Product category:
Analysis, simulation and mathematical software
News Release from: Invensys Process Systems | Subject: SIM4ME simulation and modelling software
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 25 May 2007
Advanced simulation on Microsoft Excel
Portal provides simulation and modelling capability within from Microsoft Excel
The SimSci-Esscor unit of Invensys Process Systems has introduced a new engineering tool that brings the power of advanced plant and process simulation and modeling to desktops everywhere without programming The new SIM4ME Portal constructs a simple, bidirectional communication link between the world's leading, steady-state simulator, SimSci-Esscor PRO/II, and the world's most popular spreadsheet program, Microsoft Excel
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 16 Oct 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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"Simulation is one of the most effective and efficient tools in engineering, but to the novice simulation user, the amount of work required to be able to benefit from an accurate and rigorous model can be overwhelming".
"The new SIM4ME Portal changes all that".
"Now individuals with no specialised simulation training or experience can capitalise on an existing simulation model and interact with that model from an Excel interface created by an expert user".
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"The SIM4ME Portal effectively extends the use of simulation software to anyone that can use Excel".
said Tobias Scheele, Vice President and General Manager of the SimSci-Esscor unit of Invensys Process Systems.
The SIM4ME Portal enables developers to create a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that is PRO/II aware, allowing users to execute a PRO/II simulation from within an Excel application.
Application developers simply drag desired variables from a Windows-style menu, and drop them onto an Excel spreadsheet.
The variables are colour coded to allow easy identification of the status of the variables.
"SIM4ME Portal has an excellent potential to highlight and manipulate key input and output design parameters,saving time for our process engineers," said a portal user from ABB Lummus Global, a major international engineering company and one of the first companies to implement the product.
This easy to use, easy to access tool maximises return on investment in process models created by simulation experts by extending use of those simulations to an entirely new set of users.
The following examples, based on customer-tested applications, illustrate how companies can take advantage of this new functionality:.
* What-if scenarios: RandD specialists, for example, can run what-if cases to evaluate changing feed or process conditions.
* Asset management: Maintenance personnel can use simulations to analyse equipment operations and predict future performance, for example, monitoring equipment health to prioritize and schedule maintenance.
* Operations analysis: Operators and engineers can evaluate process alternatives to resolve problems; optimise performance, or evaluate environmental impact of operating changes.
* Custom calculations: Engineers can calculate line or equipment sizing and costing based on a very accurate projection of the actual operation.
The SIM4ME Portal is designed as a module so that all SimSci-Esscor simulation and modeling products will be able to communicate with Microsoft Excel.
SIM4ME Portal integration with SimSci-Esscor PRO/II 8.1 software is available immediately, with integration to PIPEPHASE multiphase fluid flow simulation software targeted for the end of this year.
"The SIM4ME Portal has a clear development path to integrate more of SimSci-Esscor's simulation software products in addition to enhancing the product's base functionality".
"I believe that the SIM4ME Portal has unlimited potential and will truly enhance our users' experience with our simulation software products" added Joseph McMullen, the SIM4ME Portal Product Manager at Invensys.
The SIM4ME Portal promotes cost-effective engineering by preserving and exploiting plant model equity and facilitating improved inter-program communications.
The SIM4ME Portal's bi-directional data communication capabilities with Excel make it additionally valuable because it simplifies communications with other in-house and third-party software applications that can be integrated into complex modeling simulation and optimisation applications.
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