Ordering totes according to a given value before each replenishment.

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sara S2 asked Jun 22, '20 Ben Wilson commented Sep 2, '20

Ordering totes according to a given value before each replenishment.

Hello,

I want to model the following requirement in the attached model:

Totes on the "Rack15" are evaluated according to their corresponding "SC" values (in the global table “CUDB” column 7) each time before selecting a tote for replenishment on “combiner2”, so that this tote corresponds to the lowest “SC” value.

This is not applied at the ‘beginning replenishment’ because all totes have “SC” value equal to 0. So in this case we use "Pull from List0" where there is no query but otherwise we use "Pull from List OPMP" where there is a query (ORDER BY SC ASC) to apply the mentioned requirement.

The problem is that the query in "Pull from List OPMP" is not doing what I want because tokens don't arrive at the same time. I set this query in the list "EmptyCUtotes" too but it is also not working. I tried in vain too many ways to apply the mentioned requirement.

Would you please help me to fix this?

(this is the FlexSim version 19.0.0)

Regards.

trying1.fsm

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processflow process tokens ordering

trying1.fsm (121.5 KiB)

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sara S2 commented · Jun 23, 2020 at 07:25 PM

@Matthew Gillespie, Would you please help me to fix this? I would be grateful for your help.

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Answer 1 · 2020-06-23T15:43:40Z

tannerp answered Jun 23, '20 Ben Wilson commented Sep 2, '20

@sara S2,

The "SC" values in the "CUDB" table seem to be pulled according to SC ascending. What I'm not sure about is where the "Pull from List OPMP" activity is. I don't see it in your attached model.

If the problem with the "Pull from List OPMP" is that the tokens don't arrive simultaneously, you could use a Batch activity in Process Flow to make sure all the tokens arrive at the same time.

I'm not sure exactly what your question is, but if you can explain a bit more about what's currently happening (maybe provide an example and a time when it happens), I'd be happy to look at this more.

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sara S2 commented · Jun 23, 2020 at 07:12 PM

I forgot to set the name "Pull from List OPMP ", please see the new attached model.

In fact, the "SC" values in the "CUDB" table are not pulled according to SC ascending, you could see this during execution.

trying1.fsm

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trying1.fsm (121.1 KiB)

Brenton King ♦ sara S2 commented · Jun 24, 2020 at 02:36 AM

@sara S2

I have been looking at your model. I see all of the initial totes appear in the rack as you say. I notice that your "Beginning rep" decision activity is doing its job and diverting tokens to "Pull from List0". The first token goes to the second list ("Pull from List OPMP") at time 225.13. This is when I look for your query to work correctly or not...but I am hung up on why you are doing this.

Each token in your process flow is created when a tote enters Rack15 and gets a pointer to the tote that just entered the rack, CUtote. Then it immediately pulls a tote off of the list...which there isn't one yet because you don't put anything on that list until the "Send to Port" fires on Rack15. Then it pulls the tote off that it just placed on the list, which is the tote that created the token in the first place.

If you want the token to even have a chance at selecting a different tote than the one placed on the rack, you need to do something different. Nothing ever sits on the list waiting to get pulled off.

We need to know what you are trying to do and why or we are just shooting in the dark.

The screenshot below is mainly to help me out in the future so I don't start my detective work at the beginning again.

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1592966148019.png (809.2 KiB)

sara S2 Brenton King ♦ commented · Jun 24, 2020 at 11:37 AM

@Brenton King, thank you for your reply.

1- Concerning "Each token in your process flow is created when a tote enters Rack15 and gets a pointer to the tote that just entered the rack, CUtote. Then it immediately pulls a tote off of the list...which there isn't one yet because you don't put anything on that list until the "Send to Port" fires on Rack15." : you could see clearly that when the first selected tote is being replenished on the “combiner2” other totes are accumulated on the 'Rack15'.

2- Concerning "but I am hung up on why you are doing this. " : According to the industrial process that I am modeling: we have to replenish totes according to the current "Stock Coverage" values that are changing with time (depending on consumption). Among the accumulated totes on the "rack15" the tote having the lowest "SC" must be replenished at first. So, before any tote replenishment on the “combiner2”, we must do evaluation of the existing totes on the “rack15” according to their 'SC' values. If there is only one tote then we do nothing.

3- During the execution, it seems like if the coming empty totes to the “rack15” are selected for replenishment on “combiner2” according to the set query (“SC” ascendant), but actually it is not. You could see that from the selected third tote.

4- In the question I posted, I make it clear what I want to model, which is the following: "Totes on the "Rack15" are evaluated according to their corresponding "SC" values (in the global table “CUDB” column 7) each time before selecting a tote for replenishment on “combiner2”, so that this tote corresponds to the lowest “SC” value". The other details were just mentioned to show you what I have already tried. So, the real problem is not about the query in the "PUll from list OPMP" but it is about how to do correctly the requirement I mentioned.

I hope I make it more clear for you. Thank you again for trying to help me, I really appreciated.

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Answer 2 · 2020-06-23T15:44:06Z

Jeff Nordgren answered Jun 23, '20 sara S2 commented Jun 23, '20

@sara S2,

Attached is your model with the change that I made. I'm not sure why you want/need two different "pulls" from the EmptyCUtotes. Using the Pull from List (with the query) works just fine as is. If the tote has a 0 value for the SC value, it's still going to be the first one pulled. So the other pull doesn't seem necessary to me.

Take a look at the model and see if doing it this way works for what you are wanting. If you have any problems or questions, please let us know

Thanks.

trying1-JN1.fsm

trying1-jn1.fsm (121.2 KiB)

· 1

sara S2 commented · Jun 23, 2020 at 07:19 PM

Thank you for the reply. Unfortunately, your answer is far from the question that I posted.

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