GoldSim Extension Modules

Although the standard features incorporated within GoldSim can be used to build powerful and complex models, it was realized from the outset of the development of GoldSim that in some situations, specialized features may be required in order to efficiently model some kinds of systems. As a result, GoldSim was designed to readily facilitate the incorporation of additional modules (program extensions) to enable the program to address specialized problems.

Five extension modules are available:

• The Distributed Processing Module allows you to utilize multiple processors (linked over a network such as a LAN or even the Internet) to carry out probabilistic simulations of a system. Such a feature greatly facilitates probabilistic simulation of highly complex systems (in which a single realization may take many minutes or even hours). This module comes in two versions: Distributed Processing (allows up to 4 processors) and Distributed Processing Plus (unlimited number of processors).

• The Dashboard Authoring Module provides a set of tools that allow a GoldSim modeler to design and construct a "dashboard" interface for models. The interfaces can be designed to look like "dashboards" or "control panels", with buttons, gauges, sliders and display panels, and the author can imbed instructions, tool-tips and graphics to provide instructions on the use of the model. Such an interface allows a model to be easily used by someone without requiring them to be familiar with either the GoldSim modeling environment or the details of the specific model.

• The Reliability Module allows you to probabilistically simulate the reliability of complex engineered systems over time. GoldSim provides the ability to model the interdependence of components through requirements and fault trees, as well as the capability to define multiple independent failure modes for each component.

• The Financial Module allows you to probabilistically simulate financial systems that include components such as accounts and funds, investments, options, projects or undertakings with specified cash flows, and insurance policies. By combining the specialized financial elements in the Financial Module with GoldSim's underlying probabilistic, dynamic simulation framework, you can quickly simulate and analyze complex financial systems, as well as complex engineering and business systems that have a financial component.

• The Contaminant Transport Module consists of specialized elements for representing contaminant species, transport media, transport pathways, contaminant sources, and receptors, and the coupled sets of differential equations underlying these systems. By linking these environmental elements together (and integrating them with GoldSim's basic elements), you can build simple and complex contaminant transport simulations.

Your license determines which of these program extensions are available to you. Three of the modules (Dashboard Authoring, Distributed Processing and Financial) are automatically be included in your version of GoldSim. Others can be purchased separately (Contaminant Transport, Reliability, Distributed Processing Plus). You can view the modules that are available with your copy of GoldSim by selecting Model| Options from the main menu and selecting the Modules tab.

Note: Each module has a separate User’s Guide (and Help topics).