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Donald Harkins asked Donald Harkins commented

Question regarding combining

Hello all!


I have a question regarding batching in FlexSim. I'm attaching a screenshot of my model as well as the file name that I uploaded to FlexSim's share site. Essentially the model produces 4 types of items at different times, and I want the items to combine into 1, after the items leave the QA processors. I don't know if it would be better to use a combiner for this but I'm just trying to get some more insight here, and if there is any custom logic I would need to add to the model, whether it's a queue and batching or just using a combiner. Thank you!


File name:FlexSim Question #1 Donald Harkins 8-4-22.fsm


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FlexSim 22.2.0
queuebatchingcombining
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1 Answer

Kavika F avatar image
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Kavika F answered Kavika F commented

Hey @Donald H, a combiner sounds like what you're looking for. Here's an example of one I made with your model.

combiner-demo.gif

Once items are finished at QA, they get sorted into queues based on type. The combiner will take in a flowitem to carry the items (i.e., the source at the top that spawns pallets into the combiner). Then it will take in a certain number of flowitems from each incoming port (1 from each in this case). Once the requirements have been met, it will process the pallet and send it off.


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Donald Harkins avatar image Donald Harkins commented ·

Hey Kavika,


Thank you for the answer! I do have one minor question regarding the combiner, there has to be a source as the first connection?

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Kavika F avatar image Kavika F ♦ Donald Harkins commented ·
It doesn't have to be. The first port connection into a Combiner will assume that whatever comes in from there is the "pallet" or thing to be stacked on. You could have a bunch of totes somewhere in your model feeding into the combiners on a schedule if that works better. Here are the docs for the Combiner if you want to read more.
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Donald Harkins avatar image Donald Harkins Kavika F ♦ commented ·
Thank you! I asked that question because when I first had it as such with a queue as the first connection the combiner would look weird and it would have 2 of my items with different types kind of stacked on top of eachother, if that makes sense? But now my model works as desired. Thank you so much Kavika!
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