Rockwell Automation Donates Its Strategic Simulation Software to Healthcare Providers

What is Rockwell Automation Arena?

Rockwell Automation Arena Simulation Software is a strategic simulator for business and industrial decisions. As businesses become more complex, simple questions can be difficult to answer, and trying to determine the financial impact of a decision is next to impossible. 

 

Video used courtesy of Rockwell Automation

 

Arena Simulation allows businesses to convert their processes into a computer simulation with animations and flowcharts, which can then be used to assess the impacts of a decision. For example, a shipping company could model its air cargo procedure into a simulation and then use this simulation to see how different business strategies would affect their finances.

The software also displays results visually and quantitatively, which can help users better understand the result. Since trying to model a business can be difficult, Arena breaks a process into individual discrete event models, which are well-defined processes. For example, trying to simulate a printing business can be a complex job, but the actions of a copier, paper cutter, and printer are defined and obvious. As such, Arena would split the business into each well-defined process and then run the business model based on these processes.

 

World Complexity Drives Simulation

The increasing use of technology and the development of complex models have led to a more complex world. Modern businesses can be involved with long supply chains, while financial companies may deal with abstract concepts such as the true value of money and what markets will do long term.

The recent downfall of the automotive industry due to COVID-19 is a perfect example of this complex behavior. COVID-19 resulted in global lockdowns, which saw car manufacturers selling fewer vehicles. As such, they decided to purchase far fewer automotive integrated circuits (ICs) from semiconductor suppliers. Therefore, semiconductor suppliers stopped manufacturing automotive ICs. Now that carmakers want to manufacture cars again, they need automotive ICs, but there are few left on the market, and the semiconductor industry may take as much as a year to meet the demand. 

This world complexity may make it difficult for a business to deploy strategic decisions that will financially benefit the company and reduce inefficiencies. Furthermore, a company cannot simply “try out” new ideas and then fall back on those ideas should they cause financial damage. As such, simulation technology allows businesses to explore an infinite number of ideas without harming the business.

 

Rockwell Donates Arena Simulation

The vaccination hopes to significantly reduce the pressure on hospitals and ventilation equipment.

 

Rockwell Automation hopes donating their strategic simulation software will help healthcare providers roll out the COVID-19 vaccine. Image used courtesy of Ali Raza from Pixabay

 

Vaccinating the population, however, is a monumental task, and ensuring that vaccination sites operate efficiently is essential. While a simple queue of people getting vaccinated may sound simple in nature, the process can carry problems with either too many vaccine stations, too few, not enough space for queues and waiting areas, and vaccine expiration. 

To help, Rockwell Automation announced that it would provide its software and a temporary license to non-profits, governments, and public health organizations. It is hoped that these institutions can utilize the pre-defined vaccination model created by Rockwell Automation to provide an efficient vaccination program with minimal waste.

According to the news release, Rockwell Automation expects Arena will help healthcare providers address supply and staffing demands. The company looks forward to working with hospitals, health departments, and other community organizations to safely, efficiently, and quickly roll out the vaccine.

Healthcare providers may sign up to receive Arena by visiting the Arena website.