topic Re: ProcessFlow- Use tote to pick items in FlexSim Forum

ProcessFlow- Use tote to pick items

junyuan_s — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 09:52:15 GMT

[ FlexSim 19.1.1 ]

Hi Folks

The right side of this model is picking area (where those 4 small racks located). I used process flow to let operator1 to pick up items by using tote. For now, he goes to the first rack, pick 6 items with tote, and place them at the "OrderPicked" queue. I want to let him randomly pick 6 item from all 4 racks on the right side instead. I tried to add some locations in process flow but it didn't work.

BTW, I noticed even I set up the path for the operator, he will still go inside the rack to pick items? How to prevent that happen?

Thanks for anyone could help in advance.

Best

Re: ProcessFlow- Use tote to pick items

zac_h_adsk — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 16:34:41 GMT

@Junyuan S

I believe I have fixed your model according to your description. When you pull from the list you can use an SQL Query called "ORDER BY RAND()", this will then allow the items to be pulled from the list at random.

Also the Operators need to be connected to the network nodes by an A connect. (If it doesn't matter what path he follows you could also use A* to help the operator avoid the racks.)

One thing I changed in your model is that when items enter the rack they are then placed into a Global List. This Global List can be accessed from the 3D model and from the Process Flow. This will allow you to add labels to the items as they enter and pull them from the list according those Labels. One label you could use is "time" or in if each item had a specific "sku" then it would be easier to pull according to those. This is just a suggestion

21300-test.fsm

Re: ProcessFlow- Use tote to pick items

junyuan_s — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 06:14:16 GMT

Hi Zac,

Thanks for you help, but I notice one thing. The operator1 didn't pick up all 6 items on his way to the PickedOrder queue. Instead, he walked along the path several times in order to finish the picking process. How can I change it to let operator walk along the path one time (pick all 6 items), and then start the next around instead of walking around.

Best

Re: ProcessFlow- Use tote to pick items

zac_h_adsk — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 17:39:59 GMT

@Junyuan S

Earlier I tried using A* to control the operator, for some reason A* changed how the operator worked with process flow. By deleting the 'Operator1' and adding a new 'Operator1' it reset the functions and now allows the operator to pick items without doing full loops.

I also added another list that stores the 6 random items pulled from the List of all items on Racks. This way you can pull the 6 items on the list in ascending order (Rack1 -> Rack2 -> Rack3 -> Rack4).

21300-test.fsm

Re: ProcessFlow- Use tote to pick items

braydn_t — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 13:52:40 GMT

@Junyuan S

Did this answer help you? If so, could you please accept it? If not, could you let us know what else we can do to help you? Thanks!