Assigning 3D objects with multiple identical "physical stations"

[alexander_muff]

[ FlexSim 16.2.0 ]

I have 10x distinct part types. Each part type has a unique process map through shared physical stations. How do I represent 12x identical physical stations as 3D objects?

I currently have the physical stations as zones with constraints. (# of parts in zone < 12).

[adrian_haws]

@Alexander Muff I'm not entirely sure I understand your question. Are you asking how to perform different tasks in one fixed resource based on the part type (such as varying process time)? Are you asking for suggestions on Process Flow logic?

Please send us an example of your current model, along with the specific issues you're facing. Thanks!

[sam_stubbsYXX86 · Accepted solution]

I'm not sure if this is along the same lines you were thinking. But here is a model we've used for training purposes, that utilizes some the same concepts. This is a process flow controlled "job shop" model with 3 part types across 4 different machines with different process maps. However, instead of zones, we chose to use Resources to be acquired and released as the base for controlling the flow through the machines.

jobshop.fsm

[alexander_muff]

Yes. This is a good example of what I am trying to achieve.

However, the issue comes it with parallel resources. For example: what if there are 3x Station 2 Resources that are identical. The process flow correctly processes 3x tokens simultaneously, but how do I send it to 3x identical resources in 3D object?

Is there logic to look at 2.1 first, if it is busy, send it to 2.2, if busy send to 2.3?

[alexander_muff]

@Sam Stubbs

I have attached a modified job shop model to illustrate my question. I have modified Resource #2 capacity to 3 and added Station 2_2 and 2_3 as 3D objects.

Problem:

Station 2_1 is now processing up to 3x flow items (see attached picture). How do i push it to Station 2_2 if 2_1 is busy?

The Process Flow Logic is correct, but how do I match this in 3D?

2825-jobshop-3x-resource-2.fsm

[sam_stubbsYXX86]

The issue was that each of the "Move Object" activities was directly referencing a specific station. In order to fix this, instead of making the resources merely "numeric," I made them references to the actual objects.

For the station 2 processors, I assigned them to a new group called "Station2Group," and then made the resource a reference to this group of processors. (The number automatically updated to 3, which is the number of the group. But just to make sure it's not ever going to mess up I assigned the number of resources as 'groupnummembers("Station2Group")' Which means it will always be equal to the number of members in the group.)

I've reattached the model below.

jobshop-3x-resource-2.fsm

[alexander_muff]

Thank you @Sam Stubbs. This is exactly what I needed.