modelpunt

Modelpunt is a term found in Dutch-language modeling and simulation literature that refers to a discrete point within a model used as a reference, decision, or transition location. The word combines model and punt (point), highlighting its role as a specific position within a model’s structure.

A modelpunt functions as a locus for capturing variables, applying constraints, or triggering events. It helps partition a model into manageable units and supports analysis tasks such as parameter sweeps, sensitivity analysis, and scenario comparison. Depending on the modelling approach, a modelpunt can be realized as a node in a graph-based representation, as a time step in a time-driven model, or as a particular state in a state-based model.

Types of modelpunten include time-based points, state-based points, and event-based points. For example, in a supply chain model, modelpunten might occur at points such as order placement, production start, and inventory check. In an energy-system model, modelpunten could correspond to times of peak demand or maintenance windows. The concept is also useful in software architecture and agent-based models to structure interactions and transitions.

Implementation-wise, a modelpunt is typically represented as a data structure with fields such as id, type, timestamp or state, associated variables, constraints, and relationships to other points. In practice, modelpunten aid clarity and modularity by providing explicit anchors for data, behavior, and analysis within a model.

See also: modeling, simulation, graph theory, state machines, discrete event simulation.