A Tool for Optimizing Simulated Discrete Variable Stochastic Systems: SIMICOM

A heuristic algorithm (SIMICOM) has been designed and tested for optimizing simulated stochastic systems whose performances are functions of several discrete decision variables. The approach adopted utilizes an integer complex method coupled with techniques of establishing confidence intervals for the system's responses. It can handle a general class of optimization problems that could be constrained or unconstrained. In constrained cases, the constraints could either be explicit analytical functions of decision variables or be expressed as other responses of the simulation model. In addition to obtain a reasonably accurate solution, the economic aspect of obtaining the solution has also been taken into consideration.