[ewilliams]

I respectfully disagree with the statement "Arena is the best simulation software" when that statement is made flatly without reference to context. Some important contexts in a real-world simulation project are: (a) how much money can be spent on the software? (b) how important is modeling power? (c) how important is ease-of-use [there is typically a trade-off between (b) and (c)] (d) how important is high-quality 3D animation? (e) is the system to be modeled fundamentally a push or a pull system? (f) must material-handling equipment be modeled in detail? (g) must the simulation software chosen for use handle input data analysis and output analysis of results itself, or is a separate statistical package available? (h) is it important that the software chosen be one an available analyst has familiarity with from university studies? (i) must conveyors be modeled in detail? Etc. There are no doubt many more "et ceteras" that other posters can contribute!