Patent ID: 7376548

Claim:
A method of simulating an industrial process comprising the steps of: storing model data indicative of a plurality of processes involving a number of items of equipment to be used in an industrial process to be simulated; initiating a first simulated batch for simulated processing; generating scheduling data for scheduling the initiation of simulated batches after the initiation of said first simulated batch by, when simulated processing of a latest initiated batch is initiated: identifying items of equipment liable to be involved in simulated processing of a next batch to be initiated after said latest initiated batch; utilizing said stored model data to determine for each item of said identified items of equipment a minimum possible simulated processing time required for simulated processing of said latest initiated batch; determining for said identified items of equipment which are currently in use for processing batches currently being processed, the greatest time of use of previously simulated in processing batches using said items of equipment; and generating scheduling data for the next batch to be initiated after the latest initiated batch to cause the time between the initiation of said latest initiated batch and said next batch within said simulation to be equal to the greater of the maximum of said minimum possible simulated processing times for said items of equipment involved in simulated processing of said next batch and said greatest time of use for said identified items of equipment currently in use; and generating output data indicative of a simulation of an industrial process utilizing said stored model data and said generated scheduling data.