35 YEARS DEVELOPING WORLD CLASS SIMULATION SOFTWARE

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Learning Simio

We want to make it as easy as possible to get started using and teaching Simio. Some people (especially those with prior simulation background) can install and start using Simio immediately for simple projects. But to appreciate Simio’s richness and unique benefits we recommend spending some time getting to know it before starting. Fortunately, we provide many ways (most of them free) to get to know Simio.

• Review our commercial training presentation materials, paying particular attention to the presenter notes on each slide. You can download them here.
• View and follow along with the Simio training videos, located here. Many of these topics parallel discussions in the course materials and can be used by either instructor or students for preparation/review.
• Read the help or reference guide for detailed discussions of product features (see the Simio Start Page for a link).
• Work through some of the SimBits included with Simio (see the Simio Help or Simio Start page). SimBits are small examples that illustrate how to accomplish a specific task and each comes with complete discussions of the content and approach. If you examine the model and read the associated help or pdf file, you will start to realize and better understand some of the possibilities in Simio.
• Review some of the example models available for Simio (many are in the install image) for illustrations of what a complete model looks like.
• Look on our support knowledgebase or Simio Insiders forum for information and discussions on topics of interest.
• Finally, if you prefer more formal training options, several of our partners offer formal training courses.

Textbooks for Simio Simulation Software

The free Simio Reference Guide provides a solid foundation for a Simio course. It is over 500 pages packed with information describing the user interface, how to get started, and how to do everything from building your first model to building complex objects. It even includes information on how an advanced user can add new features to the Simio product. This guide is included free in the Simio download and can be used in place of an expensive textbook for many courses. While we recommend using the version that accompanies your software, the following link will download a recent version.

• Simio Reference Guide, Version 2.0, Thiesing/Watson/Kirby, Simio LLC, Copyright 2010

Many people choose to supplement the Simio reference guide with a favorite textbook for more thorough treatment of the general simulation topics. Three such textbooks include:

• Discrete-Event System Simulation, 5th edition, Banks/Carson/Nelson/Nicol, Prentice Hall, Copyright 2010. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-606212-7
• Simulation Modeling and Analysis, 4th edition, Law, McGraw-Hill, 2007, ISBN-13: 978-0-07-298843-7
• Understanding Computer Simulation, McHaney, http://bookboon.com, 2009, ISBN-13: 978-87-7681-501-9

These textbooks cover the more foundational aspects of simulation in greater detail to provide a more robust simulation background and greater awareness of topics that contribute success in using simulation.

A new textbook specifically featuring Simio is under development now and is expected to be available for early use in August 2010. It is being written by David Kelton (University of Cincinnati), Alexander Verbraeck (Technical University of Delft), Jeffrey Smith (Auburn University), and David Sturrock (Simio LLC). These leaders in the USA and European simulation fields are sure to create an exciting and valuable text.

Teaching Materials for Simio Simulation Software

Simio has free course materials for a typical graduate or undergraduate Introduction to Simulation course. It is set up with a large number of independent modules from which you can construct a course that best meets your objectives. The materials include power point slides with presentation notes for instructors, workshop/example problems, homework problems and solutions, and aids for learning Simio.

The complete list of resources is included with your software grant, but below you will find the descriptions and download link for some selected materials.

• Selecting Course Modules (PDF) – This is a brief overview of the materials available with some guidance on selecting from the various modules to create a course that meets your objectives.
• Simio Course Modules (ZIP) – This is a set of slides with extensive presenter notes to teach the Simio-specific portions of a simulation course. The content also includes light treatment of some foundational topics. The slide set is accompanied by example problems – finished models of what would be built by the instructor.