcing. A.T….

Wall Street Journal recently reported demand growth for data tools at factories. Manufacturers have recognized the value of data/sensors to remotely monitor plants and “speed up production, reduce waste, improve their product quality…

The modern supply chain can be complicated. Thanks to the advent of the internet, globalization, and international shipping, the average supply chain has transformed from a simple process into a large, sweeping matrix...

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has created a massive disruption in the global supply chain. Avenues of trade that were once taken for granted have now been reduced or completely eliminated, creating...

The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted problems at factories post COVID-19. Some have jumbled supply chains; others are less efficient due to social distancing requirements; others stockpile more inventory due to inconsistent deliveries….

COVID-19 hit management consulting hard. Current projections by Source Global Research are that global consulting will drop 16% in 2020, with similar impact in North America. Forecast revenue declines to the services, energy/resources,…

COVID changed grocery shopping. Customers cut stores of choice, changed shopping days, shifted browsing to rushing, and moved from favorite brand to any brand. Stores faced stock-outs, hoarding, safety concerns, on-line shopping, bulk…

Oil was hit by dual shocks – COVID-19 crushed demand and a Saudi-Russia price war piled on. While prices are now rising, it’s doubtful oil markets will return to “normal”, and uncertain what…

Freight railroads have hit a rough patch. While PSR improved performance, COVID has dealt a severe blow. Carloads fell 28% and intermodal dropped 13% in May from 2019. Autos and coal were the…

COVID has taken a toll on mining. Demand and prices for many commodities remain weak and volatile. Many mines are idle. Staff have taken pay cuts or unpaid leave. Companies face material shortages…

COVID-19 has not treated retailers equally. Companies that sell necessities , like Amazon and Walmart, have surged while those selling non-essentials have tanked. Malls have closed while e-Commerce has taken off. Contact is…

Airline traffic remains weak with TSA screenings 88% below 2019 pre-Memorial Day. This creates a period of reckoning for airlines/OEMs. Boeing had zero orders in April and announced layoffs. Airbus warned of “bleeding…

COVID-19 has had big impacts on big Pharma. Supply chains are tested by foreign sourcing of active ingredients (APIs), generics and vaccines. Clinical trials are hindered by stay at home orders. Potential vaccines…

Fast food is big – $277B sales, 194,000 sites, 3.9M staff in 2019. But COVID-19 has taken a big bite. Most dine-in options are closed. Sales plunged 57% from April 1-10 per National…

Hospitals face wrenching decisions and jarring changes. Demand for virus care has rocketed while elective care has plunged. There are shortages of staff, beds, equipment and supplies. Staff members are sick. In many…

Human interactions make us happy. They help us work, play and socialize. But the biggest toll of COVID-19 is on human interactions. Every contact is now a risk, requiring masks, gloves and sanitizer….

COVID-19 has crushed airports. Flights are down 80%. Passengers are down 95%. Empty planes line runways. Stores and restaurants are empty. The good old days are gone. Long security lines, crowded concourses, and…

All crises cause change and COVID-19 is no different. Manufacturing is not immune. Look inward at what you do and outward at what is possible. If you snooze you lose, so get cracking….

COVID-19 is creating havoc for supply chains. Factories are shut down. Workers are at home. Demand and prices for some items have skyrocketed, while others have collapsed. Ports, railroads, and truckers are starved…

COVID-19 is changing the way we live and work. Companies, non-profits, and government entities are faced with questions and decisions about how we return to work and how to ramp up as restrictions…

Photo: Pixabay When Henry Ford reimagined the assembly line and shortened the time it took to manufacture a car from 12 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes, he was applying a business...

Photo: Pixabay When considering managerial or cost accounting, something that is going to come up frequently is the notion of manufacturing cost management. When you think about manufacturing costs, you should be cautious...

Photo: Unsplash Computers are well-suited for solving complex mathematical relationships involving large sets of variables. This capability sets them apart from humans; computers can be programmed to analyze relationships by solving the same...

Logistics are the heart of your organization’s business process. While the typical supply chain used to be small and simple, our global economy has forced to evolve and build out sprawling networks of...

Here’s the cold hard truth - the days of worrying only about bottom line are fading...quickly. Building a sustainable supply chain is a must in 2019, and beyond. Consumers now expect companies to...

Catherine Hume is an undergraduate Mathematics student at Georgia State University with a concentration in Applied Mathematics. She interned at MOSIMTEC as a Simulation Consultant in the summer of 2019. As a summer intern…

(Source: DepositPhotos) Predictive modeling employs statistical models to forecast potential outcomes. For businesses, these outcomes could center on understanding when their machines will fail or when consumers will spend the most money. There...

(Source: DepositPhotos) In 2019, the demand for sustainable supply chains is at an all time high. There’s a growing global expectation to eliminate greenhouse emissions, reduce carbon footprints, and procure from ethical suppliers….

Photo Source: Boeing The world’s top aerospace and defense (A&D) OEMs — Boeing and Airbus — are driving several major new aerospace trends in 2019. And between these two companies, there’s one major…

(Source: Simio via AssemblyMag) In general, a business process would play out through multiple, different events in sequence. As an example, let’s think about a logistics chain involving a truck: it arrives at…

In an earlier post, we defined simulation as “a replication of a real-world process or event in an environment that is isolated or disconnected from its real-world counterpart.” The basic idea is to…

(An Example of ABM in Agriculture Pest Control Studies. Source: University of Surrey) An agent-based model (ABM) analyzes the impact of an individual on a system, and vice-versa. The ‘individual’ could be a…

Lean Manufacturing is undoubtedly a go-to methodology for improving complicated manufacturing processes. For many companies, the allure of eliminating wasteful processes and only delivering value to the customer is enticing. At its core,…

A simulation is a replication of a real-world process or event in an environment that is isolated or disconnected from its real-world counterpart. This concept is best understood with an example: imagine building…

In the best of times, your inventory can be a profitable asset, and in the worst of times, a costly liability. Depending on the situation, too much or too little inventory can hamper…

Just when you thought that your assembly plant, mining operation, transporters, and team were working in unison to drive revenue growth goals, something caused it all to slow down or, worse, stop. That…

In many industries, value stream mapping is a useful tool for visualizing the process it takes to deliver a product or service. In fact, the practice of value stream mapping is so valuable…

Bottlenecks can be the bane of a project manager’s existence, especially if their mandate is removing obstacles and improving manufacturing efficiency. Bottlenecks are the processes in your system that limit its entire capacity,...

Regardless of your industry, improving efficiency is of paramount importance. After all, it can mean cutting down on costs, maximizing employee time, and in the case of manufacturing, improving throughput. Cutting-edge manufacturing firms…

In the history of commerce, there’s never been a business that didn’t have its fair share of operational issues. And, as is often the case, the bigger the business, the more issues there…

Yusuke Legard is a Varsity Swim Team Captain at Duke University who interned at MOSIMTEC as a Simulation Consultant in the summer of 2018. The Men’s 100m Butterfly Final at the 2008 Beijing…

Simulation Modelling from MOSIMTEC critical in Walmart’s decision making process   Herndon, VA: MOSIMTEC, a global leader in simulation modelling consulting, was vital to the decision making process behind Walmart’s new robotic-based system…

Like every modern industry, manufacturing hasn’t made it through the millennium unscathed by rapid globalization. Most Western manufacturing companies, large or small, have been ousted by cheaper, “leaner” manufacturers from across the world….

As global competition intensifies, the mining industry faces more and more challenges with every passing decade. Decision makers are called upon to reduce operational costs and improve profitability, external factors be damned. On…

Amy Greer of MOSIMTEC began an interesting thread on our LinkedIn group. It details some of the useful changes beyond the headline updates in AnyLogic 8.3. We thought it was useful insight for people who model with AnyLogic...

Drones are developing rapidly; their capabilities are increasing and the costs reducing. Their increased use will lift the UK GDP by 2% according to a PwC report. Certainly, they hold great promise, reducing …

In the mining industry, stakeholders are of multiple types. Internally, there is the workforce – i.e. a critical driver to maintaining productivity. Externally, mining companies must contend with their shareholders/investors, governments, local populations…

The challenges faced by the mining industry are only getting more complicated, but the call for reducing operational costs and increasing profitability are a constant regardless of the external factors (e.g. regulatory factors…

The inherent complexity surrounding mining projects makes these initiatives both very valuable and incredibly risky. In fact, the risk emerges right from the onset, i.e. simply proposing an exploration project could collapse following…

The story of how raw silica sand is transformed into cutting-edge chip technology is a fascinating one. Beginning with mining extraction from the Earth through storage, transportation, processing, and fabrication, let’s take a…

Businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve are constantly searching for new strategies that will put them ahead of their competitors. One such strategy is the “Digital Twin,” which Gartner identified as...

The efforts of the US-based non-profit Global Fund to End Modern Slavery got a boost in its fight to combat modern day slavery with the funding from the United States Department of State.

When business process simulation and modeling is not your core activity but a shared service in your organization, you should consider outsourcing that work to specialist firms like MOSIMTEC that can be more efficient and turnaround faster.

While process simulation is not typically a mainstay of hospital planning, it is being used more frequently by organizations to better understand their systems. MOSIMTEC had the opportunity to work with a hospital…

Every time a business faces uncertainty across the landscape and is unsure about what the problem is, where the solution lies or where to even start, Simulation modeling can be a handy piece…

MOSIMTEC has recently completed simulation models for clients in crude oil and refined products storage and transportation logistics. We wanted to share how our virtual tools (more accurately described as precision instruments) helped our…

Love the movie Moneyball. It is a great example of what numbers can do to answer those tough questions you have about your operations. How you can build a team around statistics rather…

Too often I have seen projects go off track due to certain stakeholders I like to refer to as Table Pounders. These are the ones that will speak the loudest and demand that certain…

Simulation models create heaps of performance data for every component in a modeled system (transactional, state, and usage data). However, understanding what that data represents with regards to other data can be very challenging…

I’m writing this post because I feel I left some things unsaid from my last post – On Our Watch. This was mainly spurred from the great comments from fellow engineers who were caring…

I am disappointed in my fellow engineers. Lately our world has been affected in a negative way due to our actions. I’m talking about the recent investigations into the automotive industry and our…

There are a lot of stats on the high percentage of senior leaders making decisions from intuition or gut instincts, but I won’t quote any of those here as 50% of all stats…

In my past experience I have worked on both the engineering side as well as the client when evaluating project scope. Too often I have seen infrastructure incorrectly designed and for many reasons…

Visual Analytics is key to validating simulation models. Allowing the decision makers to gain comfort that the model is performing as it was intended is being able to see their operations live and…

A picture says a thousand words. A motion picture tells a story. Simulations bring your operations to life!