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Product News

PRODUCT RELEASES

Process Simulator 5.0 released June ‘06

Not only does version 5.0 allow you to more easily use the Lean methodology in your model building it also enables you to more closely model your system’s downtime and setup behavior. In addition, PCS 5.0 enables you to easily share your simulation models using the new packaging feature which collects all associated files and compresses them into one (all Visio diagrams, shift files, and 3DR saved views files). This version consists of the following features:

• A new activity type, called a Storage, replaces the Order Signal and simplifies and extends your ability to model entity reordering (triggered by level or time).
• Multiple Storage activities can be connected together to create a Lean Supermarket object.
• A new SEND statement can trigger the release of entities to an activity via a Send route (formerly called the Ordered route).
• A new activity type, called a Buffer, allows entities to be queued by LIFO, FIFO, or by entity type.
• A Buffer activity also allows you to define batching quantities by specific entity types.
• Unique processing times and resource requirements can be easily defined for multiple entity types at an activity.
• Machine Setup (or changeover) can now be defined at activities.
• Scheduled-, Unscheduled-, and Usage-based downtimes can now be specified for resources and activities.
• The Attach route has a new option which allows you to attach whatever quantity exists (the exact amount specified for the Attach or less) and immediately continue on.
• You can now have multiple Create routes at the same activity.
• Simulation event tracing and logic debugging capabilities during simulation run-time have been added for improved model troubleshooting and verification.
• Percentage routing validation requires the routes to add up to 100% and the percentage value can be modified directly on the routing connection.
• Resources can be assigned to groups which in return allows for easier resource selection and unique statistical reporting.
• Initial animation speed can be set in Simulation Properties prior to running.
• Undo has been improved and optimized.
• More stencils have been added.
• Model Packaging allows you to collect and compress all the files associated with a model into one file (all Visio diagrams, shift files, and 3DR saved views files) which then can be easily shared with others.
• The Logic Builder has been enhanced to allow for easier logic definition including the ability to enter numbers directly into fields. Less mouse…more keyboard.
• Plus many other fixes and enhancements!

Product Updates

ProModel, MedModel, and ServiceModel
version 7.0.6.216 and 7.0.8.225
Maintenance Releases made available in June and August ’06
These updates include the following changes and fixes:

7.0.8.225
• Added Entity conveyor width and length to the Entity graphics data table in the ProModelData COM interface.
• An array of type integer was not appropriately populated when using database connectivity.
• Animation scripts were not generated properly which caused Resources to have incorrect graphics in 3D Animator during animation.

7.0.6.216
• If the values entered for the First Time and Frequency of an arrival were greater than half the maximum run length, the arrival would incorrectly occur at the beginning of the simulation.
• When two logic windows (e.g. Operation and Move) were open and then one was closed, the toolbar disappeared in the window that remained open.
• If a model was simulated in which a resource had a zero entered for its DT Frequency, ProModel would crash.
• ProModel would not recognize an array import/export file path if the path contained an unmapped drive.
• Variable counter graphics would display more than 2 significant digits if the value to be displayed was extremely small (e.g. 10^-14).
• Background graphics would inadvertently shift to the right when clicked on.
• Version 6.x models containing entity spots that were placed to the extreme far right on the layout would disappear when the model was loaded in 7.0.
• When a model was loaded and run in ProModel using the ActiveX interface, and that model had a runtime error, the "Do you want to collect statistics" message would incorrectly appear.
• Entity movements (i.e. Move For, Move On, Move With) were not being correctly generated for a 3DA animation script, which resulted in no entity animation in 3DA.
• The Xsub reference model was giving a run-time error.
• ProModel was incorrectly calculating some statistics for resource groups.
• ProModel would crash if an entity was ordered to a multi-unit location.
• Attributes were generating an error when used in an expression array.

Includes 3DR version 2.0.4.83 containing the following fixes:

• Time Series State Plot was showing the time a single-capacity location was in a Waiting state as Empty/Idle instead.
• The x-axis labels would disappear when zooming in on a Histogram chart.
• The top left and top center charts in the Process Simulator default view would overlap.
• If there are no Failed Arrivals in the model then the Failed Arrivals tab will not be displayed.
• 3DR was crashing when attempting to access Time Series data from a large RDT file (e.g. 300+ Mb).
• The upper and lower confidence intervals for the statistics displayed in the Process Simulator scoreboard in 3DR were incorrectly being calculated for computers with regional settings set to something other than US.
• 3DR would unexpectedly close if a General Report was created while any other chart was maximized within 3DR.

3D Animator version 1.5.35 Maintenance Release made available in August ’06

This version has the following changes and fixes:
• The ProModel Solutions program group was not removed from the Windows Start menu when uninstalling 3D Animator.
• Movies were not playing during animation if installed from an animation package (3DApkg file).
• Updated the application to contain the latest ProModel licensing technology.

TRAINING UPDATES

Training
Here are some of the upcoming courses that will be held at our offices in Orem, UT.

For complete details and a schedule of upcoming courses and course descriptions please visit http://www.promodel.com/services/training/.

Webinars
Join us on the 2nd Friday of each month to hear the latest suggestions for using your ProModel products. With tips, techniques, and highlights of features, these courses are designed to help you unleash the power of your product. For more information, see our webinar page: http://www.promodel.com/services/training/webinars/.

To view an archive of previous webinars, log on to the Solutions Café* and go to http://www.promodel.com/solutionscafe/webinars/ for complete details and presentations. Some of the topics covered were expression and string arrays, database connectivity, ProActiveX, hierarchical modeling in Process Simulator, Stat::Fit and many more.

*If you need assistance you can contact technical support at support@promodel.com.