Virtual Commissioning Saves Costs and Uncovers New Paths Investment decisions in the sawmill are difficult for many reasons. It's about large sums of money, investments are long-term and they need to be responsive to difficult, volatile markets. For these reasons, investments that are often related to existence-relevant steps must be secured by all available means. This protection becomes extremely complex when it comes to chained, flexibly operating systems. 3D simulation Here, a new and indispensable tool for the sawing industry is used: the factory and plant simulation. In addition to its know-how and experience in plant engineering and material flow control, EWD will also use this tool to give customers the best possible advice and support them in the decision-making process. Factory and plant simulation (or material flow simulation) is the mapping of a plant with all relevant functions on the computer. The result is a model of the planned or the existing plant. In addition to the mechanical properties of the plant, this model includes distances feeds and gaps adjustment times buffer sizes, etc. also the material flow logic feed and gap calculation bottleneck strategies start-up behavior prioritization at intersection points, etc. This allows one to experiment with the model of the plant without any risk. For example, different production scenarios, different powerful machine groups, different material flows and material flow logics, different buffer sizes and much more can be tested and optimized. The comparison and the analysis of several variants, as well as the consideration of the performance of the system with the various cuts in the time lapse, paired with a real-time 3D animation helps to create planning security for all involved and to achieve the optimum with the investment. Furthermore, the animation ensures a better understanding of the system for all participants. These are, for example, the interlocking trades of a sawmill, the commissioning engineers, the operators or even the investors. It is absolutely essential that the know-how of the sawmill specialist EWD be combined with the knowledge of the possibilities and the application of factory and plant simulation. Both skills are available in the house EWD and are now united with each other in the interests of the clientele. - Translated with google