Batching/Unbatching Work Orders

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Manocher Djassemi asked Jan 15, '18 Manocher Djassemi commented Aug 10, '18

Batching/Unbatching Work Orders

I am somewhat familiar with Flexsim 3D modeling but like to use ProcessFlow for modeling a complex logic. Attached in my first model. The arriving items are batched into work orders:

Work Order 1: part types 1,2,3

Work Order 2: part types 4,5

Work Order 3: part types 6,7,8,9

Work Order 4: part types 10

All part types belong to a work order (batch) are processed back to back before the parts in the next work order are processed. So, I have used Batch function to batch and unbatch work orders before and after a process. I am not sure whether the Batch function is capable in meeting such modeling need. If it is, how to set the “Batch Quantity” such that all part types belong to a work order are batched together?

Also, in Run mode, the tokens do not flow beyond the first queue (List) node.

Any help will be appreciated.

Software Version:

FlexSim 17.0.11

batching unbatching

workorderbatching.fsm (31.7 KiB)

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Manocher Djassemi commented · Aug 10, 2018 at 06:31 PM

@Jeff Nordgren

Hello Jeff

I have a question about this model/PF that you posted while ago. In your explanation, you mentioned: "After the batch is processed and is all in the post processing queue, I delete all of the flowitems that were created at the beginning of the sub flow." If these "flowitems" are those created at "Source-Push Orders", shouldn't they flow to the next process (sub-flow) instead of be destroyed? These are items (parts) that should be destroyed after their last operation at workcenter 145 not an at an earlier workcenter. And, they don't seem to be puller tokens, created at "Source-Pull Order" which destroyed at Sink activity. Would you clarify this? Thanks

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Answer 1 · 2018-01-22T17:23:01Z

Jeff Nordgren answered Jan 22, '18 Manocher Djassemi commented Feb 1, '18

@Manocher Djassemi

I hope that I understood what you were wanting. I took what you already had in your model and did some modifications to it. I'm sure that there is more than one what that this can be done. So if there is someone else out there who can give you a better solution or consolidate the PF that I came up with, I more than welcome that.

In your model I deleted the Source because you already had that setup in your PF. I also added a Queue in front of and after each processor. This is so that each flowitem would process separately back to back. And I also used each Processor for the processing times for each flowitem. It is easier to handle there than to try and use the PF Delay. It could probably be done that way in PF but much easier to do with an actual Processor object. And you can visually see what is happening in the model as well.

In general, this is how the PF works. It creates the work orders and pushes them to the Part List. Then there is another Source that Pulls items off of the Part List with the same intervals as the Push Orders Source. This is so that the model is not waiting to pull from the List.

After pulling from the Part List, I assign the same labels from the Push Orders Source to the newly created tokens. Then I batch the items being pulled from the list into work orders. I should note here that to know exactly how many items should be batched together, I created a global table called WorkOrders that has the total number of items in each work order without regard to part types. After a batch is complete, I send them to a sub flow that will process them through the Processor. After the batch is processed and is all in the post processing queue, I delete all of the flowitems that were created at the beginning of the sub flow. I did this because I'm not sure what should be done with them at this point. The PF then will re-batch them before sending them to the next processor. And so on and so on.

Take a look at the model and see if a solution like this will work for you. If you have any questions or problems, please let us know.

Thanks, and sorry for the delay in getting this back to you. It was, somewhat of a challenge.

workorderbatching-jn2.fsm

workorderbatching-jn2.fsm (43.7 KiB)

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Manocher Djassemi commented · Jan 28, 2018 at 05:35 PM

Thanks a lot. This helps me to evolve the model that I am envisioning.

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