The Simulation Window

When you run a model, it comes to life on the canvas: entities move along the routes, resources light up as they work, and a live scoreboard tracks the results so far.

The run controls

A control bar sits at the bottom of the canvas while the model runs. From it you can:

• Stop the run, or pause and resume it.
• Set the animation speed, from step-by-step up to very fast.
• Turn the animation off to let the model finish as fast as possible.
• Switch the clock between elapsed time and a calendar format.

The scoreboard

If you turn the scoreboard on in the simulation options, live results appear while the model runs: how many of each entity type have finished, their average cycle time and value-added time, and the cost per unit. Model variables can be shown there too.

LegacyHow this worked in the previous version

From the Simulation menu, select Simulate Chart (or Run Scenarios) to run a ProcessModel flowchart. When you run the simulation, the Simulation Window appears and ProcessModel compiles the model into simulation code for execution. Your model then starts running according to the options you have selected.

The simulation window is set to run maximized and does not allow switching to other programs running on your system. The simulation window can either be minimized or re-sized. As long as it is not running maximized, you will be able to switch between it and other programs currently running. There is no method of programmatically changing the size or priority of the simulation window. It must be changed manually. However, the status and location of the window will be saved when you end the simulation. So the next time you run a simulation, it will use the same window settings it used previously.

What is in the Scoreboard of the simulation window?

In addition to your flowchart, a scoreboard appears on the Simulation Window to illustrate performance measures if the scoreboard option is selected in the Options dialog.

Entity1, Entity2,… Entities for which statistics are gathered are displayed across the top of the scoreboard.

Qty Processed The number of entities of this particular type that have been processed, meaning those that have exited the system.

Avg. Cycle Time (time unit) The average time the entity type spent in the system. Expressed in terms of the time unit selected in the Simulation/Options dialog.

Avg. VA Time (time unit) The average value added time, the time the entity type spent in activity time. Expressed in terms of the time unit selected in the Simulation/Options dialog.

Cost per Unit The average cost of the entity type.

• Since entity names can be changed during a simulation, statistics are collected based on the name assigned to the entity when it exits the system.
• Variables may also be shown on the Scoreboard (see variables).
• The decimal places shown in the simulation when displaying a real variable using a Label is fixed at 2 decimal places and can not be changed.