SIMUL8 - Avis

Ease of use and WONDERFUL customer experience

Commentaires : 10/10 - I would purchase again. I also took the training with customer service rep and that unlocked my use of the tool more than if I were to just buy and use without going.Both the reps are the two employees I interface with most and I can't say enough positive things about my experience as a customer and user. They already had the sale, they didn't need to keep helping me but I feel their attitude is for the product to truly help my decision making.

Avantages :

Product is easy to use but the absolute BEST feature is the support. I can shoot an email with a question and get a very helpful response in under a day or, even better, I have emailed them my file and had support respond with where my error was. I wish I could give them 6/5 stars in this category.

Inconvénients :

In today's world we are spoiled with things like the iPhone "just working" and there are a few features that require some extra clicks when trying to make changes. Also could have more "flashy" charts/features but I just export the data to excel when needed to make these.

Alternatives envisagées : FlexSim, Arena, Teamcenter et Simio

Pourquoi passer à SIMUL8 : When our team was evaluating multiple software, Simlu8 was the only one that had their price displayed on their website. There were others slightly cheaper through a quoting system but the Simul8 product in addition to the culture of transparency was plain better. Depending on which we were comparing it against, Simul8 had a better UX and/or better features for what we needed.

The best software to simulate discrete manufacturing processes simulation

Commentaires : I have a positive experience with Simul8. My final thoughts are:-If you are an engineer in a corporation and want to simulate discrete processes I absolutely recommend using simul8 over any other product in the market-If you are a freelancer or a simulation firm working for clients, this may not be the best choice for you. Either go for Anylogic, Simio, or Flexsim since they give you 3D capabilities

Avantages :

I have used Arena, Anylogic, and Simio prior to moving to simul8. I believe simul8 is the best option for 90% of users if you want to simulate discrete event processes. The main advantages of simul8 are:1) Extremely easy and intuitive2) Online trainings are helpful and set you up for success. You don't really need to google for majority of your needs3) Very affordable compare to other software that are usually +$20k per user. Simul8 costs only $5k / user Most importantly, based on my past experience you don't need a 3d simulation in your projects to communicate with stakeholders since they don't care about how beautiful your simulation is. Usually they don't even care how it looks!They only want results and recommendations. They know their processes very well and simulation is just a tool to help them make better decisions. So save your many and don't purchase an expensive software because they provide 3d visuals. Simul8 is the only tool you need if you are about to do discrete event simulation.

Inconvénients :

Simul8 has weakness in two areas:1) Charts are very old school. They remind you of Window 98. They are good enough for yourself, but if you want to have them in your presentation I recommend exporting the data and using excel.2) All features are somewhere in properties and tabs. You need take your time to learn where they are and this takes time if you are simulating complex processes

OptimiseQI review of Simul8

Commentaires : Simul8 remains my goto software of choice when I wish to model a process or system due to its ease of use. I have used agent based and system dynamics previously. Simul8 remains the one that allows me to get a working model up and running quickly and produce insights

Avantages :

I have used Simul8 for over 10 years. It continues to evolve with new features. However, the ease fo use and intuitive interface make it straightforward to build models quickly, from simple to complex. The ability to link to MS Excel, or R, etc is helpful when undertaking in depth analysis of the results

Inconvénients :

More personal preference, I don't tend to use Simul8 for visualisation of results. Instead I will send the data to MS Excel, and more recently R, for further analysis and visualisation

Great support staff. But poor documentation.

Avantages :

I value the availability of the support chat function. The support staff are very forthcoming and helpful.

Inconvénients :

I need to use the visual logic functionality for most of my modelling. But the documentation for this is lacking. Comprehensive documentation, tutorials and documented examples would improve the experience significantly. The VL interface is also quite frustrating as compared to normal programming languages. Finding commands is difficult, and the use of the interface is not intuitive.

World Class Simulation Software and Customer Support

Commentaires : An additional note on the consultant we worked with, not only is he thoroughly competent and knowledgeable about the Simul8 software features and functionalities, he was quite fun to work with and a great conversationalist. Simul8 clearly recruits great talent, both on a personal and professional level. Overall - Simul8 has been great to do business with and well worth the investment!

Avantages :

The software is very user friendly and the Simul8 consulting team is one of a kind. Our team had the majority of the model set up and ready configure within the first 2-3 weeks. We ran some test to see if the model was working properly before engaging with the internal consulting team, and we were able to do so with minimal effort - the software is quite intuitive. The configuration of the model did take some time, as our process is quite complex, but the consultant we worked with was a great resource and helped us get our model running accounting for all of our process specifics. An additional note on the consultant we worked with, not only is he thoroughly competent and knowledgeable about the Simul8 software features and functionalities, he was quite fun to work with and a great conversationalist. Simul8 clearly recruits great talent, both on a personal and professional level. Overall - Simul8 has been great to do business with and well worth the investment!

Inconvénients :

There are no cons about the software that we wish to report at this time.

Alternatives envisagées : AnyLogic

Pourquoi passer à SIMUL8 : It's user friendliness and reasonable cost. AnyLogic was much more expensive and much less user friendly so Simul8 was a no brainer.

Easy, fast, and powerful simulations.

Commentaires : Overall experience has been great. I have shared this tool with many other sites in Plexus as well as other non-competitive companies as a great asset.

Avantages :

The best part about Simul8 is how easy it is to pick up. I have easily trained many people how to become powerful users in a short time period to where they can create customer level simulations.

Inconvénients :

There are very few minor flaws in the software that are very industry specific. None that are worth mentioning due to insignificance.

Alternatives envisagées : Simio

Pourquoi passer à SIMUL8 : The price, ease to learn, and quickness to build were unmatched. Other simulations focused too much on aesthetics.

Powerful simulation program with an incredible support

Commentaires : Simul8 provides extensive tools to create simulations and meets our needs about visual representation of the data.

Avantages :

Simul8 is probably the the most comprehensive yet easiest to explore simulation creation program in the market. User interface is highly optimized to enable the user reflect the paper version of the model to the visual graph.

Inconvénients :

Simul8 has great 2D visualization tools however it fails when it comes to 3D visualization requirements.

Simul8 to sell

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

Avantages :

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.

Inconvénients :

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

Great simulation software

Avantages :

Great customer support team, quick to reply and very helpful. Very visual, easy to see how work items move through the simulation and quickly identify problem areas such as bottlenecks. Results of each activity are easy to see and has great functionality to create personalized reports.

Inconvénients :

Steep initial learning curve ( as with any new software), once I got the hang of it it was easy to use and became second nature. I would say that the training courses show you the basics with some in depth learnings but there are various things that I learned along the way that are not covered in the training courses.

Great tool for quick but robust simulation modelling

Avantages :

It is fast and easy to create simple models that work just as you expect. For more complex models there are also plenty of options, specially if you get familiar with the Visual Logic language.

Inconvénients :

The graphical aspect could be improved, specially some option panels that get frozen. Also, it takes a while to open a model. I was using version 2022, maybe this was amended in later versions.

SIMUL8 Initial Review

Commentaires : Overall, using SIMUL8 to build trial simulations has been great and very easy to use. Learning the basics is easy, especially if you have previous knowledge of the foundations of discrete event simulations. Although I shared criticisms of the 'availability' of information for more complex modelling, I would like to comment that this is addressed by the level of responsiveness and support provided by SIMUL8 after purchase.
When I had 'what if' questions with SIMUL8 or if I was looking to see if a particular modelling characteristic is possible, their help email is responsive (usually less than a day to respond) and detailed. They will work with you on recommendations on specific aspects of your simulations that you may have a question on. There are also forums that they provide for their users such as drop-in sessions where examples are shared by their consultants, which usually includes a question and answer period. Of course, their support team isn't going to build your simulations for you, but having a post-purchase support team that is able to answer complex questions through multiple forums (emails, drop in sessions) is extremely valuable.

Avantages :

Although SIMUL8 has not been used in a formal project, I will comment on the positives of the solution in the context of building trial simulations of areas in a healthcare setting. Previously, I built basic queuing model through spreadsheets. This was time consuming and limited to the basic pathways. In addition, it was difficult to build pathways which required resources or loops. It was night and day going from so much manual work to SIMUL8. From my experience, SIMUL8 has made building straight forward simulations, assigning resources and timing very easy. I would estimate multi stage queuing models now take me an hour to build, whereas formulation on a spreadsheet would have taken multiple days. Most of the software for simple modelling is quite intuitive - especially the basic building blocks. The other aspect that I enjoy with SIMUL8 is the built in statistical distribution tests through STAT:FIT. A major component of discrete event simulation is data availability and identification of the best distributions. Having built it into SIMUL8 makes it seamless to import data, test for best distribution, and enter the information into SIMUL8. The last aspect I would like to comment on as it relates to SIMUL8 isn't actually related to the software itself; rather the post-purchase support provided by the SIMUL8 team. As someone fairly new to using discrete event simulation software, I appreciate the responsiveness and detail provided by the help team to my questions.

Inconvénients :

Most of the 'downsides' of the software I found isn't with the software itself, but the availability of information for new users. It would be helpful if the software came with a formal user manual or document. Although new users have access to SIMUL8 academy, the courseware does not cover all basic topics, so one would have to actively look for the information online on the SIMUL8 website. There is also minimal information or examples that is readily available around modelling more complex scenarios when one is more comfortable with SIMUL8. This information may or may not be on the SIMUL8 website. An example is the use of job matrix when resources aren't limited to one work stations or activity. This is a common occurrence in healthcare so having this taught as part of SIMUL8 academy would have been helpful.

A powerful tool

Commentaires : Overall I have had a very positive experience of using the software. We've used Simul8 for looking at explaining why ambulances queuing at emergency departments in recent years has increased. Currently are using it to look at staff required to deal with call demands at GP practices. We also use it for training other analysts to help them understand what discrete event simulation is and can do.

Avantages :

I find that the visualisation aspect of using Simul8 software for discrete event simulations really helps management and frontline staff to enagage in discussions around how to improve their system and gives them more confidence in results. Some of the features included make producing a model quicker for me than alternative solutions. One of the main reasons I'll use Simul8 over alternatives is the speed of reply and the very knowledgeable support staff. The ability to export full documentation of your model does help in making it more transparent to those who want to reproduce a similar model in alternative software and it does now connect to R as well as Excel. Really like the ability to use the online version of Simul8 as well as the desktop version. You can build simple models with the standard features quite rapidly which is great for beginners but the additional features like Optquest and Visual Logic expand its possibilities much further.

Inconvénients :

The obvious one is being a commercial company there is always going to be a cost and my organisation being public sector means there is a push right now to use opensource solutions instead. I sometimes find the visual logic help on the website doesn't resolve my query but a quick sometimes usually export to R or Excel for final versions. It is possible to occasionally crash but I can't remember it ever not recovering my work.

SIMUL8 for Manufacturing Applications

Commentaires : Having over 24 years in the simulation field, I have used several different simulation packages. SIMUL8 has surfaced at the top of the list for several reasons: Low cost per seat, Ease of learning the tool, Power & Functionality of basic simulation objects, Ease of data import/export, Ease of analyzing results. SIMUL8 has proven to meet typical manufacturing design objectives such as:
1) Bottleneck Analysis and applying "Theory of Constraints" to designing and improving manufacturing operations.
2) Determining the optimal number of carriers within a material handling system (i.e. Power & Free, Electric Monorail, etc)
3) Determining optimal operator & resource utilization; including operating patterns & shift patterns.
4) Optimizing mixed model assembly lines; including scheduling and sequencing objectives. I have learned staying with proven basic simulation objects works best when building models. SIMUL8's "Visual Logic" contains enough commands and logical constructs to capture coding conditional events throughout complex areas within the process. Basically, learning how to apply basic "IF-Then" statements in conjunction with commands is all it takes to tap into its power. Cons: Limited graphics & annotation, Save often as model can lock-up, Operator Travel Links can become corrupt. Good point is with time... you can usually find work-around's to avoid some of the listed shortfalls.

Avantages :

I stay with the basic simulation building blocks and design and implement complex manufacturing designs.

Inconvénients :

Annotation and screen graphics are lacking. Operator travel links can become corrupt.

Simul8, a very flexible and powerful simulation tool!

Commentaires : I've been using Simul8 for almost 2 decades on and off. I love what I can do with it, especially in creating very nuanced test data for projects.

Avantages :

It is easy to get started with it. The modeling options are generic and easy for business users to understand. Once you have a stable simulation, the coding language allows you to create very sophisticated simulations.

Inconvénients :

I would like to be able to use some of the simulation graphics for documentation. I'm sure this is more my issue than the product.

Excellent Simulation Package

Commentaires : We have experience with Process Map, Arena, , iGrafx, ProMap, and have tested others. Simul8 represents, for us, the best value for capability and value for support from the one we know. It is very easy to start with and has great depth and breadth to grow into. The ability to distribute models to users with a free viewer, providing some functionality to the end-user/customer while maintaining data integrity is unmatched by any other package, and allows us to deploy simulation more efficiently and cost-effectively than any other package, with no hidden fees in the future.

Avantages :

ease of use, great power as you grow into it, 3D capability, functional user deployment that does not require resources to maintain.

Inconvénients :

sometimes crippling problem with modern high-resolution monitors that is not being resolved.

Powerful and user friendly!!!

Avantages :

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.

Inconvénients :

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

Powerful, Flexible, Easy to Use

Commentaires : I work for a medical device company, and our customers are physicians and hospitals. I have used this software to simulate how cath labs and device follow-up clinics operate, and how they can increase efficiency. I have published results in a peer reviewed medical journal and used output to influence internal strategies. The method (discrete event simulation) and the tool (SIMUL8) form an intuitive and powerful message. The support from the company is top notch. The software downloads, installs and operates easily. I don't often need help, but when I run into problems they immediately point me in the right direction for resolution, often going beyond what I ask for to point out better/more efficient ways of solving the problem than I had considered.

Avantages :

Flexibility - I can simuate most anything I can imagine Ease of use - I tried other simulators and could barely get simple simulations to work, with SIMUL8 I had reasonable simulations going within days of completing the training Power/Efficiency - I have simulated hundreds of thousands of virtual patients in a single simulation on a Windows laptop

Inconvénients :

The documentation of some of the more esoteric functions can be a little thin. This is easily overcome with a quick message to the support desk where they immediately give a good explanation.

Useful For Work Flow Planning

Commentaires : I used this product in depth to help consulting clients see and understand their process dynamics. I found this product excellent for that purpose. I found I was able to use video recordings of current and future state simulations to convince people to go forward with particular process improvement plans. I struggled a bit with modeling the process at the right level of detail, but that was a learning curve issue of mine. I would definitely buy this product again for this purpose.

Avantages :

Easy to set up models quickly. Capable of modeling detailed nuances if you want it. Cloud-based functionality available.

Inconvénients :

There's a learning curve. (But it's worth it.) Hard to record videos of a simulation run. (I used a third-party program.) Hard to know what level of detail to use.

General simul8 review

Commentaires : Generally very useful. The stochastic nature of the runs give us very good representations of the models we are working with; this allows us to inform the stakeholders using valuable analysis.

Avantages :

Particularly very easy to use as a starter; having a clear idea of the process is most of the job done because, it is easy to implement- thanks to the user-friendliness of the software.

Inconvénients :

Nothing of note, although slightly frustrating that scroll zooms and ctrl scroll moves the window as opposed to other software where it's the other way round. Maybe there is a setting where I can change that?

Synamic - Simul8

Commentaires : We're using simul8 as an addition to our consultancy activity so the application differs from customer to customer. But so far we used it as;
- a planning tool for an existing factory.
- bottle neck analysis.
- reviewing factory expension concepts.

Avantages :

It's easy to learn the basics and as soon as you get the hang of it, it's very easy to increase the level of difficulty in your models. Web engine makes it very easy to show at customers. The share functionallity gives our customers the ability to work with the model themselves.

Inconvénients :

It would be a great feature if desktop and web-version acces files from the same cloud based folder.

Excellent for teaching my manufacturing management class

Commentaires : Excellent. The representatives we have dealt with from Simul8 have been fantastic assets. They have been so so helpful supporting both staff and students in our use of the software.

Avantages :

Simul8 has been easy to learn for my students, and the support on offer from their customer service team through supporting delivery of a lecture and the Simul8 academy has been very helpful to them all. We have been able to design an assignment focussed around the software, which students have thoroughly enjoyed and felt it gave them real life practical skills using simulation software.

Inconvénients :

In all honesty, there is nothing I can think of. It is easy to learn, a user friendly interface, provides us with the reports and outcomes we need for our class!

Simul8 in engineering education

Commentaires : Excellent.

Avantages :

Simul8 is easy to use, easy to train on, and very useful to visualize and communicate. We use it to expand the system thinking approach to our manufacturing engineers.

Inconvénients :

The interface is a bit outdated (like windows) and would benefit from an uplift from a UX/UI perspective.

Invaluable Customer Service

Avantages :

I would first like to highlight that this is not a review of Simul8 but is feedback of the immense customer support I recently received. I was recently in contact with [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN], an employee at Simul8, regarding assistance with a project I am currently undertaking in my final year of my mathematics degree at university. Not only was [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] extremely considerate of my lack of knowledge within Simul8, but his impressive depth of knowledge and thoroughness of his teachings has helped to provide invaluable information and insight into Simul8's diverse and powerful modelling tools. I cannot articulate how magnificent [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] was and highly recommend that any queries or troubles one may encounter with Simul8 that you seek [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] support; he is an erudite in Simul8!

Inconvénients :

I have nothing negative to say regarding Simul8.

Good for teaching simulation.

Avantages :

I use Simul8 as part of teaching students about Discrete Event Simulation. Simul8 is easy to use, shows all of the basics of simulation modelling, and can model a wide range of scenarios. My students seemed to enjoy using it and generally found it easy to use and the support on the website adequate to expand their skills and build relatively complex models. The support team were also very helpful to me when developing my course.

Inconvénients :

The educational version doesn't have all of the functionality of some of the other simulation products. One of the downsides of Simul8 doing most of the analysis for you is that if you want students to do things themselves, then you sometimes need a bit of extra work, which is not always easy within fairly short workshops. A very minor point is that the MORE plots produced do not have confidence intervals on the quantile estimates.

Discrete Event Simulation in Civil Service - very helpful

Commentaires : Very helpful for facilitating Discreet Event Simulation Modelling, particularly for sharing with stakeholders. Sometimes a little slow and glitches do seem to appear, although this could just be me.

Avantages :

Ability to label work items and visually show how they move through a system. Incredibly helpful Customer Service from [SENSITIVE CONTENT] following a bootcamp.

Inconvénients :

Slow to extract raw data from and glitches.