Understanding and Managing Complex Supply Chains

Network Design & Flow Modeling

The foundation of any supply chain is its network design. Our simulator allows you to define the locations of suppliers, factories, distribution centers, and customers. This initial layout dictates material flow rates based on physical constraints like distance and transport capacity.

You can model various transportation methods – trucking, rail, air freight – each with distinct speed and cost profiles. The simulation then calculates the optimal routes for goods movement using a simplified physics engine to represent real-world limitations.

None (Conceptual Network Definition)

Inventory Management Strategies

Holding inventory incurs costs – storage, insurance, and the risk of obsolescence. The simulation incorporates models for different inventory management techniques: Just-in-Time (JIT), Economic Order Quantity (EOQ), and safety stock policies.

By adjusting parameters like lead times and demand variability, you can observe how these strategies impact total supply chain costs and responsiveness to fluctuations in customer orders.

EOQ = sqrt((2 * D * S) / H^2), where D=Annual Demand, S=Ordering Cost, H=Holding Cost per Unit

Demand Variability & Disruptions

Real-world supply chains are rarely predictable. The simulator allows you to introduce demand variability – representing fluctuations in customer orders – and simulate disruptive events like transportation delays or factory shutdowns.

Analyzing the impact of these disruptions on inventory levels, delivery times, and overall operational efficiency is crucial for building resilient supply chain strategies.

None (Event-Driven Simulation)

Optimization & Scenario Analysis

The core of the simulation lies in its optimization capabilities. You can experiment with different parameters – transportation costs, inventory levels, production rates – to identify scenarios that minimize total supply chain cost or maximize delivery speed.

This allows for ‘what-if’ analysis, evaluating the impact of changes in external factors (e.g., rising fuel prices, increased demand) on your supply chain performance.

None (Iterative Optimization)

Frequently asked questions

Try it live

Everything above runs in your browser — open Bridge Structural Analysis and change the parameters while it is running. Nothing is installed, nothing is uploaded, the whole model lives in one tab.