By doing the CADSIM Plus Tutorial exercises, you can complete your first simple flowsheet balance in just a few hours. In a few days of practice, you can be fairly proficient at creating and developing more complex flowsheets. Advanced dynamic modelling  may take significantly longer to master, but we are here to help!

Aurel Systems offers several training options that include on-site training courses for small groups and one-on-one web-based training (by the hour) to assist you in getting up to speed, while working on a project of your choice.

CADSIM Plus has thousands of sophisticated features. As you take on additional challenges (such as advanced process control, dynamic simulation, optimization, logic and online linking to other programs) you will continue to learn new techniques and master new tools. Aurel's just-in-time and just-enough training can assist you when you are ready to tackle a new modeling challenge.

• You can purchase a single CADSIM Plus license.
• You can purchase 2 or more CADSIM Plus licenses in one transaction at progressively discounted pricing.
• You can lease individual licenses of CADSIM Plus for quarterly periods (minimum 3 months).
• Long term and corporate-wide leases are available at significant discounts.

There is no trial version of CADSIM Plus available at this time. However, there are a couple of ways that you can evaluate CADSIM Plus at little or no cost to you:

• Contact Aurel to arrange a live demonstration of CADSIM Plus via the web. Demonstrations are customized to cover your specific process simulation and modelling questions.
• Arrange a short-term (3 month) lease. We will refund part of your short-term lease cost (before taxes) against the purchase price if you decide to buy a CADSIM Plus license immediately following or during your lease period.

Aurel and its representatives make every effort to ensure that your pre-sales questions are answered, and that you choose the CADSIM Plus tools that are right for you. However, if you are not completely satisfied with your CADSIM Plus purchase, simply return the software and copy protection device to Aurel within 30 days of receipt and we will cancel your Net 30 invoice. Please note that there is no money-back guarantee on leases.

One year of maintenance and support is included with a CADSIM Plus license purchase. You can purchase a renewal of your CADSIM Plus support and maintenance plan after the first year. CADSIM Plus leases include support and maintenance for the duration of the lease.

• Support includes telephone and e-mail support for technical questions pertaining to the installation and operation of the CADSIM Plus software. Note that chemical engineering support is not included, but is available on an hourly basis at extra cost.
• Maintenance includes the regular posting of program updates on Aurel's update server, which are available via the built-in program updater. Updates are minor releases which address reported issues in the current version of the software.
• Maintenance also includes any program upgrades that may be released by Aurel during the support period. Upgrades are major version releases that include program enhancements and improvements.

Aurel endeavors to answer all e-mail support questions within 24 hours. E-mail support is generally preferred, because it is helpful for us to receive a sample model and detailed description from the client, so that we can quickly and accurately assess the user's modeling problem.

In some cases, a support request may result in the issue of a program update. Program updates may be made available to the client as soon as 24 hours following problem diagnosis.

Yes. There are a number of different versions and options for CADSIM Plus. These include:

• Full version - can be used to create and run simulation models
• Runtime version - allows you to run the simulation, but not to change the simulation model
• Optional Module Libraries - these include Fiber, Power, Hydrocarbon Processing and Hydrocarbon Physical Properties (1200 components), Mineral (zinc processing)

There is no specific network-enabled version of CADSIM Plus. There is a network copy protection system for CADSIM Plus that allows a multi-user key to be installed on a server. For best performance, the software is installed locally on the client workstation.

Yes, a hardware key is required to run CADSIM Plus. We use the Sentinel/HASP hardware key, which has the following advantages: CADSIM Plus software does not require activation and does not brand itself to a specific computer. There is no limit to the number of times that your copy of CADSIM Plus can be installed. USB keys can be used either on a network server (shared) or directly on a workstation

Keys can be installed on a network server or peer computer, along with a small HASP License Manager program. On a network, a key can provide copy protection for a pre-programmed number of simultaneous users, who have access from anywhere on your network.

CADSIM Plus software is installed locally on each CADSIM Plus workstation. Aurel does not restrict the number of installations of CADSIM Plus and does not require activation. The number of simultaneous users is governed by the shared key. Shared keys can be set up so that they can be accessed via a WAN.

At this time, CADSIM Plus supports Windows Vista, Win 7, Win 8x and Win 10.

You can run CADSIM Plus on any typical business-class Windows workstation. Typical recommended memory would be 2Gig of RAM (or more) for Windows Vista, Win 7 Win 8x or Win 10. Storage requirements are 100MB for program files and 65MB for data files.

There is a strong advantage to choosing one or more high-resolution monitors (suitable for CAD) or a notebook computer with a 17" high-resolution screen. For example, a 24 inch, 1920 x 1200 pixel, UXGA monitor would be ideal. At this time, CADSIM Plus does not require any type of database server support.

There are a number of ways to share your CADSIM Plus simulation drawings and simulation results with others:

• If the other party has the full or runtime versions of CADSIM Plus, they can run your simulation model and print results (subject to some version restrictions).
• If the other party has downloaded and installed a demo version of CADSIM Plus, they can view and print the drawing and run it for a limited number of iterations (900).
• You can export the CADSIM Plus drawing, along with markups, in any of the following formats using the built-in ViewCompanion Pro drawing export utilities:
  • AutoCAD DXF or DWF
  • Adobe Acrobat PDF or PostScript
  • HPGL
  • PNG
  • JPG
  • PNG
• You can use a built-in export utility to create an AutoCAD script file that can be run in AutoCAD to build a complete AutoCAD drawing that is a replica of your CADSIM Plus drawing.
• You can use a built-in export utility to create an Intergraph/Microstation design file that can be imported into Microstation.

Yes. You can use the built-in export utility to create an AutoCAD script file that can be run in AutoCAD to build a complete AutoCAD drawing that is a replica of your CADSIM Plus drawing.

...and what communication protocols does CADSIM Plus support?

CADSIM Plus supports DDE, COM and OPC communication protocols. Currently, CADSIM Plus can act as an OPC DA client. It can pull data from other sources (such as Excel or a mill historian) and put simultion data back. This is very useful when combined with our Dynamic Data Reconciliation (DDR) and Optimization features to create online applications for various purposes that can run in parallel to a 'live' process.