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sanaz karamimoghaddam avatar image
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sanaz karamimoghaddam asked Sam Stubbs commented

How to make TEs delay at certain points in their path with max capacity of 1, and continue to next location?

Hi everyone,

I have a model in which I want the TEs load items from different stations (these load stations are near each other), then the TEs choose one of the two paths available for travel. When entered a path, they have to delay at certain points on their way to destination. These delay locations can only accept one TE at a time. The TEs will unload the items at destination after making their way through the delay points and return to load location. I have been trying to make the TEs travel through AGV paths. How can I make them choose one of the routes and delay at delay locations?

FlexSim 16.2.0
agvprocess flowtask executors
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1 Answer

Sam Stubbs avatar image
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Sam Stubbs answered Sam Stubbs commented

I think I achieved what you were trying to do by using Process Flow and Zones. In the model attached, I essentially had the TEs travel to the point prior to where I was going to restrict them. (In this case the points of loading and unloading are the restricted netnodes.) Then in the Process Flow activities, I simply had the travel to those nodes isolated in a number restricted zone.

You can see the attached model below.

zonepoints.fsm


zonepoints.fsm (27.0 KiB)
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sanaz karamimoghaddam avatar image sanaz karamimoghaddam commented ·

agvsubprocesssample-2.fsm

Dear @Sam Stubbs, Thank for your answer. I haven't thought of the zones. However, I need the items carry their label information into the process flow, and for that I am using the use transport: Task sequence sub flow to be able to link the items to the tokens. Also, there are more than 20 locks (delay locations) on each route and I want the TEs to wait for the location to get free right beside that location and not the prior restriction point. Right now I was able to model the delays with the AGV paths and it is working with one route. The problem appears when I try to add a second route and let the TE decide which route to travel in by reading a label from items that are being loaded (Sub Flow 2).

It would be great if I could send the item to the designated control points on the two routes based on the route label on the items. I would appreciate if you could suggest a solution for this, using the AGV paths that I have, or with the method of zones that you suggested. I am attaching a sample of my model here.

Also If there is a way that I can implement the delays on the path itself and not the process flow Please let me know.

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agvsubprocesssample-2.fsm (31.8 KiB)
Sam Stubbs avatar image Sam Stubbs ♦ sanaz karamimoghaddam commented ·

Getting the item's label into Process Flow isn't too difficult. Any Event Triggered Source or Wait For Event activity that's listening to objects in the 3D model have the option to assign the object (item) triggering the event to a label on the token. For example, I could have an Event Triggered Source that listens to an OnLoad activity of an AGV. Then when that Load event triggers I can assign a reference to the item being loaded to a label on my token. Then I can reference the item and any labels on it as well.

As for your "locked" points along the AGV path I'm not sure the best way to handle those. But I've "bumped" this question back up for visibility. Perhaps someone else on the forum has a better idea on how to accomplish this.

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