Automation Simulation Software Recommendations?

[VELCROW]

(Previously posted in General engineering computer programs forum, but got no response)

Any recommendations for automation simulation software? I came across ExtendSim, which seems pretty good, but I wanted to see what people thought was best.

I'm looking for something relatively simple (and inexpensive) to simulate conveyors and processing machines with varying queue sizes, processing times, some random quantities. Mostly discrete events.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[tygerdawg]

It appears that what you are looking for is "discrete event simulation software" .

http://www.simul8.com

http://www.promodel.com

http://www.lanner.com

Many others like this, and those folks in the "Industrial/Mfg Engineering" forum can provide more information. None of it is "cheap". The good stuff never is. However Simul8 is affordable.

The main function is to simulate discrete event operations (e.g., manufacturing operations with a sequence of steps). These days most will have some amount of animation capability. Usually not too sophisticated, but this provides some visual feedback as to what's going on.

If you are looking for something to show moving mechanisms, robots, or other machinery, then that's a much bigger deal.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[solider]

I seem to remember a product called "LineDesigner". I think it looked at conveyor buffer etc going in to packaging machines. Simulated machine start and stopping conditions and determined whether the downstream machine would run out of product if the upstream amchine didnt start up soon enough etc etc

 

[Ross0684]

Velcrow
Have a look at Demo3d
Ross