Programming and Simulation Languages and Tools

McCann's experience covers a wide range of programming and simulation languages, having started with work on analogue (analog) computers before digital computers could keep up in solving differential equations and before Fortran appeared. As a result, many languages and simulation tools have been used. Now a lot of that experience has been built in to a software tool to make a simple, flexible interactive package so that people can get started at no cost....McSimAPN.

McSimAPN : is a specially developed McCann Science simulation tool, for modelling any sort of dynamic system. It incorporates both discrete event systems, by using the PetriNet formulation and Continuous systems by simple numerical integration. The two modalities function together in a block diagram form of model. It isn't as pretty nor as powerful as SIMULINK but there's a lot less to learn (and to pay for)
It is designed for easy interactive use on personal computers. The user can run the process, plant or system, make changes on the fly, see magnitudes change as the run progresses, stop and save conditions to come back and try again.
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets with VBA macros can be linked in (OLE) giving the user the ability to provide any programmable functionality interacting with the existing range of components.
You are welcome to download the software and try it. If you need help then contact us.

Algol: Brief exposure in an academic environment in the 1960's.

Analogue Computers: As an electronics engineer and as a university professor, McCann was familiar both with the internals of analogue (analog) computers and their application to industrial and aerospace problems. The experience goes back to the days when analogue computers had +/- 100 Volt reference supplies and 300 Volt power supplies for the valves (tubes)! It also extended into a lot of experience with "digital analog simulators" (DAS, CIDAS, IBM360-CSMP etc).

Basic: Used this since the days when it escaped from Dartmouth College and appeared on the GE remote service in the 1960's. Also met it again on Commodore PET and VIC20 machines, and used it for some industrial test equipment using "6502" CPUs. Now currently prefer Delphi (Borland) Pascal.
However, we have recently been using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) in Excel Macros.

CSMP: Became very expert and worked extensively with this IBM originated, Fortran based, Continuous Systems Modeling Program. Now for a CSSL (continuous systems simulation language) would probably recommend ACSL from Michell & Gautier. Also was involved with the use of SL/1 as the basis for the digital side of a hybrid computing environment.

Forth: A very different language environment, used it to create very fast machine code for real-time, hard wired applications.

Fortran: This was the target language of CSMP so it was much used, but not recently. Pascal (Delphi) covers the programming needs now. Before Fortran, McCann used Mercury Autocode (London University), and had a brief encounter with K-code for the Ferranti KDF9 machine.

GPSS: General Purpose Simulation System: This was a standard tool with IBM machines for simulating discrete event systems. McCann's McSimAPN covers very similar applications.

Java: Available and a little experience.

Mathcad: from MATHSOFT Inc (mathsoft.com) is the McCann Science preferred means of providing well documented, usable models to the customer for design methods and performance calculations. Its flexibility allows everything from simple arithmetic to solutions of matrix and non-linear differential equation sets. It also has several methods for numerical integrations, making it well able to perform many of the functions of simulation languages.(McCann Science policy is to keep up with the latest version, but we can use earlier forms too.)

Pascal: Currently using Borland's Delphi development environment, with its object oriented framework, to produce simulation tools and models for industrial clients. (Version 6)

Simscript: A very powerful language for discrete event simulation. Now would select its successor, Modsim III (also from CACI), for a really big job, or Extend (from ImagineThat Inc) for an easy interface with extensibility. There are others, of course, which might suit equally well.

Spreadsheets: Sometimes a spreadsheet is the tool of choice. McCann uses Microsoft Excel as customers require.

About McSc
Summary
Principal (CV)
Contacting us
Contact in UK
Location USA
Philosophy
Software Tools
Fees
CAD service

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.