SIMUL8 Feature Tour - Animation
SIMUL8 is Visual Interactive Simulation Software. This means animation is an integral and important part of SIMUL8. We work very hard to provide the best animation quality possible.
Integrated Animation
When you build a simulation it is automatically set up so that you will be able to see what is happening as the simulation runs. Work items can be seen moving between objects in the simulation and the number of work items currently at each work center is displayed.
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Animating Work Centers
By default work centers are displayed using one static image. However you can animate work centers by selecting different images for each of the work center's states.
You can also show work items which are at work centers and if the work center's image is also displayed then the image for the work center and the work item are automatically combined.
The image of a work item leaving a work center can be changed.
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Animating Storage Bins
Storage Bins can be represented by a single static image or they can be animated in several ways:
Queue
A queue displays all work items in the storage bin on screen.
Tank
A tank display shows a small box which fills as the storage bin fills. If the queue has a maximum size set then the tank will appear full at this size and will be filled proportionately as the queue is partly full. If the queue is of infinite size then one screen dot will be used to represent each work item in the queue.
Block
Each work item is represented by one block.
Graphic Tank
Similar to the Tank Display option Graphic Tank shows an icon that fills as the storage bin fills but is more graphical.
Graph
Display the contents of a queue as a graph.
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Image Library
SIMUL8 comes with a full library of 100s of images for you to choose from to help animate your simulation, and you can import your own additional ones.
The image editor allows you to build your own images for SIMUL8 objects, edit existing ones or paste images directly off the clipboard.
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Invisible Objects
Objects do not have to be displayed. Often simulations contain objects which are included purely to control the logic rather than actually physically existing in the real world. In this case you can set the object to "invisible".
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Animation Speed
Adjust the visual speed of your model using the speed control slider in the top window or using the simulation speed menu.
When set to maximum speed the animation in the simulation is turned off.
If you move the speed control to the extreme left, the model stops. With the slider in position 10 (on a scale from 0-100) SIMUL8 will attempt to control the model speed so that one "simulated minute" occurs every "real second".
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Display Plus
Display Plus lets Visual Logic Write Any Text or Graphics to Simulation Windows and Control Every Detail of the Visual Image to provide additional animation. It can also be used to create custom charts.
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Flexible Animation Paths
Flexible routing arrows mean animation paths can be flexible.
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Animation Parameters
It is possible to have greater control over what type of animation SIMUL8 displays through animation parameters.
Non-time based animation can be turned off and on, travel animation and Cycle Matrix animation can be controlled.
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Virtual Reality
This feature is only available as part of SIMUL8 Professional.
Virtual Reality offers an enhanced view that enables organizations to represent their simulation in a more realistic 3D environment.
Once you have built your model in the 2D environment a click of your mouse allows you to automatically view your simulation in 3D. You can use images from SIMUL8's 3D library or 3D images you import yourself. This capability lets you use graphics that are familiar to your audience.
Animations in SIMUL8 products are smooth. This is a gif file.
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