How can I load different numbers of flow items to task executers/ transporters when each transporter can only transport a specific item type?

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sanaz karamimoghaddam asked Sep 12, '16 Joerg Vogel commented Sep 14, '16

How can I load different numbers of flow items to task executers/ transporters when each transporter can only transport a specific item type?

I have large number of flow items coming to the model based on an arrival schedule. these items are going to be transported from/to two objects on specific transporters. E.g. item type 1 only goes with transporter 1, item type 20 only goes with transporter 20... . On each trip, there might be 1, 2, 3 or more flow items loaded on to the transporter and the transporter should not leave before all of assigned items are arrived and ready to go. The flow item types come in series. (E.g. arrival 1, arrival 2, and arrival 3 are item type 1, arrival 4, and arrival 5 are item type 2, ...). How can I make the transporters wait for the right flow items to arrive and load them and the leave? I would appreciate any comments or references that might can help.

Software Version:

FlexSim 16.2.0

transporter itemtype arrival schedule transporter capacity

Answer 1 · 2016-09-13T11:57:15Z

Raja Sekaran answered Sep 13, '16 Raja Sekaran commented Sep 14, '16

Hi sanaz,

In dispatcher properties page, choose PORT BY EXPRESSION option from Pass To dropdown list and then enter getitemtype(item). Here i have attached the sample model

sample-model.fsm

diapatcher-properies-page.png

diapatcher-properies-page.png (15.9 KiB)

sample-model.fsm (67.2 KiB)

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sanaz karamimoghaddam commented · Sep 13, 2016 at 05:02 PM

Dear Raja, Thank you very much for your response. It was very helpful. Yes this way I can control which item types goes to which transporter. Now I want to be able to delay the transporter until all of the scheduled items of the same type for that one trip are arrived and loaded before it starts to transport the item. Is that an option within transporter or dispatcher logic? or I need to configure it only by Process flow and task sequences? I would appreciate any inputs on this.

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Joerg Vogel sanaz karamimoghaddam commented · Sep 14, 2016 at 05:30 AM

I'm not experienced enough to describe any approach for ProcessFlow, but you can create and dispatch a Utilize-Tasksequence to give a Taskexecuter something to do until all items are available for transport. Then you free the Taskexecuter from the Utilze-Task. The Tasktype and the method is described in:

Users Manual > Task Sequences > Task Sequence Concepts > Operator Task Sequence,
Users Manual > Task Sequences > Task Sequence Types > TASKTYPE_UTILIZE and
Users Manual > Commands > TaskExecuter Object > freeoperators.

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