Tools for the innovation: virtual reality and discrete events simulation to build the 2000 Factory

Design a new factory or re-organise an existing one in order to deal with new products and processes is a very complex and time consuming process. One of the main activities is the continuing interaction with the factory model to analyse its new functionality. The designer needs to "live" the environment to better understand it before its realisation. In this paper a new approach and the use of virtual reality and discrete events simulation are presented.