This is the third annual issue of the Simulation Manager. As you can see from this and previous editions, we intend to continue to publish and share our achievements and provide our customers with useful content and recent development updates to support their ongoing simulation work!

Our magazine provides a platform to exchange ideas, experiences and share knowledge about the application and benefits of simulation. Our efforts to create this publication would not have been possible without the support of many people from around the world who enriched this issue with their articles, interviews and other contributions. Thank you to everyone who ac- tively participated in the creation of this issue.

What does this third issue have instore for you?

No doubt, the flagship article of this issue is our interview with Stephen Hooper, vice president of Autodesk, that is featured in the LEADER column. The article describes Autodesk’s acquisition of FlexSim Software Products at the end of 2023 and plans to integrate FlexSim software with Autodesk’s existing tools. The article discusses how this acquisition adds discrete event simulation to Autodesk’s portfolio, allowing for more advanced digital twins and optimized manufacturing processes. Stephen describes the goals, visions, and benefits to FlexSim users through Autodesk’s acquisition of FlexSim.

Another article that you will no doubt enjoy is written by Allen G. Greenwood, Professor Emeritus of Mississippi State University. His article is titled, “Fundamentals of Operating Systems Simulation” and is intended for those who are taking their first steps to model production systems. Using his forty-plus years of knowledge, teaching and practical experience, Professor Greenwood discusses the basics of operational systems simulation in a simple and understandable way, clearly explaining concepts related to simulation and its applications in engineering, medicine, economics and the military.

We also encourage you to read our CASE STUDIES column, where actual modeling projects are presented. The authors share the difficulties and challenges they encountered during their projects and explain the methods used to solve them. In all, we have included five case study articles by companies such as Amazon Spain Fulfillment SL, Metroplan Poland, EPIC InnoLabs Ltd., IF3 and ASTOR that will help you learn from their experiences.

The advanced and long-time practitioners that use FlexSim professionally in business or science will find the section “WHAT’S NEW IN FLEXSIM” especially interesting. This sections describes the new features and improvements in FlexSim software that were introduced in the latest update to the FlexSim 2024 LTS version.

Another article that you are certain to enjoy – one that is likely to provide a break from the day-to-day hustle and bustle of our fast-paced techno- logically filled lives – is a column that we have renamed from “EXPLORE THE COUNTRIES OF THE INTERMARIUM” to “EXPLORE THE WORLD.” The author, Kenny Macleod, is FlexSim’s pioneering distributor in Australia and Oceania. He describes the colors and flavors of adventure in the Australian interiors. Traveling across the Australian continent in an off-road camper, Kenny shares his experiences of hybrid work in remote regions of the Australian Outback. He describes the challenges of traveling through deserts, the difficulties of inaccessible terrain, encounters wild animals and changing weather condi- tions, with photos from the expedition.

In addition to the technical aspects of using simulation to become better modelers and simulation practitioners, we hope you will enjoy the humor found in the section we call,“SIMULATTE.” It was created by me with help from artificial intelligence tools; I hope it will bring a smile to your face.

This is only a smattering content of you will find in the third issue of our magazine. If you found the first two issues useful and interesting, then I am confident that you that you will absolutely enjoy the content this edition. In ending, may I make a personal request. In the coming weeks and months, as you work on and manage simulation projects, I encourage you to consider contributing to future publications of our magazine by sharing your simulation experiences and knowledge with others. Not only is the Simulation Manager a printed publication, but it is also available online and truly has a global reach!

And now leave you with this issue of our magazine, wishing you continued success in your professional modeling endeavors and responsibilities. I promise you an enjoyable and useful experiences and invite you to read on.

Tomasz Białoń

Editor of the issue