Associating labels to multiple flowitems of the same class

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Valentin O asked May 5, '20 Valentin O answered May 8, '20

Associating labels to multiple flowitems of the same class

Hello!
This probably is a bit tricky. I have tried a few methods but none would work.

The logic is:
I have x sheets of different material that are cut sequentally. From sheet 1, 2 ..to sheet 5. Each sheet MAY have different material.

From EACH sheet a number of smaller products result (ex: from sheet 1 I can have 3 products and from sheet 5 I can have 2 products, so there is no rule).

Each resulting product has to have following labels: order number, product type, material, length and width.

An excel example is given below:The actual excel that I work on is way bigger but this is the main point: there are no ..laws that can be defined.

What I am thinking to do is described below:
Source 1 produces 5 sheets, each carrying label "Sheet number" which is counted likeso: First item has Sheet number = 1, ... Last item has Sheet number=2.
When sheet "x" is processed through Processor1 they arrive in Queue2 (which for me means taken out of the system, I will put there later a sink). But AT THE SAME TIME, in Queue3, the amount of items should appear (using processflow event triggered source & create item) and the amount corresponds to how many rows from the excel share the same Sheet number.

Example 1:
Item 1 (Sheetnumber=1) is processed and goes in Queue2. In Queue3 appear 3 items with their corresponding labels from the excel.
Example 2:
Item 2 (Sheetnumber=2) is processed and goes in Queue2. In Queue 3 appear 2 items with their corresponding labels from the excel.

As such, each item from Queue 3 will be different from each other. They basically should be the rows from my excel.

I need to mention I have little experience with lists & SQL. (these are the solutions that I tried for three days already). I would appreciate a detailed answer, I am working on my thesis.

Thank you in advance,

Regards.

Software Version:

FlexSim 20.1.0

flexsim 20.1.0

table-sample.jpg (49.7 KiB)

model-logic.jpg (24.5 KiB)

· 4

Joerg Vogel commented · May 06, 2020 at 04:30 AM

I would enhance my data in your tables by a unique ID for each row. And I would keep this ID at each item that is ever cut. You don‘t have to transfer the data of each process from tables to the items, because as I understand, the row data is static. You have only keep the process step as a record at the item.

The practical aspect is, do it much more simple, when you start a large project. You think you reduced the complexity to the max. That isn‘t true. Make it most simple! And never forget what is your aim and what data do you need.

If you are familiar with excel, forget excel. Transfer your data into FlexSim. Learn FlexSim. Only if your thesis is about the interface of excel to FlexSim and reverse, then forget what I said, but keep learning FlexSim.

And do tutorials. You can try it on your own without tutorials, but you waste only time. I made a same experience with a different professional tool. A tutorial took me one hour to get where I was able to find out by myself in 2 days. If you think you haven’t understood a tutorial completely, do it again.

And then there is Flexsim’s Policy on Academic integrity...

And at the end of not an answer I would appreciate, if you can upload a model which does what you have described above. A processed item is creating items in Queue3.

You are always welcome here to ask questions how to get around a specific problem that you describe in a more common request. Or if you want to know why is something happening you don’t understand, as you have been doing this for a year.

0 ·

Valentin O Joerg Vogel commented · May 06, 2020 at 03:28 PM

simple model.fsm

I have uploaded here the simple model that I was talking about. It is basic because I haven't figured out yet the solution.

Each processed item in this case will generate another in Queue 3 by using process flow's event triggered source. What I need to further investigate is how to assign those labels to specific items created that share the same sheet number.

Regards.

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tannerp Valentin O commented · May 07, 2020 at 03:05 PM

@Valentin O,

Our Answers website has unfortunately had problems with attachments. Would you be able to reply to this with a comment and attach your model again? Then we're happy to take a look at it.

0 ·

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Answer 1 · 2020-05-08T16:19:28Z

Valentin O answered May 8, '20

@tanner.p,

In the meantime with some help provided I have managed to solve the problem.
This is the obsolete model, that you asked for:

simple-model.fsm

This is the good model with the problem solved:

assign-information-on-multiple-items.fsm

Basically:

Multiple sheets are cut.
From each sheet, a number of finished items result. Each finished item must carry information such as product, length, width etc.
Therefore two tables are needed.
- one which contains the finished products information
- one that links sheet numbers with quantities resulted as finished products

The source produces total number of raw material (sheets).
The separator splits each sheet with corresponding quantity from the second table and after that "On Exit" trigger assigns for each finished product the information requested.

I hope that this model & solution can be found by other users that may encounter the same problem.

Regards.

simple-model.fsm (29.9 KiB)

assign-information-on-multiple-items.fsm (31.9 KiB)

valentin-img.png (63.1 KiB)

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