Rajeev Gangwar
Articles

Thinking

Industry observations, technical analysis, and lessons from the field.

Supply ChainMarch 2026· 8 min

Digital Twins Are Not Dashboards

Why discrete-event simulation models are operational digital twins — active planning engines, not passive monitoring layers. When a single hour of semiconductor tool downtime costs $100K+, you need a model that can run scenarios, not just display metrics.

AI & AutomationFebruary 2026· 12 min

Agentic AI Beyond Chatbots

The shift from predictive AI to autonomous AI agents is the biggest change coming to supply chain. Instead of just forecasting demand, AI agents will autonomously execute routing decisions, trigger replenishment, and manage supplier negotiations within predefined guardrails.

AnalyticsJanuary 2026· 10 min

The Intermittent Demand Problem

Forecasting spare parts demand for semiconductor equipment is uniquely difficult. Croston's method helps, but combining ML with installed base telemetry data and ensemble methods gets you significantly closer to accurate predictions.

InventoryDecember 2025· 9 min

Why Your Safety Stock Formula Is Wrong

The standard safety stock formula assumes normally distributed demand and fixed lead times. In semiconductor spare parts, both assumptions are wrong — and the consequences are expensive. Simulation-based and ML-calibrated approaches get you much closer to the right answer.

OptimizationNovember 2025· 8 min

The Network Design Problem Nobody Talks About

Everyone optimizes supply chain networks for cost. The real problem is designing networks that survive disruption. The option value of resilience is real and quantifiable — and COVID, trade wars, and tariff shocks have made the case for anyone still skeptical.

Recommended Reading

Factory Physics

Hopp & Spearman

The definitive text on manufacturing and supply chain dynamics. Establishes physics-based laws governing the relationships between throughput, inventory, and cycle time. Essential foundation for anyone doing supply chain optimization.

Supply ChainOperations

Inventory and Production Management in Supply Chains

Silver, Pyke & Thomas

The most comprehensive reference on inventory models — from simple EOQ to complex multi-echelon systems. Every spare parts planner should have this within reach.

InventoryAnalytics
Tools I Use

AnyLogic

Multi-method simulation platform supporting discrete-event, agent-based, and system dynamics modeling. My go-to for building end-to-end supply chain digital twins that capture real-world variability.

SimulationModeling

Gurobi Optimizer

Industry-leading solver for linear and mixed-integer programming. Essential for network design, facility location, and logistics routing problems where you need provably optimal solutions.

OptimizationOR
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