How do I limit the number of items created by source?

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night asked Oct 12, '23 Miru commented Jul 25, '24

How do I limit the number of items created by source?

I am aware that normally you would use either the arrival sequence or the arrival schedule to set the arrivals. Which makes use of the table.
But I would like to have random intervals but of a set number of flow items.
I am trying to do a simulation given a set number of flow items how long I would need to clear this amount by adjusting various elements such as including the number of workers, while keeping it realistic by having random intervals.

Software Version:

FlexSim 23.1.3

source

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Answer 1 · 2023-10-12T11:10:55Z

Felix Möhlmann answered Oct 12, '23 Miru commented Jul 25, '24

Either use the schedule or sequence to create a fixed number of items in bulk. Then distribute their arrival in the system by first running them through a processor with random process time.

Or use the inter-arrival mode and close the output of the source in a trigger (On Creation or On Exit most likely) once the target quantity of items has been created.

current.stats.output.value > x      // As condition in the "Close And Open Ports" pick option

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night commented · Oct 13, 2023 at 08:50 AM

Sorry for the very beginner questions, I would not be using the schedule nor the sequence method since my items are in large shapes and large quantities. I am choosing the second method where I will close the output of the source in a trigger. So I have set a On exit trigger where I assume this is where I will stop the output if the items created have reached a number say 3 ( for testing). But currently I have a parsing error and from previous experience this means that the variable is wrong. How do i fix this then?

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Felix Möhlmann night commented · Oct 13, 2023 at 09:34 AM

Most objects in FlexSim track their input and output, the source included. The most straightforward way to read the number of outputs of an object is the expression I already included in my answer.

object.stats.output.value

Here "object" is a placeholder for a pointer reference to the object whose output you want to read. In trigger functions the object they are defined on can generally always be accessed through the variable current. The stop output option uses this as the default value for the Object field, for example, as shown in your screenshot (the output of current will be closed).

So to read the output value, you can swap in current into the expression above and use it as the condition to close the output.

current.stats.output.value >= 3

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night Felix Möhlmann commented · Oct 13, 2023 at 11:09 AM

Thanks, doing this I can limit the output, but the value has to be 1 less than the actual value i am going for. It also turns out that there was a similar question posted by someone. https://answers.flexsim.com/questions/64649/modify-the-source-output.html

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Miru commented · Jul 25 at 08:42 PM

Thank you....Its useful for me tooo ⁠

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1721940153636.png (1.2 KiB)

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