Emulation as part of an integrated logistics learning environment

To meet the expectations towards future logistics education, an integrated learning environment (ILE) will be implemented at German-Kazakh University Almaty. Developed by Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, the ILE will enable students to design, implement and verify logistics processes along a supply chain. The ILE includes a physical, miniaturized, automated material flow system with PLC and RFID, a self-developed Excel-based Control Centre and material flow simulation. Main emphases of this paper are the learning approach of process design with predefined process modules and the development of a discrete event emulation model as virtual commissioning tool for process control validations.