Sim3D

" Solution in 3D simulation."

Overall: We are currently using Sim3D to easily recreate simulations of physiological processes in different patients, which is much easier to explain and learn than just theoretical. For our first simulations we were able to recycle CAD files from other projects.

Pros: It is a great simulation program, very simple to use and intuitive. Personally, I have no knowledge in programming or design, but with some help from the systems sector, I was able to perform simulations that make training work much easier.

Cons: At first it was difficult to understand the functions of the different options and to be able to perform an initial configuration of the entire interface. After trial and error I was able to use all the features easily.

"Sim3D Professional - A Way to Convince Them The System Integration will Work"

Overall: Simulation is a powerful tool used to support decisions and provide stakeholders with that warm comfort feeling that the solution proposed, is not the next instalment of a Harry Potter book (fiction) but a realistic and viable proposition. This translates into requirement for a software that enables the desired As-Is state to be acceptably reproduced and the To-Be state put through its paces in order to receive that rewarding Yes from the stakeholders. Simulation is of course not without its challenge, especially when it comes to working in environments of change, internal politics, deadlines and this before you have gained an understanding of the system under study, let alone decide how best to turn the concept into a model. The final results from the study are like the hook on the back of the door, decisions are hung from them like coats. Simulation models that fail to provide timely acceptable answers, soon share a similar fate to that annoying coat hook that continually drops your coat on the floor i.e. the coat is placed elsewhere and the hook no longer used. With the above challenges to meet and motivation levels high (as they are at the start of a project), we enter the environment of increasing time constraints and reduced budgets. The right investment in a simulation tool equates to having a fast learning curve and visuals that leaves little to the imagination and a reduced leap of faith in accepting the proposed solution on the part of the stakeholder. Having laid out the expectations for our simulation engine, Sim3D does a great job of meeting these challenges when it comes to factory planning, evaluating manual operations on a line, equipment design and general system integration. I find it is at its best in the environment where modelling in detail and eliminating those unwanted surprises is the order of business. It is by no means restricted to modelling those scenarios, but when it comes to simulating something different such as crane operations then scripting is required and that can add some upfront time. The professional version I would say is more for someone else doing the leg work by building the objects and you dragging and dropping them in to build the system under study. Once you have built up a library of various objects then the task becomes more a stroll in the park.

Pros: Standard Library- The object orientated approach to modelling means dragging and dropping from the vast array of objects in its standard library with no coding required. Objects range from people, to baggage systems. Place a Load creator where you want to start and line runs on play. Importing Files- Imported 3D CAD file sizes are significantly reduced. There is a vast selection of supported file formats to import from including point cloud. Navigation- Interact simply using just the controls on the mouse. Switch on and off layers, so only the areas you wish to focus on are visible. Eye catching for working on particular objects in fine detail or having the audience pay attention in class. Apply physics, adjust coefficient of friction values to demonstrate loads interacting with other surfaces. Then interact by picking them up to clear blockages if they occur. Data Tables- Link MS Worksheets to objects. KPI- Use standard data collection objects from library. Experiments- Directly add property to vary to experiment window from object. Use Analysis to create charts for showing results. Animation support for exporting to standard formats e.g. MP4 but also animated PDF and VR. Alternatively view using Demo3D App on your smartphone. Render scene using opensource renderer and make photorealistic movies. Support- Team are like having a Formula 1 pit crew in your email account. WebStore contains tutorial videos with starting models and additional object libraries.

Cons: I should firstly point out that my review is based on the 2015 version and not the current 2016 so some of these may already have been resolved, but as my use is based on the Professional 2015 version it will at least serve as a guide. Importing Files- A couple of gripes here are: 1. Lack of support for actual Max file formats ' Workaround requires original file to be exported first as 3ds format in Max before importing it. 2. Occasionally files that were originally imported from another CAD package other than Inventor (which I use), ends up with duplicate parts of the object ' clean-up operation is then required to remove the duplicate items. To be fair I believe the second gripe is more an Inventor issue than a Sim3D one, but make sure the file doesn't have duplicates. Physics Based- As it stands now the physics is either on or off as a global selection. Not being able to switch physics off for certain objects rather than globally would enable areas that you are studying in detail to be visualised more effectively and the areas that are there for background framing could be ignored. Experiment- Something I find disappointing is that once the column has been added to the Experiment window, the column heading is fixed and does not appear to dynamically update should the name of the corresponding object change. Something I think would be useful here is an optimisation engine especially when there are a lot of parameters in the experiment that can be adjusted.

"Excellent way to test logic prior to deployment"

Overall: Overall I've been very happy using Demo3D. Our business application is to do full end to end testing of an ASRS, both PLC code and higher level software functions, prior to commissioning. Some of our customers have very narrow downtime windows so it's extremely important that we know what our code is going to do before we get to site, and to that end Demo3D has been instrumental for us. Testing against a model has become a key step in our workflow for any project.

Pros: My company has been using this program to model complex material handling systems for 8 year now, and without it we would certainly be spending many extra weeks on site working out bugs and testing logic. Demo3D is very simple to use once you understand and master a few key principals and skills, and you can then apply them in many creative ways, there's always ten ways to make something work.

Cons: Cons are that Demo3D is sometimes buggy, and will crash more than I think it should. We've gotten into the habit of saving early and saving often.