question

Hi,

Okay I understand the first point.

I've attached my model as it may make it easier to explain.

I have a dispatcher for the engineers who are only called on machine break down.

There are 4 operators each assigned to a process. When each of these go on their break the 'spare operator' needs to take over. Would I make a dispatcher for the operators then attach the spare to output port 5. Can you clarify what you mean by considering the priority please?

I've done it for operator 1, the operator goes to the break room at 12pm which is correct, but operator X doesn't take over and operator 1 doesn't return from the break room.

Thanks v7.fsm

Hi @Laura H3

I have attached your model with some changes to illustrate the point.

The Mixer combiner was stocking out of Flour and then Trays. This meant that the Mixer was not calling for the Operator or OperatorX. I have changed the Flour and Tray 1 Sources to repeat their schedules so that the stock out does not occur.

Next I changed the output ports from the MixerDispatcher to Operator1 and OperatorX only (with Operator 1 connected to output Port 1 and X to Port 2) , and changed the Mixer Pick Operator rule to Object connected to Center Port 2, rather than directly referencing "Operator 1".

The purpose of the Mixer Dispatcher is to queue up the tasks waiting to be done and pass them to the first available Operator. What happens now is that when Operator 1 goes on a break, and is therefore unavailable, the Dispatcher assigns OperatorX to the processing task at the Mixer.

I have added a new Trigger to the Engineers and OperatorX. The Trigger is On Resource Available, Travel to a Home Location, so when the Engineers and Operator X are not assigned to a job they move out of the way making it easier to see what is going on.

18550-v7-amended.fsm

Hi,

Thanks very much that's really helpful.

Final question, can I connect the operators to the dispatcher where operator X operates from, or do I need a different dispatcher for each?

When I connect operator 2 to the dispatcher, instead of operator X going to the mixer when operator 1 is on break, operator 2 does.

Do you know what to do about this?

Thanks

Hi,

Dispatchers queue up jobs to be done and then assign the jobs to the operators using a rule.

The rule that the Dispatchers follow when assigning jobs is, by default, first available which means that the Dispatcher tries the operator connected to the Dispatchers output port 1 first of all, then whichever is connected to the Dispatcher output Port 2 and so on until it finds an unused operator. You can check and edit which port an Operator is connected to by selecting the Dispatcher's General Tab and then clicking on the Output port list at the bottom of the dialog.

This rule will get confused in your case if you have more than 2 operators connected to a Dispatcher, and I would expect what you describe to happen. To fix this in your model I would have a different Dispatcher for each Operator, with Operator X connected to the Output Port 2 of each Dispatcher.

Hi,

I have a dispatcher for each processor. There are 4 processors but 8 dispatchers as there are as the operators change over. The model works fine when just the first set of 4 dispatchers are connected, but when I try and connect the second set of 4 the model doesn't work.

Do you know how I can get the shift change but still utilisiling operator X?

Thanks

Model: v8.fsm