topic manual picking different station rack in FlexSim Forum

manual picking different station rack

maura_m2 — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 17:11:24 GMT

[ FlexSim 20.1.2 ]

Hello i am an engineering student.

I have to set up 10 orders from 4 different racks.

Each order corresponds to a tote and each rack corresponds to a station with an operator who picks up the product.

The tote will enter the station only if the order contains products to be picked in the assigned rack, or it will continue straight.

The operator can pick up one product at a time.

Once the preparation of the order in that station has been completed, the cash desk will be repositioned in the main roller conveyor to continue eventually in the other stations.

How can I solve the problem?

Example reported in the excel file.

Flexsim model is attached.

Thank you.

picking.fsm

example manual list.xlsx

Re: manual picking different station rack

zac_h_adsk — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 19:40:26 GMT

@maura.m2 Here is an image of what you can do to accomplish this task. I would recommend learning how to use ProcessFlow as it very beneficial and can make things easier. (Check out the Tutorials to learn more about ProcessFlow.) This is the most I can do to help, unless you have specific questions.

It looks like this question may be part of a homework assignment or academic project. The professors who assign simulation modeling exercises using FlexSim expect that the academic integrity of their assignments will be maintained. In addition, we are supportive of Honor Codes (or Honor Pledges) that regulate the behavior surrounding academic assignments.

I recommend checking out our best practices page on the subject (https://answers.flexsim.com/articles/78339/flexsims-policy-on-academic-integrity-best-practic.html), which includes some resources that you should find helpful as you use FlexSim for academic purposes. I also highly recommend Dr. Allen Greenwood’s FlexSim Primer (https://flexs.im/primer), which was written specifically for students and professors.

Re: manual picking different station rack

maura_m2 — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 08:20:35 GMT

thanks for your reply and help. it is not for an academic assignment but for a thesis.

it is an experimental thesis and I am self-taught

 I thought about using a process flow but I couldn't connect the various elements. thank you so much

Re: manual picking different station rack

federica_f — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 09:03:29 GMT

Hi, I would also need a similar configuration. What is the property of the decision point placed in front of operator 1? would it not be possible to load flexsim file? 
Thank you.

Re: manual picking different station rack

zac_h_adsk — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 13:59:18 GMT

Here is the model. Conveyor picking.fsm

Re: manual picking different station rack

federica_f — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 14:09:18 GMT

Thank you very much for helping.

Re: manual picking different station rack

maura_m2 — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 15:17:53 GMT

Thank you. @zachary.h

in the list rack1 in the "distance" there is this code.

Variant value = param(1);

Variant puller = param(2);

treenode entry = param(3);

double pushTime = param(4);

if (!objectexists(puller))

return -1;

updatelocations(puller);

updatelocations(up(value));

/**Straight-Line Distance From Item to Puller*/

double x1 = vectorprojectx(value, 0.5 * xsize(value), -0.5 * ysize(value), 0, model());

double y1 = vectorprojecty(value, 0.5 * xsize(value), -0.5 * ysize(value), 0, model());

double z1 = vectorprojectz(value, 0.5 * xsize(value), -0.5 * ysize(value), 0, model());

double x2 = vectorprojectx(puller, 0.5 * xsize(puller), -0.5 * ysize(puller), 0, model());

double y2 = vectorprojecty(puller, 0.5 * xsize(puller), -0.5 * ysize(puller), 0, model());

double z2 = vectorprojectz(puller, 0.5 * xsize(puller), -0.5 * ysize(puller), 0, model());

return sqrt(sqr(x1 - x2) + sqr(y1 - y2) + sqr(z1 - z2));

can you explain it to me? how does it work? I guess there are the coordinates of rack1. to bring it back to rack2 what should I evaluate? and if in the first station I wanted to add a rack to the picking of operator 1 what should I do? thank you very much for your availability.

Re: manual picking different station rack

zac_h_adsk — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 15:30:41 GMT

The distance Expression field is a general label that is first applied to a list when creating it. It does not need stay and can be removed if not using it. The code that goes along with it is the general code applied to that field. It measures the distance from item to the puller.

You can add as many racks as you'd like to station 1 you would just need to select where items on the rack are pushed to, which you can select in the Rack Properties -> Flow. (The name of the List can be changed to whatever you like, such as "Station 1 List", which might make more sense if you have more than 1 rack at that location.)

If you have more questions please ask them as a new question.