SIMUL8 Corporation : Feature Tour

Every SIMUL8 simulation is created by dragging and dropping the simulation objects below on screen. Detail can then be added to each of these objects to build a simulation which represents your process. Unlike other packages SIMUL8 uses a limited number of objects to make as easy as possible to use and learn.

Work Items have become intelligent entities in SIMUL8 2010.

Visual Logic can be attached to them so they can control their own behaviour and drive their interactions
with the rest of your simulation rather than wait for objects to interact with them.

This means its now possible to use SIMUL8 to conduct agent based simulation and in the most practical
and applicable way, combined with discrete event simulation.

A storage bin is a place where work to be done can wait until appropriate resources or work centers are available.

Shelf Life
Specify a time work items should not stay longer than in the storage bin. For example calls waiting to be answered. When the queue for longer they expire and can be collected by a work center. This value can be a fixed number, variable or label.
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Min Wait Time
Force work to stay in the storage bin for a specified amount of time. This value can be a fixed number, variable or label.

Prioritize
Work can be prioritized in a storage bin based on a label value. The higher the value the closer to the front of the queue the work will be.

LIFO
Normally work items join the back of a queue and don't leave until they reach the front, FIFO. With LIFO checked work that enters the storage bin goes to the front of the queue. Last in first out.

High Volume
Switching the storage bin to this mode lets SIMUL8 process large numbers of work items very quickly in batches while still retaining the ability to consider work individually (in terms of timing etc.). This is particularly useful for BPM and FMCG type applications.

Segregate Results
Some of the results information for storage bins can be segregated by label to let you see, for example, how long different types of work spend in the queue.
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Finance
Add costs for the storage bin to create a profit and loss account.
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Results
Collect various results about the storage bin in numeric and graphical format.
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Start-Up
Some times you may not want your model to start its run completely empty of work items. You can place work into storage bins automatically at the start of a run.
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Graphics
Change the storage bins image or make it animated.
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Timing
This lets you say how long a process will take at the work center. A variable or label can be entered into the 'average' field.
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High Volume
Switching the work center to this mode lets SIMUL8 process large numbers of work items very quickly in batches while still retaining the ability to consider work individually (in terms of timing etc.). This is particularly useful for BPM and FMCG type applications.

Finance
Add costs for the work center to create a profit and loss account.
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Results
Collect various results about the work center in numeric and graphical format.
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Resources
Require a resource before work can be completed by a work center.
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Efficiency
If the work center does not work continuously because of breakdowns or other inefficiencies these can be specified using SIMUL8's efficiency options.

Label Actions
Tell a work center how to change a work item's labels as they come through the work center.
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Priority
If two or more work centers are ready to start work but can't because a shared resource is unavailable they have to compete to get a resource. When a unit of resource becomes available the work center with the highest priority gets it.

Replicate
Replicates the work center so you can quickly try alternative numbers of work centers which perform the same tasks.

Graphics
Change the work center image on each state: working, waiting, change over, broken down, blocked.
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Length
The number of work items that can be on a conveyor at any one time is determined by the length of the conveyor and the size of the work item.

Speed
The speed of a conveyor, combined with its length affects how long it takes a work item to travel from the start to the end of a conveyor (assuming no other work items block its progress).

Pick Area
Line side work centers are available. The Conveyor Pick Up and Drop details allow you to specify the location of the Work Center relative to the Conveyor.

Accumulating
Conveyors can be either "Accumulating", where all work continues to move until it has accumulated behind the front item or "Fixed" where items stop moving as soon as work reaches the front of the conveyor.

Allow Gaps
When ticked Allow Gaps lets the conveyor run when there are no items waiting to be loaded. When unticked the Allow Gaps commands the conveyor to wait whenever a gap will appear on the conveyor if an item is not ready to be immediately loaded.

Results
Collect various results about the Conveyor in numeric and graphical format.
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Label Actions
Tell a Conveyor how to change a work item's labels as they pass along the Conveyor.
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Graphics
Conveyors can be displayed as animated showing the location of each work item on the conveyor.
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A Work Exit Point is a place where work that is complete or otherwise "finished" leaves your simulation.

Finance
Add costs for the Work Exit Point to create a profit and loss account.
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Halt Model at Limit
Using 'Halt Model at Limit' the simulation can be stopped when a specified number of work items have been completed.

Segregate Results
Some of the results information for Work Exit Point can be segregated by label to let you see, for example, how long different types of work spend in the queue.
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High Volume
Switching the Work Exit Point to this mode lets SIMUL8 process large numbers of work items very quickly in batches while still retaining the ability to consider work individually (in terms of timing etc.). This is particularly useful for BPM and FMCG type applications.

Results
Collect various results about the Work Exit Point in numeric and graphical format.
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A Work Item is the work which is done in the organization being simulated. Examples are:

Labels can be attached to help differentiate between different work items or whole new work item types can be created.

Objects are connected by drawing routing arrows between them. Routing arrows show all the possible routes a work item could take. Rules can be attached to these arrows to control the way work flows.

Resources are items in the simulation that are required at work centers in order for the work center to work on a work item. An example of a resource could be your staff.

Shift Dependent
Resources can be available for only part of the time a simulation model is running if you make use of shift patterns to describe their availability.
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Pool Resource
Resources can be pooled to create a group of resources so, for example Fitters can fit and Operators can operate but either Operators or Fitters can polish.

Results
Collect various results about the Resource in numeric and graphical format.
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Travel
Resources are mobile, that is they can travel with work items to other simulation objects.

Find
Whilst your simulation is running get a list of all the simulation objects where the Resource is currently being used.

Availability
This input allows you to state that a Resource will only be available for x% of time. SIMUL8 then randomly makes it unavailable. Alternatively you can give SIMUL8 detailed information about how often interruptions occur and how long they last for.

Tanks are special simulation objects that help simulate very high volume processes like food lines and are also ideal for Continuous (System Dynamics) simulation. Pipes and Process are also useful for this type of simulation.

Tanks handle liquids (or other materials that are best measured in volume rather than discrete units).

Capacity
Tanks can contain any positive quantity (Zero Capacity is also available in SIMUL8 Professional). The capacity sets a maximum limit.

Start Up Level
Some times you may not want your tanks to start empty. This parameter allows you to specify a quantity present at the beginning of each run.

Auto Adjust Inflow Rates
Tanks can automatically adjust their inflow pipes to maintain a constant level. Use these with Constrained Pipes to turn Tanks into control nodes.

Memo
Add notes about the Pipe which can be displayed whenever the mouse is hovered over the Pipe on screen.
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Results
Collect various results about the Tank in numeric and graphical format.
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Visual Logic
Visual Logic, SIMUL8's internal programming language, can be triggered when the tank reaches various states.
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Pipes are special simulation objects that help simulate very high volume processes like food lines and are also ideal for Continuous (System Dynamics) simulation. Tanks and Process are also useful for this type of simulation.

Output %
This is a useful way of changing the material in some way between the 2 tanks. Sometimes this represents a physical loss or gain, sometimes it is a process conversion (like packing kgs of cookies into pallets).

Memo
Add notes about the Pipe which can be displayed whenever the mouse is hovered over the Pipe on screen.
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Constrained Rate
When used with Zero Capacity Tanks Pipes now have an additional property "constrained rate" which is the current actual rate leaving the pipe and makes the choking of a pipe very fast and efficient. If a pipe is reduced in flow rate that the effect of this change is passed back along any connected pipes. Intervening tanks that are Auto Adjust Inflow Rates tanks will automatically constrain the pipes that feed them, passing the effect of a reduction in capacity back.

Process is a special simulation object that helps simulate very high volume processes like food lines and is also ideal for Continuous (System Dynamics) simulation. Tanks and Pipes are also useful for this type of simulation.

Process is a special Work Center combined with a conveyor to simulate long ovens (or similar equipment) that continuously batch or process large volumes of material. For example in the food industry ingredients being converted into millions of cookies.

Material enters at the start of the object and after some specified delay leaves at the end (or exit). If we start to feed a process at 5kg/min and the process is 20m long and runs at 10m/min, then material will start to emerge from the exit in 2 minutes time at a rate of 5kg/min.

Memo
Add notes about the Pipe which can be displayed whenever the mouse is hovered over the Pipe on screen.
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Results
Collect various results about the Process in numeric and graphical format.
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Efficiency
If the Process does not work continuously because of breakdowns or other inefficiencies these can be specified using SIMUL8's efficiency options.

Graphics
Change the static image and animation properties of the Process.
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Duration
The time that elapses between the material entering and leaving the process object.

Speed
The speed of the process, combined with its length affects how long it takes a work item to travel from the start to the end of a conveyor element of the process.

Density
Combined with the speed and rate properties this determines how densely packed the process is e.g. kgs/meter.

Output %
This represents a physical loss or gain, or sometimes it is a process conversion (like packing kgs of cookies into pallets).

Feed and Exit Quantity
When the Process interfaces to another object these are the smallest quantities that SIMUL8 will consider transferring between objects.

Start and End Capacity
When the Process interfaces to another object these are the buffers that SIMUL8 will introduce so that the process will not be falsely stopped because the other object can only handle discrete objects.

Transport Objects are only available with SIMUL8 Professional. They are designed to allow users to simulate material handling scenarios.

Paths, Path Networks, Loaders, Vehicles Classes and Vehicles are the main additional features. Path networks each consists of a network of paths on which vehicles can travel to collect and deliver work items between loaders.

Paths
These can be width-constrained so that vehicles cannot pass or, optionally, can only pass in certain directions, with preset delays.

Each consists of a network of paths that vehicles can travel to collect and deliver work items between loaders.

Loaders move work from/to other SIMUL8 objects (like work centers, conveyors, storage bins etc.) into and out of path networks. Loaders work at a defined speed and can be constrained to load work only when certain conditions apply.

Vehicles can travel empty or loaded with one or more work items. Vehicles can use SIMUL8 Resources and so be constrained by resource availability. Vehicles automatically find their way between loaders using the available paths (but routes can be preset if required). Vehicles automatically locate the right loader to move work to (making use of SIMUL8 labels on work and the SIMUL8 jobs matrix).

Vehicle classes contain one or more vehicles that can each be at any position on any path in any path network. Vehicles Classes define the capacity, length, width, speed capabilities etc. of all the vehicles in the class.

Components let you create your own simulation objects and add them to SIMUL8’s standard objects.

Components consist of one or more existing objects that are tailored in some way then saved as a single new object for future use.

They can be left open, so you or other users can re-tailor them, or they can be sealed up and password protected so their internal information is safe from adjustment.

Groups can be can be used to limit the number of work items which can be in one area of your operation or to quickly create many copies of one of your objects. They can also be used to get collective results for objects.