Continuous Systems Simulation in McSimAPN.

Apart from using many different systems and languages for simulation (CSSL's) of continuous dynamic systems in a wide range of industrial applications, McCann Science has made a simulation tool specifically designed to meet some key criteria. The original motivation was to be able to test out control system ideas in an interactive mode, on a personal computer (under the Windows operating system). A previous version was also used in simulations to provide operator training. Since many of the applications involved heat transfer, it now has some special features that make dealing with heat fluxes and the equivalent RC (resistance capacitance) circuits easy.
McSimAPN is available free to clients as part of the service and as a free download for anyone to realise their dynamic systems simulations.
It incorporates the following features in a package that also does discrete event simulation:

• interactive operation, see results as the simulation runs, make changes, see graphed results, flip switches on the fly.
• all graphic interface, assemble, run modify.
• simple block structure with set of components designed for flexibility, hundreds of state variables allowed.
• stop and restart, save and come back to same point.
• models stored as text files, always editable by humans, but can be parsed into spreadsheets for parameterized modelling.
• client version has option for VBA extension to insert user defined programmable components for testing control systems etc.
• run on any PC (Windows XP or later, I hope) without going through a set-up procedure
• Takes up less than 1 MB.
• Needs no installation, just unZIP it and run.

Design has concentrated on being able to compress a lot on to the screen and particularly to be interactive so that the network (equations, model) can be changed while in the middle of a run without any need to recompile or reset or restart. In that sense, it emulates a hardware electronic analogue computer, on which it is modelled. (While it was never recommended practice, we could hot wire links in analogue computers at anytime.)  As a result, it has the block structured form of an analog machine or the early digital analog simulators, rather than the statement structured form of CSMP, ACSL and  sucessors.  
Although it is small and simple, McSimAPN is an effective simulation tool. It is not so fast at numerical integration as hard coded or purpose designed programmes but shows its advantages in ease of use since it runs in an essentially interpretive mode. The schema for the graphics (mimic diagrams) is functional rather than pretty. However, it is fun to play with and easy to learn and gets results quickly.

Microsoft Excel spreadsheets can be (OLE) linked into the model to allow users to experiment with alternative control rules, signal processing, graphing, model optimization or any task that can be done by having simulation data linked into the spreadsheet and using its VBA programming capabilities. Model features can thus be programmed without having to recompile the simulation tool. Demonstration models are provided, though you may need to contact us to get this working, but if you have such a problem, we'd to hear about it for mutual interest.

You can download a copy in the form of a "ZIP" file (which includes HTML help and tutorial files) from here. This is fully functional but we can't offer support unless you contact us. After unZip, start with the file "readmefirst.txt".

About McSc
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Location USA
Philosophy
Software Tools
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Applications

Business & Commerce
TV Advertising
Drugs Competition
Housing Demand
Automobiles Demand
Wallcoverings Battle
Cash Flow
Human Resources
Project Management
Patent Analysis

Chemical Industry
Cooling Tower
Fermentation
Polymer Process
Heat exchange
Supercritical Fluid
Distributed parameter
Toxic gas allocation

Electrical
Control systems
Initiation systems
Ferrite Filters
Microstrip Antennas
Lightning

Production & Process
Automated manufacture
Crimp and Press
Glass making
Glass molding
Glass to metal seals
Heat exchanger
Helium Leak Testing
RF Soldering
Vacuum web coating

Applications.