I have a combiner being fed by 3 sources. Input 1 is the object the other parts will be joined into.
From the two sources (inputs 2 and 3) I need a total of three items. It doesn't matter which input (2 & 3) any quantity comes from, I just need three total.
Currently, I have to specify in the properties the target quantity to receive from those inputs.
Input 1 = 1 part (the packing)
Input 2 AND/OR 3 = 3 total.
How may I accomplish this?
Consider not using the combiner - here's another approach based on just part quantities: Opportunistic Combiner - although if your case is really as simple as it sounds, that approach might be overkill for your purpose.
You put a queue behind your queues 2, 3 and in front of your combiner. This new queue gets a capacity of one. Both queues can send items in it. And this new queue sends item into your combiner.
If you don’t want to see this logical needed object, then make it invisible.
I COULD do without the visual aspect. It's the transport time I need from each machine to the combiner. They're laid out according to our current floor plan to model current state vs future cell design.
Along with that, they have another task about 12ft away they have to break away to to feed the line to those machines. So I need that one operator to be able to break to that as necessary.
I'm thinking I need to use PF and use the operator as a shared resource between those tasks. But I'm not sure if that's the best route or how to set up the resource inside of task lists. I haven't messed with resources much.
It'd be easier if there was an option on the combiner to do a round robin or FIFO type pull from its inputs until it reaches a total required number of parts instead of explicitly stating the number if parts from each input.
The simplest solution for this particular case might be to push the components to a list and then move them directly to the combiner using a moveobject activity - by default these will (iirc) enter on the lowest open port - so if you've already received the 'anchor' part to which the others will be assembled, then they will enter on port 2, so you can just put the required amount against port 2.
Here's a process flow example which uses a single target component sum.
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