SimProject is a computer-aided software engineering tool that allows for the development of discrete event simulations through a graphical user interface. It compiles models into pseudo-code and interprets them using C#. The tool was created for educational and professional simulation purposes as an alternative to expensive commercial options. It can model common discrete event simulations and has been divided into modules for the CASE, project, diagrams, simulation engine, and user interface components.

1. SimProject
CASE Tool for Discrete Event Programming
(Simulation)
Information Systems Engineering Project, 2005
Ron Perlmuter, Avi Orenstein
Ben-Gurion University

2. About
SimProject is a computer-aided software engineering tool that allows
development of events, procedures & variables using discrete event
simulation.
Graphical user interface resembles to Microsoft Visual Studio combined
with Visio provides an easy and intuitive way to simulation programming.
SimProject compiles the graphical model to pseudo-code and later
interpreters it using Microsoft .NET/C#.
Finally the model is executed and the simulation results are displayed in
console. Debugging and step by step execution is also supported.
SimProject was built as part of our final B.Sc. project at BGU.

3. Goals
Two primary goals:
• Educational tool for discrete event simulation
• Utility for programming advanced simulations
Alternatives, like Arena, are very pricey and don’t
justify development of small scale simulations.

4. Goals

5. How Can I Use It?
Aside from software programming and testing, is it possible to use
this tool for business cases?
Definitely, here is a real life example...

6. How Can I Use It?
You had the fortune to become a McDonald's
franchise and you opened a new restaurant in
your beloved neighborhood.
After awhile you hear complaints about long
queues, dissatisfied customers and losing
customers to the restaurant next door.

7. How Can I Use It?
You decide to create a simulation model, starting by resources:
1 chef, 2 cashiers, 10 tables.
You figure out that most of the time the restaurant works fine, but
only between 12:00 to 14:00 the problems arise.
You calculate the customers arrival rate and average time they:
• Serviced by the cashier
• Serviced by the chef
• Waiting for a seating
Also you realized that the waiting line is no longer than 5 persons,
meaning you lose customers to the next restaurant.

8. How Can I Use It?
Now you can use this model in our tool and get more insights:
• Number of customers you lose per day
• Waiting time per customer
• Locate the bottlenecks
Computer simulation allows you to easily (and cheaply)
investigate possible solutions:
• Adding another cashier – how will it affect the lost customers
number? How it will affect the average waiting time?
• Will increasing the number of tables create a positive effect?
• Should I hire another chef?
This problem is real, and impacts many business. Think about your
retailers and service providers…

9. Architecture
We have divided the
solution into 5 modules:
• CASE
• Project
• Diagrams
• Simulation Engine
• User Interface

10. Simulation Engine
Its prime objective is to compile and execute a simulation
project.
We thought about the best implementation for this
objective, without creating a dependency on other
modules.
We were inspired by Java and .NET platforms, creating a
new programming language that compiles into
intermediate language.
The intermediate language is an internal simulation
language, adapting the graphical model to C#.
The user is not aware of any internal languages.

11. Acceptance Criteria
The robustness & performance of our tool can be
measured by the capability to model various simulations
which are studied in Computer Simulation course at Ben-
Gurion University.
Those simulations are composed from well known discrete
event idioms from the classic literature.
Our CASE tool allows the usage of the following models:
• M/M/1 – Single server with events from Markov
distribution.
• M/M/n – Multiple servers.
• Inventory models.
• Jobs scheduling models.

12. Challenges & Solutions

13. Diagrams Module
Creating a diagrams module from scratch is time consuming and
risky.
Also it was not part of our project goals.
Two solutions were possible:
1. Integration with Microsoft Visio – due to poor support and
cumbersome integration with Microsoft .NET we rejected this
option.
2. Integration with Open Source – allowed us to draw diagrams
and we manually changed its code in order to enhance the
existing C# components with our requirements.
The usage of the open source was very productive.

14. User Interface Module
Like in the previous slide, we wanted to provide a Visual Studio
experience since it’s very intuitive for developers and students.
We searched for an open source solution and found a great
implementation in C#.

15. Curious About Simulation?

16. More Stuff…
Computer Simulation is a technique that represents real world
using computerized program. The simulation also models it’s
internal processes with the addition of the simulation results.
Discrete Event Simulation is an evolving model which is
represented by situational variables. Those variables change on
the time axis, and precisely on specific locations in time. We call
these locations in time ‘events’.
Known Simulation Methods:
• Manual – drawing manual data flow diagrams on paper,
describing the logics and executing using trace tables.
• Textual languages – this method describes the simulation using
special syntax and commands. They usually simplified and
don’t require an extensive knowledge in high level
programming languages. E.g: Siman, Simphony.

17. More Stuff…
• High level programming languages – capable of modeling
any simulation. Most of the times used for simple simulations
with simple outputs. E.g. Fortran, Java, C, VB.
• Graphical simulation languages – visual language that
describes the simulation model using well known structures.
Those are adapted to textual simulation languages which later
can be used in other programming languages. E.g. Arena,
Simulink.

18. Thanks
Ron Perlmuter
www.linkedin.com/in/ronper