How do I create dispatch orders?

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Jose A10 asked Jun 04 2021 at 3:38 PM Eric M commented Jul 12 2021 at 7:33 PM

How do I create dispatch orders?

Im doing a crossdock simulation, I have my items going through the system and now i want that the items of the shipping order to go to a queue and the others to continue their way through the system. How can i make this? Should I use Process Flow or can i do this with decision points or another element?

Software Version:

FlexSim 21.0.3

flexsim 21.0.3 orders itemflow crossdock

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Eric M commented · Jun 04 2021 at 7:35 PM

Hi @JA10, where are your orders coming from? Are they created by a list or a global table or schedule or something? Either of these methods could work. Using decision points would work if you were able to set a label on the items that are part of the order. If you're using lists, I would probably use process flow.

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Jose A10 Eric M commented · Jun 07 2021 at 3:14 PM

Hello @Eric M. Thats my problem. Now, im in the middle of the simulation process. Until this point all worked out fine, I have 5 different sources. Each one creates a different item, and in a step forward a group of those itens should go to a specific queue, and so on. Now I dont have "orders". My question is about how do I crate them? How can I import an excel sheet or table to create those orders? Using process flow, should i continue using decision points so when the item passes by, redirect it to the queue?

Thank you a lot, Im new at this, I've done a lot ot tutorials but its still hard.

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Eric M Jose A10 commented · Jun 07 2021 at 3:29 PM

Do you want the orders to be randomized or do you have specific orders you're wanting to use? If they're random, I probably wouldn't use a table but would use a source that created tokens with randomized labels for the number of each type of item wanted. Then you can push those values to a list. Here's one example on how you could go about it.

I definitely understand that it can be challenging at first! Also, I might be able to give you more specific help if you post the model that you currently have. That might give me a better understanding of what exactly you're trying to accomplish.

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Jose A10 commented · Jun 07 2021 at 3:35 PM

I want the orders to be specific. Its like a list or orders and i want that the items that fullfil the orders go to a specific queue.

Here it is, the model that i am using. Hope you understand it. The items go down the source, pss by the first decision point. In this model i have different colors per item per source, i was simulating an idea of same colors different forms to a specific queue. It worked without process flow. But now i want to specify orders that are in a list.

Draft_simulação.fsm

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draft-simulacao.fsm (100.5 KiB)

Eric M Jose A10 commented · Jun 07 2021 at 5:59 PM

To be sure I understand, do you want the items to enter the Queues UA_1-6 only if they're part of the same order (ex: order 1 would collect all of its items in UA_1)?

Or do you want to sort them by type into Queues UA_1-6 (like it is now) and then combine an order that uses different numbers of each type in the combiner (ex: each pallet represents a new order, so the combiner will pull a different number of items of each type given that order)?

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Jose A10 Eric M commented · Jun 08 2021 at 10:31 AM

For example, I have the first decision point. The items passing through it, it checks if there is an order that requires this item, if so, forwards it to the queue to which the order is specified. Each queue represents an order. Then the combiner will combine the products in the queue with the pallet.

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Answer 1 · 2021-06-08T21:16:27Z

Eric M answered Jun 08 2021 at 9:16 PM Eric M commented Jun 11 2021 at 3:09 PM

Thanks for your further explanations. I'm attaching a model that shows one way of doing this. I created a table with different orders for each of the different queues (more about importing an excel table here). The basics of how this works are that when items enter the conveyor system, they are pushed to a list using process flow. A token is created for the order and gets some labels assigned to record the order information from the table. A token is created for each item on the order. This token is then used to "pull" an item of the correct type from the list. The items are then sent to the correct bay using process flow.

When they get to the bay, a batch activity is used to make sure the entire order has been collected. The robot is then used to transport the items onto the combiners. When packing is finished, the pallet is moved to the last combiner and to the sink. The token then goes through a decide activity to determine if there are more columns in the table to loop back around and repeat the process.

You will notice that I changed the combiners to queues that look like combiners. This is because combiners have their own logic that I wanted to override using process flow. It's easier to use something that looks like a combiner without the attached logic. Also, the main body of the process flow is done using an instance process flow. In order to understand what's going on, you can delete all of the attached objects except for 1. That way you can follow the tokens through the flow and see what it's doing for one order. When you feel like you understand, you can add the other queues back into the flow.

I tried to make some notes in the process flow as well. Click through each activity and try to understand what's happening. I know this is a lot, so let me know if you have any questions.

draft-simulacao V2.fsm

1623186858614.png (6.6 KiB)

draft-simulacao-v2.fsm (131.2 KiB)

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Jose A10 commented · Jun 10 2021 at 7:59 PM

Hi @Eric M . Thanks a lot for the explanation, that was exactly what i need. I'm still developing the model and I only have one more doubt. What if I want to add another robot? Like a twin robot, doing exacly the same thing as the other. In the process flow, where I choose the task executer it only lets me choose one. How do i do it so I can have two robots satisfying the orders?

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Eric M Jose A10 commented · Jun 10 2021 at 10:54 PM

You should be able to add them to a group and then reference the group instead of the individual robot. You may also have to update the "use transport" box on the queues to reference that group.

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Jose A10 Eric M commented · Jun 11 2021 at 9:57 AM

Yes, thats what I was trying to do. I created a group with robot1 and robot2 but the group in process flow doesnt appear in the dispatcher, for me to choose it. Neither in the use transport box in the quees, thats why I asked the question. But either way thank you for the help, really!

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Answer 2 · 2021-07-12T14:56:03Z

Jose A10 answered Jul 12 2021 at 2:56 PM Eric M commented Jul 12 2021 at 7:33 PM

@Eric M , In the last model, i've already added two robots instead of one. I created a group and a resource activity and they work both all the "UA". How can I define that Robot1 just works with UA_1 UA_2 UA_3 and Robot 2 with UA_4 UA_5 UA_6?

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Answer 3 · 2021-06-28T10:59:47Z

Jose A10 answered Jun 28 2021 at 10:59 AM Jose A10 commented Jun 30 2021 at 8:43 PM

Hello @Eric M , I have a doubt concerning to the model that you helped me a few days ago. I am notifying you because since you helped me with the process flow of the model I think it would be easier for you to understand me and help me if you can.

I connected to the crossdock an ASRS system, to store the items that werent used to fullfill an order. Those items are stored by label ( I used Paint Slot labels and the storage method is by matching labels. created a trigger to distribute the items by the three aisles equaly using round robin). My problem now, i have already tried to create a PF to connect to the other of the crossdocking, but i cant get what I want right. I am trying that the items that when an order needs an item that is stored and is not yet in the conveyor system (coming from the source), the ASRS pull it out of the rack and send it into the conveyor system so the order can be satisfied.

I would be really gratefull if you can help me with this, so my model can work how its supposed to. If you need more explanation just tell me. I will post the current model here if youre willing to help me.

Thank you a lot.

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