Task Executer Movement

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rhorn2 asked Jan 20, '23 rhorn2 commented Feb 8, '23

Task Executer Movement

I believe I finally got the flow of items in the correct order.

I am questioning/debating a few things:

1) Should I have the last Combiner go directly to the task executer? Can the task executer handle holding 6 items/packs? I'm guessing not, which means I need join 6 packs (totes) of 14 sheets (boxes) as 1 item. I have the last Combiner set to join but seems to not create/establish a singular item for movement of the 6 packs/totes. A 7th pack/tote just adds right on.

2) I'm not as familiar with task executors/transporters from my initial training so I'm having trouble setting the task sequence list. I want the task executor to load up the 6 packs (or joined as 1 item/container); move to floor storage in front of it; and unload the item in the floor storage. How do I go about setting that up with Global Lists? Is it just a TSList set up?

My current model is attached.

Thank you for your help.

EDIT: can a joined item (the 1 container of the 6 packs/totes of 14 sheets/boxes) be separated once unloaded by a task executer or transporter? If not, what would be a feasible way to separate the joined item once it is away from the production line.

Thanks again.

Model 1 v2 Carleton.fsm

Software Version:

FlexSim 23.0.0

warehouse task executer

model-1-v2-carleton.fsm (44.2 KiB)

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Attachments: Up to 12 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 23.8 MiB each and 47.7 MiB total.

Andrew O commented · Jan 25, 2023 at 08:57 PM

Hi @rhorn2, was Kavika F's answer helpful? If so, please click the "Accept" button at the bottom of their answer. 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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Answer 1 · 2023-01-20T20:48:15Z

Kavika F answered Jan 20, '23 rhorn2 commented Feb 8, '23

Hey @rhorn2, I think I've got some answers for you. Let me know if you need more clarification.

1) Task Executers (TEs) can hold more than one item at a time. If select a TE and look at the Properties panel on the right, you'll see a "TaskExecuter" section. Under that, there's an option to change the capacity (default is one).

That means you don't have to combine the 6 totes before loading them into the TE.

2) Here's the documentation on Task Executer concepts you can reference. I can give you a brief overview though.

TEs are objects we use to simulate what their name implies - someone/something that performs a set of duties/tasks. A Task Sequence (TS) is a list of tasks a TE will perform in order. For example, when your Queue10 gets filled, your TE receives a TS to perform a number of tasks to deliver the totes to the FloorStorage:

(This screenshot is from the Tree - a view that shows you properties of objects. I'm currently looking at the TE's tree variables, one of which is "activetasksequence", a.k.a. the TS it's currently performing). You can program the logic of TEs through the 3D model and the properties panel (which I referenced earlier) or through Process Flow (or both!).

3) Yes, items can be separated once unloaded. You can either put them through a Separator or write some Process Flow logic to take care of it for you.

As for your model, I've modified it to perform (what I assume is) your expected behavior.

I assume that you wanted 6 full totes to be placed on a pallet. If so, then you had the right idea using a Combiner; however, your connections were in the wrong order. You had the Totes coming in through Port 1 and the pallets coming in through Port 2. A combiner's input connections matter - it expects to receive a pallet/tote/some flowitem that you can stack things on through Port 1. Then it expects X number of items from each other port (defined in the properties panel):

Note: this Components List table will add rows the more input ports it has. If instead you wanted to move all 6 together but keep them separate, then you can remove this Combiner and send them straight to Queue10.

Next, you had the Center Connection between Queue10 and the TaskExecuter1, but you still needed the Output Connection from Queue10 to FloorStorage1. Queue10 is declaring that it wants to send items to FloorStorage1 that way; however, we need to check the "Use Transport" box so then it knows to use our Center Object (the TE).

If you remove batching (since we now have the 6 totes on 1 pallet, thus it thinks it's 1 item), it will load the pallet and move it to the FloorStorage. (The pallet is too big to fit in the FloorStorage slots, so it will throw an error saying it wasn't given a slot).

Here's the other approach: I changed your model a bit so instead of packing all the boxes, Queue9 will batch 6 totes and the TE will load all 6 totes to take to the FloorStorage. There, it will unload each one individually.

(The model is sped up a lot, so it may look like the TE jumps around).

model-1-v2-carleton_1.fsm

1674246790169.png (6.9 KiB)

1674247191861.png (9.6 KiB)

te-load-and-unload.gif (234.8 KiB)

1674245210007.png (13.6 KiB)

1674247783851.png (12.4 KiB)

model-1-v2-carleton-1.fsm (43.6 KiB)

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Attachments: Up to 12 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 23.8 MiB each and 47.7 MiB total.

rhorn2 commented · Feb 02, 2023 at 07:13 PM

Thank you so much for your assistance @Kavika F! Apologies for my late response & acceptance of your answer: bogged down with other work assignments last 2 weeks or so.

I generally understand, and like your logic/thinking, but I do have to have the 6 totes with 14 boxes on 1 pallet. To resolve the issue you brought up about floor storage, I created a 1/1/1 rack (which appears invisible in the model) for the first TE to drop off the pallet. A different TE will then take the totes from the pallet to floor storage.

Current issues:
1) TE labeled as Transporter does not want to pick up the pallet to take it to the rack area; and, therefore (although it may have its own logic problems), the 2nd TE labeled as Sideloader.
2) The sideloader should separate the totes from the pallet 3 totes at a time (a process flow logic that I need to write, possibly need help writing).
3) By observation, I assume that the final empty-looking pallet in Queue labeled as StandTurnTable has all 6 totes but the visual disappears. I am not sure if it is a missed input/logic on my part or that the pallet cannot support, visually, the 6 totes with 14 boxes each.

Any help you or other could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again @Kavika F model-1-v3-carleton.fsm

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model-1-v3-carleton.fsm (48.5 KiB)

Kavika F ♦ rhorn2 commented · Feb 02, 2023 at 08:03 PM

Hey @rhorn2, I'm glad my initial solution helped a bit, and I'd be happy to help you with this problem, but I recommend you post it as a separate question. You can post a reference link back to this post so they stay connected.

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