Accurate modeling and simulation of manufacturing and other complex systems is often hampered by the amount of detail required for a representative modeling effort and the amount of data that needs to be analyzed in order to understand the results of the simulation. This situation is further complicated when the system under study is subject to dynamic behavior. The purpose of this research is to explore the use of abstraction in simulation environments and to support their use in ways that may allow a dynamic change in the level of detail of the model. This research awards the development and use of an abstraction mechanism with three layers of functionality as a means of modeling and simulating large, complex systems. Since current simulation models cannot vary the level at which they are aggregated without a significant amount of reprogramming, this approach will provide an innovative way to make the amount of detail intellectually manageable. Ultimately, the researcher plans to achieve this goal by creating abstract objects dynamically that hide the unnecessary details of the original objects. The feasibility of the approach is to be tested with the development of a prototype system.
