Seizing an unavailable resource in process flow does not stop item

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Kathryn McNeal asked Oct 11, '16 Sam Stubbs commented Oct 18, '16

Seizing an unavailable resource in process flow does not stop item

In the model attached, there are two processors in the model, but only a single resource available in the process flow. For some reason, items are still going through both processors simultaneously, even if they have not successfully retrieved that resource. I would expect that if a resource is unavailable at the "acquire" step, that the token would stop there, preventing the object that initiated the token from moving forward as well. How do I make both the token AND the object wait until the resource is available?

Software Version:

FlexSim 16.1.2

process flow resource stop object acquire

flexsim-help.fsm (21.1 KiB)

Answer 1 · 2016-10-12T06:54:15Z

Steven Hamoen answered Oct 12, '16 Steven Hamoen commented Oct 12, '16

@Kathryn McNeal There is no link between your processflow resource and the actual resources in your model. Your processflow resource is just numeric and 1 and as you see in your processflow there is only 1 token passing and the other tokens are waiting in the acquire so the model behaves correctly. If you want to link the resource to your 3D model, put both processors in a group and on the resource reference, reference the processor group you just made.

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Kathryn McNeal commented · Oct 12, 2016 at 03:52 PM

I tried to implement this in the attached model, but it still doesn't seem to be working for me. What else am I missing?

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3015-flexsim-help.fsm (21.4 KiB)

Steven Hamoen Kathryn McNeal commented · Oct 12, 2016 at 08:53 PM

@Kathryn McNeal

My solution was not correct because if you acquire a processor resource in the process flow, only then the item in the 3D should pass to the processor and because you had a port connection in the 3D they will also continue in there as well. So either control the flow in process flow or in 3D but not in both.

So I changed the model a little. I removed the link between the queue and the processor and let the moving be done in the process flow. And because processor 6 and 9 are serial you only have to acquire the first processor and release when it passes the last one.

When the flowitem enters the queue, the source generates a token and a label with the item is placed on that token. Next when a processor is available the process flow passes on the item to the processor. And then in the waitonevent activity I made sure that the correct token is released by checking the label. I hope that this model is more what you are looking for.

3044-3015-flexsim-help-tal.fsm

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3044-3015-flexsim-help-tal.fsm (21.9 KiB)

Answer 2 · 2016-10-12T06:56:27Z

David Besson answered Oct 12, '16 Sam Stubbs commented Oct 18, '16

The 3D logic only triggers events in your ProcessFlow logic BUT is not influenced by it in return.

One solution could be to build a SubFlow for the "Pick Operator" field on the Processors (3D logic -> ProcessFlow). Then the SubFlow stops the Processor if no resources are available (ProcessFlow -> 3D logic).

I hope this will help you.

3015-flexsim-help-subflow.fsm

3015-flexsim-help-subflow.fsm (21.4 KiB)

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Kathryn McNeal commented · Oct 12, 2016 at 03:50 PM

I'm trying to implement this concept in a much more complex model where operators are already being used with the processors. I need to model a limited number of molds that are used for 5 consecutive processes before being released. Is there a way to do this without altering the current operator usage?

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