Find a Storage Slot Query for Storage based on SKU

Question

question

Amit Kulkarni asked Apr 22, '20 Amit Kulkarni commented May 19, '20

Find a Storage Slot Query for Storage based on SKU

Hello, @anthony.johnson, @Regan Blackett

I am trying to understand the queries used to find a storage slot for storage based on SKU.

In the attached model, there are 2 racks where flow items should be placed in a particular bay channel based on SKU. Each rack has a label "Active" with value 1 and 2 corresponding to that rack. I am using 2 queries to see how it affects the slot finding. If a flow item is not able to find a slot, it should go to a sink.

If only Query 1 is used, I get the desired behavior on both racks, i.e. each bay channel has the same SKU flow item. Also, flow items keep appearing in the rack even though the max capacity of the rack is reached.

That being said, I was trying to see if I could query a particular rack using the assigned label in case the storage strategy called for mixed SKU storage, hence Query 2. Also, I have a feeling that it is not the right query.

My question is if the queries here are redundant and is there a way to control the slot finding strategy for each rack in a model, especially if you have hundreds of racks.

MultipleRaskStorageBasedOnSKU_4.22.2020_autosave.fsm

Many thanks for the support!

Software Version:

FlexSim 20.1.0

flexsim 20.1.0 rack storage sku

sku-based-storage.png (256.5 KiB)

multipleraskstoragebasedonsku-4222020-autosave.fsm (45.7 KiB)

Answer 1 · 2020-05-13T22:36:54Z

Benjamin W2 answered May 13, '20 Amit Kulkarni commented May 19, '20

Hi @Amit Kulkarni,

The custom code you used is calling the Storage.System.findSlot() method. In the documentation it states, "This method evaluates each query until a slot is found that matches. Only storable slots are searched." So, if there is an available slot with the first query, that is the slot that will be assigned.

Also, your process flow query was not working because you did not paint the labels onto your slots. Your Queue1 is pushing the items onto the rack using the racks default assigning logic. I would recommend disconnecting your queue and moving the objects using process flow. It might look like this:

Check out how to paint labels here:

https://docs.flexsim.com/en/20.1/Reference/3DObjects/Warehousing/PaintSlotLabels/

I think your best bet for complicated models is to come up with an addressing scheme. You can read about that here:

https://docs.flexsim.com/en/20.1/Reference/Tools/StorageSystem/

Here are some other really good information about warehousing that might be useful to you as well:

https://docs.flexsim.com/en/20.1/ConnectingFlows/Warehousing/KeyConceptsWarehousing/

I hope this helps! See the sample mode attached for an example.

Warehousing.fsm

1589409095347.png (80.6 KiB)

warehousing.fsm (46.1 KiB)

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