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Michael C20 avatar image
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Michael C20 asked Andrew O commented

Stop a queue accepting certain label types based on quantity?

Hi,

Is it possible to stop a queue accepting items from a combiner once a certain number has been reached?

Thanks

FlexSim 22.1.3
batch processing
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Felix Möhlmann avatar image Felix Möhlmann commented ·

To give a relevant answer some more information would be good to know.

- Should the input stop when there is a certain number currently in the queue or when a certain number has been received in total (while items are continuously leaving the queue)?

- Under what condition would the input resume (quantity falling below threshold, quantity falling to 0, ...) ?

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Michael C20 avatar image Michael C20 Felix Möhlmann commented ·

Hi Felix,

The intended process being:

6 material schedules with a daily requirement of some of them processing less than what is delivered.

for example a delivery of 4 batches of 150 with a requirement to process 3. Label would be 'A' for example.

Once the 3 batches are processed, I would like the material to no longer be called to queue, and concentrate on the other remaining materials until they too have fulfilled there daily requirements.

So basically, to answer your questions.

The input shouldnt stop, it should move on to the next material.

I've uploaded a sim

Production_sim_240822 V15

Thanks

Michael


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Andrew O avatar image Andrew O commented ·

Hi @Michael C20, was one of Felix Möhlmann's or Jason Lightfoot's answers helpful? If so, please click the "Accept" button at the bottom of the one that best answers your question. Or if you still have questions, add a comment and we'll continue the conversation.

If we haven't heard back from you within 3 business days we'll auto-accept an answer, but you can always unaccept and comment back to reopen your question.

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Felix Möhlmann avatar image
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Felix Möhlmann answered

In general, to filter the input of an object you can either use process flow to control the material flow or have the object "Pull" the items, so the "Pull Requirement" can be used to restrict which items can be pulled.

In this case, you could define two array labels on the queue. One determines the target quantity of each type and the other how many items of each type were already received. (I would recommend to use numerical type values rather than letters, so they can directly be used as the index to find the correct value in the array. If the rest of the process uses the letters, I would still create a numerical label and map each type value to a number.)

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Jason Lightfoot avatar image
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Jason Lightfoot answered Jason Lightfoot edited

I would use a process flow with lists to create a kanban type call system where 3 cards for the product are put on the list and are taken off as they're produced. As the product is despatched and the finished stock is depleted you put the card for that product back on the list - causeing another batch to be produced. You need to control what goes into the presses to limit production of a certain type, not what goes into the despatch queues.

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Michael C20 avatar image Michael C20 commented ·
Hi Jason,

I've looked at process flows, but as you witnessed already the skills are low.

Would this fit into my set-up, I'd be hesitant to attempt it if jeopardized how it currently processes.

Thanks

Michael

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Jason Lightfoot avatar image Jason Lightfoot ♦ Michael C20 commented ·

It would require some reworking.

An alternative would be to put a new pull requirement on combiner before the presses which check the finished stock and only pull types that are below the stock level. This is like Felix's approach but you'll be checking on a downstream object which is dependant on which type is trying to get to the processor.

You can access the finished queues using this sort of syntax in a trigger on the press:

current;  // the press
current.outObjects[1];   // gives you the Unload combiner
current.outObjects[1].outObject[n]; //gives you one of the queues on the unloader's nth output port.

The problem with this is that you don't have a the port numbers to look up which finished queue to check stock. Better would be to have a map so you can just look up 'A' as the product and it gives you "queuexyz" whose content you can then check.



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Michael C20 avatar image Michael C20 Jason Lightfoot ♦ commented ·

To be honest, based on how long it took me to get to this point, i feel reworking the process for kanban (which would be ideal) might not be worth the sleepless nights!

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