Impact of dwell time on vertical transportation through discrete simulation in SIMIO

This work has the objective of simulating an elevator system, using SIMIO software. Firstly, two different approaches, and its implementation, will be explained and compared: Vehicle vs. Entity. After selecting the Entity-approach, due to its more flexible processes and the limitations of the Vehicle-approach, it will be used to conduct the simulation experiments. The purpose is to evaluate the impact of dwell time - time in which the elevator remains stopped, allowing for clients to enter and exit - in the performance of the system. That will be achieved analysing the impact on the total time - spent by clients from placing a call until reaching its destination - number of clients inside the system and waiting for the elevator, waiting time, elevator occupation and number of elevator movements. The analysis of the results indicates that, for the properties defined, the best time for the elevator to stay with its doors open is around 10 seconds.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia in the scope of the project: PEst-OE/EEI/UI0319/2014 (ALGORITMI).