Bi-directional Coupling of Simulation Tools with a Walkthrough-System

Visualising is a method used to help experiencing a nd understanding causal cohesions in simulation processes. For this purpose, tools for visualising are already implemented in prevalent simulation systems. The user creates his simulation model and generates a 3-dimensional (2,5-dimensional) visualising by means of the simulation system. This helps examining the process which makes it easier for the viewer to " understand " it. Simulatio n tools usually only provide the opportunity for a unidirectional visualising. In a 3-dimensional surr ounding the viewer can not implement an interaction with the simulation while the system is running. Though an interaction during the simulation run enables the user to gain a better un derstanding of causal cohesions. Solutions via HLA are sophisticated and therefore rather suited f or extensive projects. We present a distributed system consisting of a com mercial manufacturing simulation tool, a coupling module and a walkthrough system. The distr ibuted system in conjunctions with the coupling module guarantees generality and a wide field of applications of the walkthrough system. Further it guarantees flexibility and selection of the specialized graphics hardware for the walkthrough system. A further contribution of this paper is the solution of the time synchronisation problem caused by simulation tool and walkthrough s ystem.