Use a single transporter to "deliver" flowitems to multiple queues

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Adam J asked Mar 10, '19 tannerp commented Mar 29, '19

Use a single transporter to "deliver" flowitems to multiple queues

Hope you all fine and dandy.

I'm wondering how can I use the same transporter in a way that it will transport flow items from a source to 2 points ( queues) which has a required amount of items ? I linked it to the two queues but it doesn't seem to work it just transports them from the source to the first queue and totally ignore the second one or just deliver to the first one and returns to the source to pick others items and goes to the second points. I want that transporter to load a determined quantity of items and delivers a " percentage" to the first point and the rest to the second one. Any idea how should I do? Thanks in advance

Software Version:

FlexSim 18.0.8

transporters

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Joerg Vogel commented · Mar 10, 2019 at 11:08 AM

From what you describe I think process flow would be the best approach. You place the objects into a 3D model and do all action in process flow as you describe it in your question. You create several items in a queue. You load them into a taskexecuter, let travel a taskexecuter to a queue unload some of the items, let the taskexecuter travel to another queue unload another part and start again the process.

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Answer 1 · 2019-03-10T16:49:27Z

Joerg Vogel answered Mar 10, '19 Joerg Vogel commented Mar 10, '19

Based on my comment you find two models attached. Therein the second sub process flow call defines how many items are unloaded to the first destination queue. Currently it is a random amount of the complete loaded items. You can exchange the statistical discrete uniform distribution by a constant value matching the desired percentage. The first "simple" variant contains the algebraic solution to identify the items from an array to unload. The "array methods" set the labels to unload by methods of the array class.

This is a simple process flow model. All action is done by process flow.

This process flow uses direct references chosen by the sampler tool from the 3D model. It misses some resources, you would add if you build a model straight from the tutorials. I left this because I wanted to show, that Process Flow controls a model like you describe it by text.

deliver-2-destinations-simple.fsm

deliver-2-destinations-array-methods.fsm

transport-items-2-destination-3d-pf.jpg (41.0 KiB)

transport-items-2-destination-pf.jpg (71.1 KiB)

deliver-2-destinations-simple.fsm (25.4 KiB)

deliver-2-destinations-array-methods.fsm (25.9 KiB)

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Joerg Vogel commented · Mar 10, 2019 at 04:59 PM

Some more hints to the models: You find the attribute "creationRank" without being mentioned in the manual. It is taken from the source code editor header variable declaration. You find sometimes important variables or constants in the source code headers. I recommend to look into the parchment roll icon of triggers or process flow activities fields. Maybe you have to look into the options of an activity field and choose "Code Editor" to see the header. You haven't to write direct source code, but the declared variables make it easier to set the fields in the activities.

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Answer 2 · 2019-03-10T15:58:13Z

Clair A answered Mar 10, '19

Take a look at the Send to Port parameter in your Source. By default it sends the flowitems to the First Available output port. There are a lot of other pickoptions available. The one you are looking for is probably Random > By Percentage.

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