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Hi all, I'm trying to do an information network model, and I need to have hundreds of thousands of "nodes" in this model, each node would need a source, server, and maybe a sink. And the "nodes" need to be connected to each other as well. Is it possible do create such "node" automatically instead of manually creating them? And would the runtime efficiency be okay? or should I switch to other simulation software/language? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hello, In my simulation model, I have an object which contains a source and 3 transporters (Vehicles). I added 3 such objects in my main model. How should I specify transporter name in the output node of the object in the main model for the model to run well? I tried setting up a table and searching the row for the vehicle name, seems to give errors. Thank You.

Hello, This model corresponds to an assembly line for three models. ModelA and ModelB are processed from Station1 to Station9 and the leave the line. ModelC must have additional work, which is to be done in Auxiliar (in between Station 8 and Station9), so that it leaves the line after Station 8and gets back to Station9 after the extra operations. A sucbomponent must be ordered in advance to be integrated to ModelC in Auxiliar. The logic I want to implement is the following. I have a list containing all stations (object list lstStations). A list property pointint to that list (rpSynchroStation). For every output node of every station, I want to check if the list property coincides with the name of the corresponding station (and if it's model C in that station). If so, an event is triggered, and a source corresponding to the supplier produces a part that will be delivered some time later. The problem I am having is within the decide step, when comparing: ModelEntity.Location.Parent.Name == rpSynchroStation && ModelEntity.EntityType == ModelC In Decide2 step in procCheckIfSynchro process. I get an error when comparing ModelEntity.Location.Parent.Name == rpSynchroStation. Could you please help me with this? Many thanks Best regards, model_tractors.spfx

Hi guys. So, in my model, I have a table (binded to an excel file) with 2 columns - 1 indicates the real number that I want to assign to the state of an entity and the other indicates the probability of that assignment being made. So, I want to assign the values specified on the table, based on the probability also specified... Can anyone give me some hints on how to do this? Thanks.

Imagine a model with two servers. A worker object rejects a seizing request by an entity in Server 2 because he is busy processing other entity at a Server1. If the request fail when and how will the entity do the seize again? It will stay permanently at Server 2 or do the request when the workers capacity becomes available again?

Hi, can I get an object reference from a string with its name? Thanks!

Hi! I have this: Configurations are like: Then I have the station's contents being displayed in the External definitions. I can count the new entities entering the station.contents, but they don't visually appear in the queue... What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

How do you customize symbols? 1) You can use the built-in Simio Library symbols and you can easily make minor changes to them (such as changing the shirt color on a person), but you are limited in the changes you can make. 2) You can use the built-in Download Symbol links to Google (Trimble) 3D Warehouse to import any of those symbols into your project. Sometimes you want to do more customizing than this. But you can still do this with the following steps. 3) You can go directly to Google 3D Warehouse (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/), select the symbols you like, and download the sketchup file to your local drive. Then you can use Sketchup to edit those symbols to meet your needs. 4) You can create your own symbol. It is pretty easy to learn enough Sketchup for simple editing. And with a little time, you can learn how to create fairly sophisticated symbols. 5) If you like the Simio Library symbols, you can start with the sketchup versions of the Simio Library, and again use Sketchup to edit them as needed. You can find these symbols at http://www.simio.com/downloads/public/SimioSketchupSymbols.zip Note that most of these are what is known as "low polygon count" (or simply "low-poly") symbols. Most of them originated from the 3D Warehouse, but have been simplified to make them smaller and faster to animate. If you want a better quality of image, see step 4. For steps 3-5 above, you can go to the Project > Symbols panel in Simio and Import Symbol, and do any final customizations before use. You can also save any of the symbols from above into your own library for use in other projects by going to the Project > Symbols panel in Simio then use the Save To Library feature.

I thought it might be useful to share this step and object I use. I wrote a simple custom step (using some internet resources) a few months ago that allows me to take screenshots of my model. I then often stitch these screenshots together to create a video. Unfortunately this object doesn't seem to work when used as an outside library. This means that to use the object, it will need to be cloned/copied/subclassed straight into your model and then instantiated from there. I've attached: The object I use the step in The dll file for the step The Visual C# solution files for the step Simio PrintScreen Step VisualC#.zip PrintScreenDLL.zip Picturerecorder.zip Picturerecorder.zip

A common way to create object definitions in Simio is by combining other objects, for example combining machines and a robot to define a work cell object. This type of object is called a composed object because we create this object by combining two or more component objects. This object building approach is fully hierarchical, i.e. a composed object can be used as a component object in building higher level objects. A second, more basic method for creating objects in Simio is by defining the logical processes that alter their state in response to events. For example, a machine object might be built by defining the processes that alter the machine state as events occur such as part arrival, tool breakdown, etc. This type of modeling is similar to the process modeling done in traditional modeling systems in use today such as Arena or GPSS. An object that is defined by describing its native processes is called a base object. A base object can in turn be used as a component object for building higher level objects. The final method for building objects in Simio is based on the concept of inheritance. In this case we create an object from an existing object by overriding (i.e. replacing) one or more processes within the object, or adding additional processes to extend its behavior. In other words we start with an object that is almost what we want, and then we modify and extend it as necessary to make it serve our own purpose. For example we might build a specialized drill object from a generalized machine object by adding additional processes to handle the failure and replacement of the drill bit. An object that is built in this way is referred to as a derived object because it is sub-classed from an existing object. Regardless which method is used to create an object, once created it is used in exactly the same way. An object can be instantiated any number of times into a model. You simply select the object of interest and place it (instantiate it) into your model.

The Simio object framework is built on the same basic principles as object oriented programming languages; however these principles are applied within a modeling framework and not a programming framework. For example the Microsoft development team that designed C# applied these basic principles in the design of that programming language. Although these same principles drive the design of Simio, the result is not a programming language, but rather a modeling system. This distinction is important in understanding the design of Simio. Simio is not simply a simulation modeling tool that is programmed in an OOP language (although it is programmed in C#). Likewise it is not simply a set of classes available in an OOP language such as Java or C++ that are useful for building simulation models. Simio is a graphical modeling framework to support the construction of simulation models that is designed around the basic object oriented principles. For example when you create an object such as a “machine” in Simio, the principle of inheritance allows you to create a new class of machines that inherits the base behavior of a “machine”, but this behavior can be modified (overridden) and extended. Whereas in a programming language we extend or override behavior by writing methods in a programming language, in Simio we extend or override behavior by adding and overriding graphically defined process models. This distinction between object oriented modeling and object oriented programming is crucial. With Simio the skills required to define and add new objects to the system are modeling skills, not programming skills.

Simio is a simulation modeling framework based on intelligent objects. The intelligent objects are built by modelers and then may be reused in multiple modeling projects. Objects can be stored in libraries and easily shared. A beginning modeler may prefer to use pre-built objects from libraries; however the system is designed to make it easy for even beginning modelers to build their own intelligent objects for use in building hierarchical models. An object might be a machine, robot, airplane, customer, doctor, tank, bus, ship, or any other thing that you might encounter in your system. A model is built by combining objects that represent the physical components of the system. A Simio model looks like the real system. The model logic and animation is built as a single step. An object may be animated to reflect the changing state of the object. For example a forklift truck raises and lowers its lift, a robot opens and closes its gripper, and a battle tank turns its turret. The animated model provides a moving picture of the system in operation. Objects are built using the concepts of object orientation. However unlike other object oriented simulation systems, the process of building an object is very simple and completely graphical. There is no need to write programming code to create new objects. The activity of building an object in Simio is identical to the activity of building a model – in fact there is no difference between an object and a model. This concept is referred to as the equivalence principle and is central to the design of Simio. Whenever you build a model it is by definition an object that can be instantiated into another model. For example, if you combine two machines and a robot into a model of a work cell, the work cell model is itself an object that can then be instantiated any number of times into other models. The work cell is an object just like the machines and robot are objects. In Simio there is no way to separate the idea of building a model from the concept of building an object. Every model that is built in Simio is automatically a building block that can be used in building higher level models.