ISE 435 Discrete Systems Simulation
Fall Semester 2009
Lecture: Tu, Th 11:00 am - 12:20 pm, KAP 145
Labs: Tu or Th, 1:00 – 1:50 pm, GER 309
Instructor: Dr. Kurt Palmer
Office: GER 206B
Hours: M,W 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Phone: 740-5960
E-mail: kpalmer@usc.edu
Objective: In this course, you will learn how to create computer models of discrete event systems, and how to use these models to make decisions about the design/improvement of the actual physical systems that the models represent. You will learn how to evaluate a business system and identify the input and output variables. You will learn how to evaluate field data to obtain input information and how to evaluate output predictions from the simulation model to select effective operating policies.
Text: Khoshnevis and Palmer, Discrete Systems Simulation, reader
Course Material: Chapters 1-6 of the text, plus topics discussed in lecture by the instructor. For details, see the Reading Assignments
Grading Policies:
Points Breakdown -
Homework 105
Project 150
Exam #1 115
Exam #2 130
Subtotal 500
Final Exam 150
Course GRADES will be determined by the distribution of point totals for the class. "Natural groupings" will be used to assign letter grades. The highest scoring group will receive A’s, the next group is the B’s, and so on. A single point will not be the difference between any two letter grades. A "gap" must exist to create a grade boundary.
HOMEWORK assignments will be due on the following Thursdays:
September 10, 17; October 1, 8, 15, 22; and November 5
Homework will be graded on an "all or nothing" basis. A reasonable attempt at each exercise will earn all 15 points for the assignment. Incomplete assignments will be returned with no points awarded. Late homework will be accepted until noon on the Friday following the original due date. Completions of returned assignments will be accepted for full credit until noon on the Friday after the assignment is returned to the class.
An EXAM will be given on each of the following dates:
Thursday, September 24 and Thursday, November 19
Each exam will cover the material presented up to and including the preceding homework assignment. Points will be assigned to each section of the exam. Partial credit will be awarded according to work shown. No re-takes will be allowed. No make-up exam will be given. If you miss an exam, you must take the final exam.
A PROJECT will be due in two parts on the following dates:
Part I – Thursday, October 29
Part II – Thursday, November 12
The project will involve development and
validation of a computer simulation model. For this project, you will work with
an assigned partner. The project assignment will be distributed about five
weeks in advance of the Part I due date.
Your team’s system description and model layout will be due on Thursday, October 8.
A Peer Review of another team’s system description will be due on Thursday, October 15.
The FINAL EXAM is scheduled for Tuesday, December 15. It will
be comprehensive and will be graded similarly to the other exams. A student may
elect to omit the final exam, if both exams and the project have been
completed.