When all operators are utilized, the boxing station can only process one item at a time. However, I would like the boxing station to process two items at a time with the help of operator 2 if and only if operator 2 is idle. In other words, how can I get operator 2 to help operator 3 at the boxing station when operator 2 has idle time.
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You could try to use a dispatcher and juggle the priorities so the tasks are done in the correct order. But I would recommend to offload some of the task creation and dispatching to Process Flow.
Any item that enters the queue before the boxing station causes a token to be created. This token then creates a task sequence in the dispatcher. Once the task hase been given to one of the operators, the Process Flow manages the rest of the workflow up to the point where the item finishes on the processor.
The same happens for items in the labeling queue. Though here the task sequence is always given to Operator2 and has a higher priority.
Thank you. How can I also modify the simulation to show Operator 1 doing both the bender and labeling station while operator 2 & 3 work at the boxing station? A Max of two items at a time can be processed on the boxing station one for each operator. In this scenario Operator 1 sets up the bender machine and while it is processing the flow item, operator 1 goes to the labeling station for the entire labeling process, drops off the item at benders to be process, returns to the bender machine grabs the newly finished item and starts the next item, then returns back to the labeling station to now label the second item. This process recycles for the entire work day: Operator 1 labeling one item while the bender machine he started processes the next item.
If you want a task executer to follow a strict task order I would always suggest to use Process Flow. You can do it by setting priorities for the tasks, but that gets fiddly/complex quite quickly.
There are then still multiple ways to implement the logic. All tasks can be built out completely in Process Flow (like how the transport to the packing station is handled) or you push the task sequences generated by the 3d objects to different partitions of a list. The token then only has to pull a task sequence from the correct partition and dispatch it to the operator. With this, you do have to 'free' the operators working at a station manually though once the task is done (See Setup/Process Finish triggers on bending and labelling station).
In this first scenario, if operator 3 is currently processing a bender I would like Operator 2 to go straight to the boxing station (bypassing dropping off at Benders to be Boxed) and process the current bender himself. My other concern in this scenario is that Operator 2 has a higher throughput than operator 1. Theoretically Operator 2 can only process as many benders as operator 1 can push out.
Then I would handle the transport from the labeling station in Process Flow as well, having two possible destinations depending on the state of operator3.
Why wouldn't the throughput of Operator 2 be higher. He moves the same item more often than Operator 1 does.
How do I get the operators from floating in the air? For some reason their Z position is always elevated to 1 even after I change it to zero and restart the simulation. I am experiencing this problem with all of my FlexSim models.
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