Hello everyone.
I have started converting one of my packaging line models to the new MFC system in v21.0.0.
For that purpose, I am using MFCs for both conveyors and processing stations in order to completely eschew discrete flow items. The system is relying on photo eyes to determine when to stop and start conveyors and processing stations. The attached demo model has three MFCs - one generative MFC followed by the MFC representing the processor followed by a MFC which tracking loss to work as a sink.
I have two questions about this.
1) I am using a set of photo eyes and a process flow with Wait for Event activities to call object.stop() and object.resume() functions to start and stop the MFC representing the processing station. One photo eye stops the process if it becomes uncovered, and the other photo eye starts the process when enough material has accumulated. This works, but only if I put in a delay to allow the processor to have had an initial input. In the attached model, if I have the delay of more than the traversal time of the first MFC, it works. If I don't have such a delay, it does not.
2) If I wanted to keep the processing station running (clearing existing content), but without further input, how would I go about that? I tried object.input.stop() and object.input.close(), but that didn't do the trick.
Thanks in advance
Christian, NIRAS