15 years helping British businesses
choose better software
FlexSim
What is FlexSim?
FlexSim is 3D simulation modeling software, transforming your existing data into accurate predictions. Our clients are engineers and decision makers who see the potential in a process that could be improved.
Our approach goes way beyond spreadsheets. It combines powerful statistical analysis with 3D visualization, allowing you to test “what if” scenarios in a risk-free virtual environment. Our clients use it to make smarter decisions where it really counts—in the real world.
Who Uses FlexSim?
FlexSim was designed to make simulation modeling and analysis easier and more powerful for engineers and decision makers in manufacturing, warehousing, supply chain, logistics, and healthcare.
Not sure about FlexSim?
Compare with a popular alternative
FlexSim
Other great alternatives to FlexSim
Reviews of FlexSim
Great looking and advanced simulations
Comments: I am a teacher in university. I had never worked with simulation software before, so it was my first software of such type. FlexSim is just a whole universe, with it's own logic and rules. If you want to do BIG things with it - you have to understand all of these rules, accept them and change your own thinking to follow that rules (to think like FlexSim would think). I am a very advanced user of Excel, and Excel is a large universe as well. But now I am wondering which of them is bigger.
Pros:
Great visualization makes it very pleasant to start learning; Lots of built-in features, Data import-export; Different modes (3D, ProcessFlow), where you can work simultaneously or independently; Strong statistics (distributions), that can be integrated on the models, collecting and presenting data; Anything you lack regarding the model or actor logic can be added as code snippets; Really basic models can be made in minutes
Cons:
It becomes difficult to learn it when you go in deep. The really basic actions are easy and intuitive, like for kids. But when you get to something just little more complex - it requires a lot of additional knowledge. Little community tutorials. There are not many community samples and tutorials on youtube or in the web. Most of them are over basic functions - you probably will need to enroll a training.
FlexSim Response
4 years ago
Thank you for your review, Dr. Sheludko! We're pleased to hear that you've enjoyed FlexSim's wide range of features and capabilities. It's true that complex systems can be challenging to model in any simulation analysis platform -- we try to make it as simply as we can, and welcome any additional feedback you have in helping us reach this goal.
Alternatives Considered:
FlexSim is a Great Tool
Comments: At the moment I use FlexSim to simulation the possibilities within a given confined space. I build models to represent a few different scenarios and demonstrate them to the team, so that leadership can make a decision on particular go/no-go criteria for a project. I use FlexSim to demonstrate possibilities that people in the viewing group might not have even considered, and generate new conversations regarding what's possible and which direction to go.
Pros:
What I like most about FlexSim is the software's ease of use. I did trials on several other simulation software and FlexSim came out on top for me. It was intuitive and just simply made sense when building models. After the initial training I built a simulation model to represent one of our biggest production plants. Having that 3D visual was key in explaining processes to the rest of the team, and I could make real time changes in the model to work through those "what if" scenarios. The intricate details and the ability to allow viewers to see a different perspectives is actually very eye opening.
Cons:
What I like least about the software is the lack of floor levels that are representative of actual buildings. This might be minor, but I wished there were options for prebuilt stairs and different floor levels. Stairs and floor levels are common in plants, hospitals, airport, etc., so why not give the user those items in the toolbox. For example, if I wanted to simulate a building with three floors, with people walking from one floor to the other (not necessarily one above the other, otherwise we wouldn't be able to see the operation on the other floors), using a second and third elevated floor plan. Hopefully that makes sense.
FlexSim Response
4 years ago
Thanks for your review, Kavan! We're glad that FlexSim came out on top in your evaluation, and the ease of use and visuals have been helpful. I have some good news for you -- the latest version of FlexSim (19.1) has multi-floor support and elevator banks! Let's talk offline and I can share some videos with you.
FlexSim for Industrial Automation
Comments: It's been rewarding, in that it's allowed us to visualize a lot of things we hadn't previously. The customer service has been phenomenal and they're constantly pushing out revisions to improve the user experience and add features.
Pros:
It's relatively easy to get a model going on a high-level. It has been very useful in fleshing out concepts for work cell designs and visualizing process-flows, bottlenecks, etc..The customer support is the best I've seen for any software. There's an online community where the developers will answer, in detail, any question asked within an hour. And they will work with any user directly on their model to resolve issues.
Cons:
The software isn't very robust. It has a number of errors you have to weed through, particularly when you're trying to model something that isn't a pre-defined object. Something as simple as making an operator in the model pull a single box off of a pallet that's in a rack took a week and multiple questions to figure out and required programming multiple objects in C++. Bringing in a 3D model for a machine can be frustrating, due to the way sizes are defined. It typically drops in about 1000x larger and takes awhile to get sized correctly.There is no object edge detection. Operators and vehicles will natively travel through any object to get somewhere. So you have to designate paths and boundaries which can eat up processing speed.
FlexSim Modeling
Comments: Good initially during classroom session followed by coaching provided by trainer post training. As we only use FlexSim maybe 1-2 times per year, was a struggle trying to remember the system features especially for complex processes. Suggest if FlexSim is conducting new classes, that the previous members can sign up for refresher course at a much lower fees i.e. join the class together with the new sign up. This will allow a continuation of interest & the use of FlexSim.
Pros:
It does have easy to use icon bars & links that can piece a simple flow together. Able to generate statistics for basic flow through the simulated data.
Cons:
For more complex process with more variable data, it becomes more difficult to use the tools. Need good knowledge of FlexSim to apply the variables required to make the simulation closer to the real process. Without frequent practices & application, the knowledge erodes fast.
FlexSim Response
4 years ago
Thank you for your review, Jake! We're glad to hear that you've enjoyed some of our easy-to-use modeling and statistics features. I'd really like to connect offline about post-training retention ideas -- this is very important for us, so your feedback would be quite helpful.
Long time Simulation practitioner
Comments: We are using FlexSim to evaluate a new production line, everything from equipment capability, line control logic and staffing. The data from the simulations has enabled us to reduce staffing, and equipment requirements.
Pros:
Very easy to build a simple model with the 3D Objects. The 3D objects have enough hooks in place to deal with more complex situations as well. There is no need to know programing language. The software is a tool that can be used by both the novice and experienced modeler.
Cons:
The users manual is a bit hard to follow, and missing some information. I would like more options for flow item shapes and shapes for resources.
FlexSim Response
4 years ago
Thank you for your review, Dhuey! We're glad to hear that you've found FlexSim capable of both simple and complex simulation models. Let's connect offline and discuss some of your suggestions for item shapes -- I'm sure our developers would appreciate the info.
