Wait for each of pallets to arrive at Queue

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hermione12 asked Jan 4, '23 Felix Möhlmann answered Jan 5, '23

Wait for each of pallets to arrive at Queue

Hi I have a model where pallets containing certain items are first separated and the items enter the "Entry_Buffer". There are 3 pallets with P1, P2 , P3 and they all arrive only when items exit from "Type1" and "Type2". In this example, an item type(Type1/Ty[pe2) from source enters into the combiner4, then the combiner pulls the specific amount of Type1 variant from "Type1" buffer. Once when the Type1 gets consumed. P1 pallet will come and drop items, after that P2 comes and then P3(all these of Type1).

few required quantities are moved from one buffer to another. So when P1 arrives and drops its items. I want it to wait before getting consumed in the target quantity. It has to wait until P1,P2 and P3 arrive and then the combiner will repeat the same cycle of combining the items.

also when items from P!,P2,P3 enter the "Entry_Buffer". It should refer to Move_Qty_type1 table and should only move that much of the quantity.

How to make the buffer wait until all the three pallets dump their items?

Please help me how to do this?items.fsm

Software Version:

FlexSim 20.0.10

items

items.fsm (51.2 KiB)

· 2

Kavika F ♦ commented · Jan 04, 2023 at 09:48 PM

Hey @hermione12, I have an improvement to your model and a few more questions. The improvement is that you need to update your "Pull From List" activities to Query the specific ItemName you want. If you add "ItemName" as a label in the list then setup a query like the one below, you should see the correct Types being pulled.

My questions:

You have boxes being made with ItemName A1-A10, but you also have pallets being made at Source7 with names A1-A3; what is the meaning of the names?
To clarify, before any boxes enter Combiner4, you want P1, P2, and P3 to have completely entered Entry_buffer; correct?
From the looks of your Source7 Arrival Schedule, it seems that you want to process Type1 items first, then a batch of Type2, and then switch back to Type1; is this correct?

Thank you for your clarification.

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1672868740151.png (36.0 KiB)

hermione12 Kavika F ♦ commented · Jan 04, 2023 at 10:23 PM

@Kavika F Response to your questions :

1) I am sorry for the naming convention. I have just given the names for items entering combiner4. The names are just an example but the Type column is important.

2) On model Run, initially in the "Type1 buffer there will be few quantities required for Type1 variant entering the Combiner4. My logic is that, an item with Type1 enters Combiner 4 then from the Type1 buffer the quantities in it will be pulled and combined together. Once the Type1 buffer is empty. I am going to order quantities as mentioned in global tables( which are in pallet) this logic is not included in the model (I am going to just check once the item enters entry buffer and leaves the Type1 buffer.... then I will order quantities which are on pallet) .

Once I order the said quantities. The pallets P1 P2 and P3 will be brought to the Entry buffer... So when an Item with Type1 enters Combiner4 and P1 has already been reached. It is still waiting for P2 and P3 to reach. I do not want to move quantity to Type1 buffer because all the quantities from P1 pallet will be consumed and the Combiner will show as Collecting. So I want to restrict this until P1 P2 and P3 enters the Move quantity of certain quantities from entry buffer to Type 1 buffer should not happen.

(I apologize if this is confusing, I have tried to explain as much as I can)

3) yes this works like a production schedule. I am not sure if Type1 enters first or Type2 will enter. That is the reason I have kept initially few quantities on Type2 buffer and if the next entering item is also Type2 then I will order quantities based on availability using pallets same as Type 1( this is in my larger model which I cannot share).

Basically th first items entering combiner4 as Type 1 or Type2 is a production schedule and the sequence may vary.

Please help

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Answer 1 · 2023-01-05T09:55:59Z

Felix Möhlmann answered Jan 5, '23

I changed your model to include the improvement @Kavika F mentioned: Having the buffers pull the correct items by their name.

To delay the movement of items from the entry buffer to the type buffers, I simply placed "Batch" activities in front of the "Move Object" activity. These hold the tokens until all tokens from the respective loop are present. The batch quantity is given as a label that is assigned in the sources.

Additonally I altered the Process Flow so that the tokens will then wait until their respective items have left the buffer before they try to pull new ones. Previously they would move new items whenever any new item exited Source7, so a type 2 item would trigger the movement of type 1 components.

I also added the trigger option to update the combiner component list when an item enters through port 1. And I changed those items to pallets, so it is easier to visually track how the combiner works.

You mentioned that you do not want the combiner to enter the "collecting" state (why? It would allow you to distinguish idle time (no items from source7) from lost time due to missing components). The combiner will enter this state as soon as the container item enters through port 1. So you would have to reset the state if not all components were immediately available. This can also be done in the Process Flow.

(I also changed Source8 to use an arrival schedule, so you can immediately see how the combiner is waiting for the required number of items before its input is opened)

MoveItemsByBatch.fsm

moveitemsbybatch.fsm (57.5 KiB)

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