Setting priority on combiner.

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Harrison Hart asked Sep 22, '16 Jeff Nordgren answered Sep 22, '16

Setting priority on combiner.

baseline-rev-4-combiner-trial.fsmI have a model in which I have 4 flowitems moving from a separator to one of two combiners. I wish to have all four items delivered to the combiner at once and to always be delivered to the combiner on the left.

The combiner on the right should only ever be used when the combiner on the left is already processing.

How best would I be able to make this happen, it is likely that i will be using a coordinated task sequence to transport the goods from the queue to the combiners if that changes anything.

I have attached a copy of my model to this question so that you can get a better feel for the question.

Software Version:

FlexSim 16.2.0

combiner coordinated task sequence prioritization combiner separator priorty

baseline-rev-4-combiner-trial.fsm (26.9 KiB)

Answer 1 · 2016-09-22T20:22:21Z

Sam Stubbs answered Sep 22, '16

Normally using "First Available" would work for the combiners. But because of the logic of how combiners receive items from ports, they receive one item from the batch, it closes it's port until the next task is being sent, but because the port is closed, it automatically goes to the next one (the right combiner.)

However, if you would like the items to move as a single group, rather than batching them, you could convert Queue 4 into a combiner, and combine them into an item that moves as a group. This will fix this issue.

Although, it seems superfluous to separate the four objects only to then combine/batch them again. So unless you have some logic in your model that requires work on the individual items between the time they are "separated" and the time they are combined/batched. I would just remove the combiner and create a single flow item that looks like/ represents the batched items. If you are always moving and treating the group together, just make them a single item.

Answer 2 · 2016-09-22T21:02:25Z

Jeff Nordgren answered Sep 22, '16

@Harrison Hart

Harrison,

Attached is your model with the changes that were made to do what is described by Sam's reply. Which is to replace Queue4 (and Separator3) and replace them with a combiner. This way you could separate them later, if needed. Or you can consider the second option Sam suggests.

baseline-rev-4-combiner-trial-jn1.fsm

The model seems to do what you are describing. Would something like this work for you?

baseline-rev-4-combiner-trial-jn1.fsm (28.2 KiB)

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