SIMUL8 Reviews

We see Simul8 is a collaborator in teaching and research

Comments: My experience with Simul8 has been excellent. I was introduced to the software by my PhD supervisor. My PhD was in distributed computing and a research project focussed on distributed simulation. Simul8 provided me with multiple licenses for the Researcher edition of their software and technical support. This helped me better understand the technical aspects of the software, which was necessary for the intended purpose of distributed execution of models. My students have also continued to receive such exceptional support. Several of our received papers have used Simul8!

Pros:

Simul8 is a versatile discrete-event simulation (DES) software. It has a programming language called Visual Logic (VL). For learning and teaching and the implementation of a wide range of DES projects, the Simul8 visual interface, which supports drag and drop, is sufficient to develop fairly complex models. With VL you can do a lot more! As an educator, I continue using the software to introduce simulation to new cohorts of MSc students in Operations Management and Business Analytics. The students love it! On the research side, the MRes and PhD students I supervised have used Simul8 to develop proof-of-concept models for their Modelling and Simulation research and also full-fledged models to support decision-making. The customer support that we have received over the years is exemplary! This goes to the extent that the Simul8 representatives you meet at conferences are happy to go through the model and provide advice.

Cons:

From the education and teaching perspective, Simul8 is a perfect solution and students will love it! On the research side, if you were to develop integration with other models and modelling paradigms, it would require assistance from Simul8 technical support. With open-source software, integrating libraries and code offers many opportunities, especially for those who know coding. However, with Simul8, some additional integration work to achieve similar objectives may be needed. The software continues to evolve and this may be possible in the near future.

Alternatives Considered: AnyLogic and WITNESS

Thank you for your cooperation

Comments: Overall experience is simply great, whole support of MA and PhD students for their thesis.

Pros:

Quite easy to learn and understand the Simul8 environment. At the same time possibility to make advance complex models.

Cons:

Everything was fine, no cons were identified.

Alternatives Considered: Arena, AnyLogic and Simio

Reasons for Switching to SIMUL8: Great Academic Licence support allowing to support also students and teachers.

Simul8 Review

Pros:

It has some good features such as importing/exporting data via Excel easily. It provides ready to use simulation results. Visual logic is perfectly helpful for interact the simulation as user wants.

Cons:

The software always hangs while we're using/creating simulations. In addition, due to huge amount of data is imported to the software, it slogs on to process the data. The graphs display poor visualisations.

Powerful tool

Comments: A powerful tool for process simulation. While the user interface may appear outdated compared to state-of-the-art options, this doesn’t reflect its robust capabilities. Initial training is essential, and at least 120 hours of practice are necessary to become reasonably proficient in performing reliable simulations of medium complexity

Pros:

The functionality and capacity to replicate "real life scenarios" .

Cons:

The number of hours required to become proficient with the tool is reasonable. Given the variety of options and scenarios available, the trade-off between output and effort is more than acceptable

Alternatives Considered: FlexSim

Reasons for Switching to SIMUL8: Better price and industry feedback. I had a first contact with SIMUL8 in 2017.

Simul8 to sell

Comments: I have worked hard to learn and understand it. Constantly changing what i use and how i use it.

Pros:

Being able to prove to a customer that our conveyor system would work and to show any issues and changes that we would need to make.

Cons:

Moving images and uploading your own small images for the activity icons would be good.

Alternatives Considered: Simulai

Reasons for Switching to SIMUL8: I dont have experience with coding or software and simul8 doesn't need that as much. ( i haven't coded anything).

Simul8 - Initial outlook

Comments: Very positive. The system is easy to use and the models I have created already (although on the simpler side) have allowed me to identify how to tackle complex problems.

Pros:

Simul8 is quite an intuitive software where models of processes can be readily made and adequately detailed without prolonged training. The user interface means that the system can quickly be understood and interpreted to complete tasks of increased difficulties.

Cons:

I was using the 2004 version which had little support in creating neat simulation models in the workspace, this often meant I had to spend time to create a clear simulation by dragging boxes and lines. I also found the labelling system not as effective as the codified attribute system in Witness, making it harder to change objects moving through the simulation.

Simul8 Review

Comments: - active weekly usage for the last 6 years
- the team has done a great job improving the tool recently
- keep adding more and better capabilities
- drop-in sessions are great. keep them going!
- increase the price of the product but don't raise by a lot since it is hard to convince management to keep allocating budget

Pros:

- ease of use - used to be cheaper than most alternatives (which makes it easier to convince the management to allocate budget for it) - ability to use both coding (Visual Logic) and drag-drop

Cons:

- charts and visualizations - sometimes unexplained bugs happen. rebuilding the model helps - recently raised prices. it is totally ok to raise the prices especially since the product got better recently. but be careful to not raise prices to the level of FlexSim and AnyLogic. In that price category, users might prefer FlexSim/AnyLogic over Simul8

Simulating materialographic processes

Comments: Beyond expectations. It is easy to learn the basics and create simple simulations, yet the software has so much depth, there's virtually nothing that can not be built and simulated.
The coaching sessions and all the support offered by Simul8 also helps to fully utilize the possibilities of the software.

Pros:

Its versatility. We are working in a niche field with a lot of variables, yet we can still utilize Simul8 to its full extent to test real life scenarios.

Cons:

The reporting could be further developed. Not that it is bad as it is, but as it is fully customizable, it takes time to build it. Building blocks or templates would help a lot.

nine out of ten

Comments: The course was super helpful to better understand the basic building blocks and all of their options.

Pros:

simple to build quick simulations but has capability for more complex simulations

Cons:

Some options are quite hidden and are hard to find.

Easy to use software

Comments: Building models simulating the manufacturing plant environment inculing assembly lines and production models

Pros:

The user friendly interface and to build the models quickly and intuitively

Cons:

There is actually not a thing that I can say I do not like but maybe there could be flexibilities that two resources can be simultaneously assigned to a product in parallel two sided assembly lines

Great software for discrete event simulation

Comments: I can solve healthcare problems easily while using Simul8 rather than writing Python code by myself.

Pros:

- Easy to understand of the UI of the software- Several options to set for simulation- Great diagram- Easy to interpret results

Cons:

I used a student version of the software when I was a Master's degree student. Thus, there were limited features to use and I could not link data directly for result analysis or plotting graphs.

SIMUL8 Review

Comments: I use this for specific scenarios which come around every once in a while. Although I am not a heavy user I do not have many complaints about the software while I am using it. For engineers this is a useful tool to make informed decisions about their process.

Pros:

This software allows me to simulate process flow to guarantee production rates. The ability to program the software is key to complex scenarios.

Cons:

I find that there is a learning curve to being proficient at using this software. It could benefit from a cleaner looking UI.

Good job with caveats

Comments: The simulate training should have included more hands on usage of building a system to use the tools.

Pros:

The software was really powerful and a lot of functionality built in. The help function included a lot of helpful info.

Cons:

The training would start several minutes late each day. We would be in a TEAMS waiting room with no info as to when or if the meeting would start. The meeting should have started on time each day.

Powerful and user friendly!!!

Pros:

The interface of the software is very intuitive and fast to use. All the needed tools for simulation are at a click available. The possibility to interact with VBA and Python makes it a good candidate to develop a digital twin. Simplicity of use also in complex environments and great customer support Team.

Cons:

Some more advanced features needs to be developed more in depth.

SImul8 - a great simulation and educational tool

Comments: My experience with Simul8 is very positive. I have been using it for several years now. It is easy and intuitive to use and you can be up and running wiht it very quickly.I would recommend it to anyone looking at operations research or trying to imporove their process flow.

Pros:

The software is easy to use that anyone can get started very quickly. A user can build a model quickly, run it, and see the results. From there users can quickly expand on what they have learned and adapt it to their speific requirements/needs.

Cons:

Some of the advanced features are a more challenging and a little abstract.

Semiconductor Manufacturing Modeling

Comments: Simul8 has been a great software for providing insight in specific metrics prior to creation of our fab. We will continue to develop the model with our fab and it is exciting to see the results align with reality as we progress forward. This software has allowed us to make data driven decisions at a management level for how to operate the fab effectively.

Pros:

This software was not designed specifically for our use case, but the expert we worked with at Simul8 was able to develop a model that would meet the needs we have for modeling our fab.

Cons:

Granularity of chamber modeling and a more robust ability to model chambers. This is not the specific design of the software, however.

Introducing Process Simulation to a Tech Company

Comments: My exposure to modern process simulation tools began only 4 months ago. I am on a long learning curve mixing my day job with simulation skill development. The support folks at Simul8 have been wonderful helping me understand how their modelling program works, providing solution approaches and code snippets. Further, they have a comprehensive library of on-line documentation. The trick to using their online documentation is knowing which search terms to use. I had no coding or scripting experience before working with Simul8, so it is taking me extra time to learn the simulation and VL coding vocabularies. While the standard interface is very functional – almost simplistic – Simul8 has a rich set to pre-defined object-attribute terms and code snippets. It takes a while to understand where to find what you need. Again, the support team at Simul8 has been wonderful helping me through this period. While I still have a long way to go to moderate proficiency, I know enough now to help jump start other engineers on modelling projects. This, of course, helps them, reinforcing my learnings, and exposes me to a variety of simulation use-cases.

Pros:

Ready and very capable support, via email and chat. Support is responsive and helpful. They even have a chat button on their "Help" pages. If they are unavailable, you can submit support request and get response in a day if issue is not too complex. Extensive documentation and examples, both in the application and on-line. Simple UI for setting up realistic process flow models and for verifying pieces of the model perform as expected. Excellent value for the money

Cons:

VL Code Dictionary a bit terse, could use links to example uses of the code object and its attributes (object.attribute) Hard to find a complete dictionary of keyboard shortcuts I'm using the desktop version. I have not found a way to manage version control except to save the file often with new names each time. In my early model-development phase, I would break my models frequently, then couldn't remember all the changes I made before it broke.

SIMUL8–A must have tool

Comments: We use Simul8 to solve complex problems for our clients in healthcare, manufacturing and service industry.

Pros:

It’s easy to use. Everything about the software is excellent. Each year there are awesome updates to the software, adding new features to put the power of simulation in the hands of users.

Cons:

There is nothing l do not like about the software.

DES in Healthcare

Comments: Used to aid decision making, particularly with regards to value effectiveness, in healthcare.

Pros:

Great value and support. Good flexibility. Interacts with Excel and R.

Cons:

Visual logic a bit different from other modern coding languages, but like anything else, you get used to it.

easy-to-use software that allows you to create simulations with precision, flexibility and speed.

Comments: It has been a very useful software in the subject of simulation and Models, especially in the units of simulation of discrete models and in the units of study of tail systems, and events

Pros:

Easy to use software that allows you to create simulations with precision, flexibility and speed. It allows simulation of events and also allows the creation of scenarios similar to reality, minimizing the risks associated with the administration of processes and projects. in addition, the creation of the simulation is done in the most simple and intuitive way possible, by the use of an explicit interface and the basic but efficient method of "drag-drop" to define the process. The user can run animated simulations very quickly without writing any line of code. And Simul 8 Professional plus all the features of the standard allow Customize the results, graphics and reports to show the KPIs (key performance indicators) that matter. Easily compare scenarios to make informed decisions. Realistic graphics Convert 2D models to 3D simulations with a simple click. Use photos and graphics known by your customers, or download from the large SIMUL8 image library, Optimize: save time and avoid errors using Optquest: it will show you the different scenarios and offer you the optimal solution. Share simulations "Viewer" allows you to share your simulations with clients or associates who do not have the full SIMUL8 license. Even more powerful with "Visual Logic" allows you to add complexities and nuances to your simulation in a way that reflects your real life system and processes. Other interfaces can be connected including Microsoft Excel, VBA, VB, and C ++.

Cons:

Actually, as such, I do not have any disadvantage or feature that is not my taste, I think a very good software

Assessment

Comments: My initial 6 months with using and learning the software has been nothing short of exceptional!
The customer support and development team have been incredibly helpful, skilled, and overly available to assist me during my initial learning phase.

Pros:

Ease of use Sophisticating modeling potential Training resources Sample models 1:1 Model development with knowledgeable developers

Cons:

More updated standard graphics related to my industry - healthcare

For the Student version - from U of T

Comments: Overall very good .... especially for simulation which hasd a rap of beeing complicated and hard to understand.. I can get a class of 30 people from a zero knowledge base, to build, test and run a basic simulation in under 40 minutes. that is fast Student experience is almost always very favourable ... some even find it slightly addictive!

Pros:

Simplicity - visual nature and very Visio like in design and appearance makes it a natural fit with process analysis which for us starts with a Viso Flowchart

Cons:

Use of Inter-arival time at work entry point.. I always find this trips up most people at first .. couldn't we just put another factor such as arrival rate . Secondly adding or deleting lines in results manager is a pain.. I am starting to export to excel more and more

Feedback of Simulation Modelling Experience using SImul8

Pros:

I started using Simul8 as part of the dissertation project for my course to develop a demand and capacity model for a hospital in the UK. The software was user-friendly as we could quickly build a simulation model from the conceptual model. We could easily review the model, identify the patient flow, and understand the bottlenecks and constraints in the process. The validation process was faster by using the Visual representation in Simul8 as we could show the simulation run and see how the queue was increasing with the inflow of patients.

Cons:

Using the Visual Logic part seems to be daunting at first as there was limited information online regarding the same. But the customer support team was kind enough to help us through the visual logic part

Useful and Brilliant simulation product.

Comments: Outstanding simulation software particularly for simulating discrete models quickly and easily. It is not wrong to say this is proved to be the superb simulation package.

Pros:

SIMUL8 Professional software is the fantastic software frequently used by a wide range of people. Easy to use and analyses results. Best software for creating simulation immediately based on the fascinating features like precision, flexibility and fluent speed. This software can be easily installed, downloaded and operated by anyone.

Cons:

One of the cons of this software is that it lacks screen graphics and Annotations. Another limitation is that sometimes while using this software, operator travel link becomes corrupt creating difficulty for the users.

Simulation for Pre-op Clinic Redesign

Comments: Overall it was great and will definitely be using when designing or redesigning hospital space in the future. I'll be moving to a new hospital and leading a team in the new year and will definitely be keeping this software in mind for use there!

Pros:

My colleague drafted up various designs for remodeling our Pre-op clinic and was able to walk us through the pros and cons in a number of variables like patient wait time, count of patients waiting, anticipated overtime for clinic staff etc. It was great to be able to have this software to simulation redesigns like this. My past simulation experience is with Arena which was clunky in comparison and not as user friendly when setting up simulation designs as seen with my colleagues setup.

Cons:

The reporting functionality was good but it looked like my colleague would have to manually add items to show up on the report as opposed to just providing all the information. This is really if I have to pick one con, it wasn't a big inconvenience.