Built-in support for the new databases and Downtime block improvements

• With AnyLogic 8.9.1, you can effortlessly connect to Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MariaDB without additional drivers.
• The downtime block simplifies the control of equipment maintenance and failures with triggers, priority settings, and automated downtime processes.

Transporter manual control

With a manual control feature, you can take full control of transporters. Use the move() function to send transporters directly to nodes, perfect for custom logic or early-stage routing.

More about the 8.9.1 release →

Faster, large-scale simulation

AnyLogic 8.8.5 brought significant enhancements in managing large-scale projects with improved IDE (integrated development environment) performance.

• Panning, zooming, and navigating within models, especially those with large networks, have become smoother.
• In addition, this release included the ability to export 3D animations for custom library items.

More about the 8.8.5 release →

Engine improvements

The custom distribution properties are now completely rebuilt. You can preview and verify your custom distributions for accuracy and reliability more effectively by checking the Preview section in the properties.

More about the 8.8.6 release →

FIFO & LIFO rack types, task preemption, and new diameter property

This new release has enabled the Storage markup element to support FIFO (first in, first out) and LIFO (last in, first out) rack types. As a result, selective, drive-in, gravity, and push-back shelving can be modeled. In addition, the loading and unloading locations can be switched from one side to the other. Finally, it is also now possible to use pre-reservation made by setReservation() method in Store block.

Task preemption properties have been added to the Station markup element meaning that another task with a higher priority can seize resources that are serving the station and vice versa.

The Turn station and Turntable conveyor elements now include the Diameter property giving the ability to change the diameter of these elements from properties, not only by using a handle.

More about the 8.8.1 release →

Transporter improvements

This latest AnyLogic release allows transporters to more successfully resolve deadlocks and to move in free space more effectively without blocking each other's paths in corridors. This improves the simulation of warehouses where transporters' paths often intersect in narrow aisles between racks.

More about the 8.8.2 release →

Create GIS Network by Code

A new example model in 8.7.9 demonstrates how to programmatically create a GIS network. A function called createRoute contains Java code that reads coordinates from a data source and automatically connect them with routes.

More about the 8.7.8 and 8.7.9 releases >>

Reversible conveyors

The Conveyor markup element now has an option to change conveyor's direction during model runtime. Now it’s easier to upgrade conveyor networks with reversible conveyors that lead to workstations along the main conveyor. The feature also helps create conveyor buffers.

AnyLogic 8.7.12 comes with the renewed built-in Help.

More about the 8.7.12 release >>

• The new layout element Storage lets you easier draw a whole warehouse. We also introduced new types of racks – Selective rack and Drive-In rack – where agents can load or unload. Read more about this elements in our Help section.
• AnyLogic can now automatically draw a network of paths between the racks to ease building a transport network where resources and transporters move along specified paths. These paths easily connect to networks already in the model.
• New Store and Retrieve blocks in the Material Handling Library help select resources from the Process Modeling Library for storage and retrieval operations. Within the new blocks, cell reservation, transportation, and the loading and unloading of agents in the warehouse are performed automatically.
• You can now exclude one or more cells from the regular warehouse structure. This can be useful if the warehouse has an irregular structure — for example, part of a rack blocked by a pillar.

More about AnyLogic 8.7.7 release >>

• Starting with AnyLogic 8.5.2, users could simulate the operation of overhead cranes. Now, the number of bridges is configurable for these cranes and you can set the required number of spans. Overhead crane works automatically, sequencing movements by itself; for advanced use cases crane movement can now be controlled by API.
• Pedestrian areas with restrictions on capacity, throughput and other conditions are introduced.
• Pedestrians can now be subject to social distancing rules and, as in real life, they will try to abide by them.

• If you make use of the Bonsai platform, you can now more easily and quickly connect a model to the platform and train AI algorithms based on data from simulations.

  More about Bonsai and AnyLogic >>

• For CAD files, elements from 2D drawings can now be converted into walls for simulated buildings. AnyLogic's built-in converter recognizes the elements in a drawing, so you only need to choose which to represent as walls in the model. The new version of AnyLogic supports CAD drawings in .dxf (including versions older than 2010) and .dwg formats.

More about AnyLogic 8.7

Material Handling Library

• AGVs can be limited or prohibited from movement in certain areas of a model. Restrictions can be configured depending on available space, scheduling, throughput, and other conditions.
• Processing stations on conveyors can now process objects individually, without waiting to be batched together.
• After releasing or canceling a task, transporters can automatically choose and go to the nearest base station or go to a user-specified place.

Rail Library

• Now, using the API, you can check the availability of tracks and reserve them for approaching trains.
• Manual blocking of tracks is another new feature that, for example, can be used when a track is out of order or busy. If the path of a train is blocked, the train can dynamically calculate a detour or stop before the blocked track.
• We have added new types of railway switches to the library – double-slip switch, single-slip switch, and all-to-all (default switch type).

More about AnyLogic 8.6

AnyLogic Cloud API

The AnyLogic Cloud API has been updated in line with version 8.5.0, making the client for the API more flexible and easier to use. The new API functionality allows you to change cloud model parameters directly in the animation mode, and also extends HTML interface creation capabilities.

Other improvements

• Pallet racks, conveyors and cranes now have the Is obstacle property. When it is active, the object becomes an obstacle for pedestrians, and they are forced to go around it.
• In the new Lead Acid Battery Production tutorial, we show step by step how to build a model of a production line for car batteries.
• New example model – Material Handling in Hospital.

AnyLogic Private Cloud Lite

• With the release of 8.4, we have also released AnyLogic Private Cloud Lite – an easy-deployed version of AnyLogic Cloud. It can be installed on a local network workstation and allows the private sharing of simulation models within an organization. Find out more about AnyLogic Private Cloud Lite.
• Excel files, or any other file type, can now be used to set simulation model input parameters.

Other updates and improvements

• In 8.4, model-associated resources, such as GIS and CAD files, images, text, and spreadsheets can be managed from the Resources group in the model tree.
• New example models and how-tos: Transporters Moving in Free Space, TransporterControl Overtaking, Rack System with AGV , Fulfillment Center Conveyor System.

Other updates and improvements

• Model animation is now launched in a browser.
• AnyLogic 3D shapes now use the Collada (*.dae) format. This gives developers greater freedom to use 3rd party objects in models.
• Transparency levels for 3D objects are now configurable, allowing objects to be visible even when obscured.
• We simplified custom block building. These blocks are useful when you need to make the appearance of a process diagram less complex, or use the same group of blocks several times.
• Example models and how-tos: Solar Panel Production Line, Palletizing system with AGV, Warehouse conveyor
• Starting with AnyLogic 8.3, 32-bit Linux systems are no longer supported.

New Palette object and GIS search enhancements in AnyLogic, and social login in the Cloud

Some highlights of the AnyLogic 8.2 version are listed below:

• A new Presentation object — Canvas. Create dynamically changing images of any complexity.
• New 3D objects: mining equipment, traffic lights, and motorcycles.
• Support for high-pixel-density screens on 64-bit computers: The interface now offers improved support for HiDPI and Retina displays.
• GIS mapping enhancements: new map tiles, and the runtime search area can be set and locked.

Changes have also been made to AnyLogic Cloud – AnyLogic's cloud service:

• Simple sign-in using Facebook, Twitter, Google or LinkedIn.
• Share models with a link. Models can now be run and inputs edited by unregistered users.
• Interactive shapes and elements are highlighted when the mouse pointer moves over them in the animation window.
• Continued improvements to 3D animation in the Cloud. Also, improve the 3D animation of your models already in the cloud with the help of AnyLogic latest version.
• New multi-run experiments: Monte Carlo 2nd order and Parameter Variation experiments.
• New Cloud inspection windows: showing basic model element statistics, as well as graphs for variables in SD-models.
• New graphics for Box Plot, 2D Histogram, and 3D Surface graphs.
• Cloud loading performance is now 2.5x quicker.

New plots, model uploading, and other enhancements in AnyLogic Cloud

AnyLogic was updated to 8.1 together with AnyLogic Cloud. The new features allowed users to:

• Upload model source files along with the model, grant access to other developers or all AnyLogic Cloud users.
• View statecharts, flowcharts, and system dynamics elements in cloud-based model animation.
• Run models with vector 3D animation including pan and zoom.
• Edit model parameters in teams using version control.
• “Like” models, leave comments, and send personal messages to other users.

To visualize the results of random sampling experiments, density plot, error plot and scatter plot are now available on AnyLogic Cloud.

• Density plot visualizes the distribution density of data over a continuous time period.
• Error plot shows the average value of the results and their standard deviation.
• Scatter plot shows how the input values change throughout the entire experiment.

Access, run, and share simulation models online

Starting with this version, AnyLogic was the first simulation tool to offer a full range of cloud services to simulation developers. The software integrated with AnyLogic Cloud – a web service that allows users to run models online from any device, including phones and tablets, and share the models with other users.

AnyLogic Cloud is a powerful tool to perform online simulation analytics with a wide range of model experiments and custom web dashboards. With AnyLogic Cloud, you can:

• Execute multiple simulation runs in parallel and compare the results.
• Immediately retrieve the simulation results of all performed experiments in Excel format.
• View HTML5 animations of a model in a web browser.
• Edit model parameters in teams using version control.
• Access publicly shared models or create your own online simulation portfolio.

Other features:

• Support of high resolution displays (HiDPI, Retina, etc.).
• Creation of Text File, Excel File, 3D Object or Image objects by dropping an external file onto an agent diagram.

Road Traffic Library

The Road Traffic Library, which had been in preview since AnyLogic 6.6, became available in AnyLogic 7.3 with its full functionality. The library supported detailed modeling of vehicle movement on roads. Each vehicle represented an agent that could have its own behavioral patterns inside. The library allowed users to simulate:

• Vehicle movement on roads, considering driving regulations.
• Traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, and priorities at junctions.
• Parking.
• Public transport movements.

The Road Traffic library is suitable for modeling highway traffic, street traffic, on-site transportation at manufacturing sites, or any other systems with vehicles, roads, and lanes. A special traffic density tool allowed analysis of road network load.

Other features:

• New blocks and other enhancements in the Fluid Library.
• Database improvements: load data for schedule, table function, and custom distribution from the database.

Fluid Library

To better understand the behavior of flows in networks, we developed the AnyLogic Fluid Library, a suite for logistics simulation and modeling of bulk and fluid materials, gas, and oil substances. With the library, users could integrate such continuous processes in a discrete model and represent their performance at a detailed level.

Other features:

• Highly customizable escalator and zigzag queue objects in the upgraded AnyLogic Pedestrian Library.
• In addition to the car, bike, and foot routing methods, the AnyLogic GIS object included routing by railways.
• Automatic conversion of vector graphics into AnyLogic markup elements.

AnyLogic Personal Learning Edition

AnyLogic is licensed software. However, to benefit to the simulation community and make the software available to academic institutions and individuals wishing to teach, learn and explore simulation modeling, on January 12, 2015, we released the Personal Learning Edition (PLE). It is an ideal opportunity for students, professors, and employees to utilize simulation modeling software for free. With AnyLogic PLE, you get:

• A free permanent license.
• Advanced functionality.
• Free upgrades forever.

AnyLogic PLE features are all the basic functionalities of AnyLogic, including support of all three modeling methods, all standard libraries, integration with GIS maps, 3D animation, and more. Models built in PLE are limited in complexity and size, but provide enough capabilities to learn simulation.

Other features:

• Ability to define Time, Rate, Speed, Length, Acceleration, and Area units for parameters. For example, setting agent speed in miles or kilometers per hour, choosing time units for timeouts in events, transitions, and Source blocks.
• Updates of the Scale space markup element, allowing quick scale definition for agent animation.
• Transition to Java 8: a better API for writing collection-related code.

New Process Modeling Library

AnyLogic 7 introduced a new Process Modeling Library, a successor of the Enterprise Library, for better discrete event (process) modeling. With the new library, users could graphically define parameters, internal variables, animation, and statistics of entities. In addition to traditional “push” entity flow, “pull” flows were supported, which was particularly useful in manufacturing applications. The new library supported task priorities, interruptions, preemption, failures, breaks, and shifts.

Updated Pedestrian Library

With the update, pedestrian models became more scalable without impacting model performance. Users could locate pedestrian spaces with ease, applying specific markup elements such as walls, obstacles, and service points. New embedded features allowed model development in a point and click manner with minimal coding.

Enhanced support for agent-based modeling

• Agents, agent populations, inter-agent links, and networks are created with the help of wizards and graphical elements, requiring minimal coding.
• The Agent Population was designed to help users determine agent settings in just a few clicks.
• Inter-agent links are defined and visualized using graphical objects.

Updated Pedestrian Library

The Pedestrian Library allowed better simulation of pedestrian flows. From AnyLogic 6.9 on, it became possible to collect statistics on pedestrian densities and animate them as a dynamic density map. The pedestrian density map was displayed on top of the animation at the model runtime. Using the results of density simulation, users could define a throughput for a particular area in a pedestrian model.

Other features:

• The possibility to export optimization and calibration experiments as stand-alone Java applications.
• AnyLogic 6.8 included an advanced software version of revision control system – SVN (Subversion).

System dynamic modeling enhancements

AnyLogic now provided full support for system dynamics model building. The features included the ability to explicitly draw dependencies between system dynamics variables and enter the formulas later, checking for consistency with the graphical structure.

Starting with AnyLogic 6.6, it also became possible to assign units of measurement to dynamic variables and parameters.

Other features:

• ExpertFit, a well-known distribution fitting software, now can be used with AnyLogic. ExpertFit could be used to process data sets, determine the best‐fitting distribution, and import its analytical form into AnyLogic.
• AnyLogic users with 64-bit Windows machines could now take full advantage. The 64-bit software version made it possible to use more agents, larger datasets and arrays, among other things.

Improved Rail Library

Beginning with AnyLogic version 6.5, the Rail Library supported an easy to use flowchart interface to define the logic of rail system operations in a drag-and-drop style without any coding.

Other features:

• New “Excel File” object. Easy access to MS Excel files from AnyLogic models.
• Starting with AnyLogic 6.5, simultaneous simulations could be split over multiple processor cores.
• AnyLogic became available in Chinese and German.

Rail Yard Library

The Rail Yard Library, released in the 6.4 version, and later upgraded and renamed as the Rail Library, allowed AnyLogic users to simulate and visualize rail yard operations of any complexity and scale. It enabled the combination of rail yard models with other discrete event or agent-based models of transportation, loading and unloading, resource allocation, maintenance, and business processes, etc.

Model creation wizard

This new feature enabled AnyLogic users to reduce the routine steps needed when starting a model from scratch. When creating a new AnyLogic model, users could choose from model templates. They included system dynamics, discrete event (process-based), agent-based, and pedestrian dynamics models. Wizard could help novice users understand which AnyLogic language elements were used in a particular modeling method.

Other features:

• Added the “View Area” object to simplify navigation within large diagrams as well as in hierarchical models, both in design time and run time.
• The Pedestrian Library support of pedestrian group behavior.
• Released AnyLogic University Researcher for educational research. Later the free Anylogic Personal Learning edition was added to facilitate teaching, learning, and exploring simulation modeling.
• Added converter for Vensim models.

User interface enhancements

AnyLogic navigation became more intuitive, with one single canvas for all elements: events, statecharts, variables, and parameters, etc. This provided a complete overview of the active objects in a model and, while running the model, users could see both animation and model elements in the same window.

A code completion mechanism was introduced in this version. This significantly simplified typing code, removing the need to type the whole names of functions, variables, and parameters.

Other features:

• CAD drawing import.
• Increased agent-based and system dynamics simulation performance.
• GIS map embedding in presentations.
• Model simulation snapshots.

Agent-based Library

The library was released in AnyLogic 5.4 and enabled users to simplify time, space, network, communication, and presentation management in agent-based models.

The Agent-based Library was built on the agent-based modeling approach. This approach was successfully applied in simulating markets, the behavior of competing companies, supply chains, road traffic, and population, etc. Agent-based models provided insight into the general behavior of a system by assuming the behavior of its elements.

The Agent-based Library is now a part of the AnyLogic Agent palette.

Transport Library

The library, launched in AnyLogic 5.5, was created to capture traffic flows in a model at a physical level. It was applied to simulate vehicle movement in road traffic, at crossroads, and parking places, as well as to collect statistics on throughput.

In combination with the AnyLogic Pedestrian Library components, the Transport Library could be used to examine pedestrian influence on traffic congestion. Car movement was based on embedded or custom traffic laws.

The library was later replaced by the AnyLogic Road Traffic Library.

3D animation

Starting with the fifth version, models could be visualized using 3D animation, which included the following features:

• Basic 3D shapes: sphere, cylinder, cone, torus, triangle, mesh, text, etc.
• Custom shapes created by combining basic shapes.
• Support for surface materials.
• Dynamic lighting.

Experiment framework expansion

In addition to simulation and optimization experiments, the AnyLogic 5.0 simulation framework was expanded with the following:

• Monte-Carlo experiment: allows you to run a simulation several times with stochastic parameters, collect outputs, and represent them on a histogram.
• Sensitivity Analysis experiment: helps you explore how simulation results vary due to changes in model parameters. The model can be executed multiple times, varying one of the parameters, and shows how the simulation output depends on it.
• Parameter variation experiment (released in AnyLogic 5.1): executes a model with different parameters and analyzes how certain parameters affect model behavior. With this experiment, it is easy to configure complex model simulation comprising several single model runs, varying one or more root object parameters.
• Custom experiment: it gives users maximum flexibility when setting parameters and managing simulation runs. An experiment scenario is defined in Java code, written by a modeler.

Custom libraries

Starting with AnyLogic 4.5, users could develop a set of reusable active objects for a particular application area, package them, and save them as a custom AnyLogic library. These libraries could then be exported and reused.

Optimization experiment

In AnyLogic 4.5, optimization was added to the modeling environment and remains in the current experiment framework. When running the experiment, users could discover model parameters that corresponded to the best possible solution. Optimization experiment helped with observing system behavior under certain conditions, as well as improved the system performance.

AnyLogic optimization was developed and is still built on top of OptQuest, a state of the art optimization engine created by the OptTek company. Experienced users can use the AnyLogic engine API to control model replications, organize parameter variation, and implement custom optimization algorithms.

Compatibility with Stat::Fit

Starting with AnyLogic 4.5, the program provided the ability to input data from Stat::Fit, a comprehensive distribution fitting software. Stat::Fit takes raw data and gives it an appropriate distribution. The distribution is then formatted for and input directly to AnyLogic.

Setting standards

AnyLogic was the first agent-based simulation environment, as the models had a hierarchical structure, which consisted of communicating active objects (later known as “agents”). AnyLogic employed UML-RT structure diagrams to build hierarchical models in an object-oriented way, and hybrid statecharts, or hybrid state machines, for object behavior specification. Altogether, this enabled object encapsulation, the separation of system structure and behavior, and inheritance.

Interoperability

AnyLogic models had open architecture and could interoperate with office or corporate software. Users could extend a model’s functionality by inserting Java code, creating custom object classes, and adding state logic and continuous behavior to make models more scalable and flexible. The model could be exported from AnyLogic as a Java-applet and run in a web browser.

AnyLogic was presented to an audience for the first time at the Winter Simulation Conference in 2000 and it received a great response.