What's Different About Process Objects

A very key difference between most standard Simul8 simulation objects and the process simulation objects is that the process objects handle material in a way that is much more efficient in circumstances where most of the work material is the same. With other Simul8 objects the assumption is made that each “item” of work could be different from the next one (for example each car produced in a car factory’s production line might be a different color from the previous one).

In the process industries this tends NOT to be the case (one cookie is exactly the same as the previous one until a significant batch change happens). All the standard Simul8 objects are available to use with the process objects - so the unique handling of individual items is available if required. However, in most cases it will be quicker and easier to use the process simulation facilities to simulate process operations.

Simul8 Process Simulation Objects have been designed and programmed to work with each other.

All Simul8 Objects can work with Process objects. Most Simul8 Process simulations will use Work Entry Points, Work Exit Points, Work Centers, Storage Bins etc. But Process Objects handles flow work much more effectively. Therefore its is best to avoid transferring work back and forth between discrete object (like Work Centers and Storage Bins) and Continuous flow simulation objects like Processes and Tanks.

It is very common and necessary to make such transfers in most simulations but, for example, using 50 Processes, and between each of them using a work center to move work from one to the next would make the simulation no faster than simply using the work centers. Once work is into a Process or Tank, try to keep the work into that type of object until it is really necessary to handle it in a discrete manner.