Combiner loaded fully before next combiner receives parts? Same for unloading...

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Elena Haviland asked May 17, '17 Elena Haviland answered May 19, '17

Combiner loaded fully before next combiner receives parts? Same for unloading...

In the attached model, I have 10 combiners in a series that represent 3D printers. AGVs deliver 3 items to every combiner to process. The customer wants to have Combiner #1 to receive all 3 items so it can start processing before Combiner #2 gets its first item. So then Combiner #2 would get its 3 items and start processing and further down the line.

The same thing would happen in reverse. When Combiner#1 is finished, the AGVs would prioritize unloading all 3 items from Combiner #1, re-loading combiner #1 with 3 new items so it can restart printing. Then the AGVs support any other combiners.

I'm not sure how to implement this logic. Any help would be appreciated.

m-line-transport-concept-d.fsm

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agv combiner

m-line-transport-concept-d.fsm (52.8 KiB)

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Sam Stubbs ♦ commented · May 19, 2017 at 01:12 PM

How confident are you with Process Flow? Because I feel that controlling the tasks of the AGVs to load and unload in a specific order / sequence can best be accomplished using Process Flow.

If you set up the load and unload process, you could have the AGVs tied to a group and then connect that group to a Resource, so that when 1 of each of the items enters the queue, you acquire 3 AGVs to pick up the 3 and drop them off altogether on the first combiner then second etc.

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Answer 1 · 2017-05-19T18:17:09Z

Elena Haviland answered May 19, '17

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I am not familiar with process flow yet. I just started using FlexSim this week and have jumped in the deep end with my first model. I will get training in July to include Process Flow so I'll leave applying this type of logic for after that training. It's good to know this can be done, but I just need more experience.

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