Combine Recipe

[MohammadMajd]

[ FlexSim 23.0.3 ]

Hello, I have 10 raw materials and 15 items. Items are created by combining different portions of the raw materials. I have built a model that simulate this process but I was wondering if there is any other approach that is more efficient. Currently I have 10 different ports for my raw materials and in my real-world problem there are many more raw types. Is there a way to avoid having separate ports for each raw? Also, for the combiner is there a way to specify different processing times for different raw materials?

combine recipe 02.fsm

[kavika_faleumu · Accepted solution]

Hey @MohammadMajd, I think I have a solution that may work for you. It's a simple layout but powerful solution.

I started by making a Process Flow that is in charge of making the raw material in a queue.

The change visual is just to color the boxes so you can differentiate different material as they're used in recipes. I used the same table you used in your model to spawn them. Same goes for spawning items; however, I took a different approach for those.

I viewed items coming in as "Requests for materials". So what I did was push all raw material to a list so I could pull them from that list. Essentially, I took each incoming recipe and got their required ingredients from the Recipe table (that you provided). I made a Map of their raw material and how much. Then I pulled that amount of each from the list. I moved them into the "IngredientQueue" for a second before moving them into the Combiner. Then I have them wait there, combining them with a pallet. I move the finished product to a queue.

From here, instead of combining the ingredients with a pallet, you could transform that pallet and the ingredients into a different shape and color to signify their combination. Hope this helps.

combine-recipe_4.fsm

[jason_lightfootVL7B4]

You could also look at the opportunistic combiner example model, which doesn't allocate any until it has all those needed for an assembly.

[MohammadMajd]

Thank you Kevin! This was very helpful.

[MohammadMajd]

@Kavika F I went through your model and understood the overall function of the ProcessFlow. But I have some questions about the details of it. Is it possible to set up a call so I can ask my questions?

[kavika_faleumu]

@MohammadMajd What questions do you have? Other users may have those same questions. If you post them here I can respond to them.

[MohammadMajd]

1. How can I learn more about lists? Specifically how the list is connected to the Recipe table?

2. How can I modify this model to use operators to transport and process raw materials?

3. How can I have specific delay times for each raw material/item?

[kavika_faleumu]

@MohammadMajd, I'll link some resources that may help you.

1. Here's a document on "Key Concepts About Lists" and also "Working with Lists"

If you want to learn more about the List Activity in Process Flow and how it's related, you can look here. Essentially, it's a reference to a Global or Local list that you can manipulate from within Process Flow.

2. If you'd like to use operators to transport material, you can use the "Use Transport" option located on most objects' Output property panels.

It will give you the option to specify a transporter.

3. If you'd like to specify process time for raw material, then you can use the Delay Activity's "Delay Time" field to look things up by table.

If you click the drop-down arrow by the Delay Time field, you can choose to find things by Global Table.

I hope these resources help you!

[MohammadMajd]

Thanks Kevin, for transporter I followed what you mentioned but it is not working. It shows the operator is idle at all times. Could it be because the process flow does not have a acquire resource for transporter?

[kavika_faleumu]

@MohammadMajd, in general, if you have a problem, please attach screenshots or a model so we can see what you're talking about. Without context, I don't know what you're doing to have it "not work".

If you're using Process Flow (Travel Activity) to have a transporter move boxes, then yes you'll need some way to reference the transporter. If you have a Resource reference the transporter, you can use that.

[MohammadMajd]

Thank you. I was referring to the combine-recipe-4.fsm that you created. I am trying to modify this model to add operators and transporters to it. I also want to have specific processing times for each raw in this model.

[kavika_faleumu]

@MohammadMajd, for specific processing times for each recipe, you can make a Global Table with recipes and their times. For transporters, you can make Task Sequences in Process Flow to have transporters move stuff rather than the "Move Ingredients" activity I have. Here's an updated model with examples of those implementations.

combine-recipe_5.fsm

You can make a "Sub Flow" that you can reference so your Operator can perform Load and Unload tasks. I made one for the Operator and a separate one for the Forklift.

Then the process time for the Combiner was simply a Table Lookup.

I reference a made-up set of times in a table.

[MohammadMajd]

Thank you so much Kevin! very helpful.

[MohammadMajd]

I modified the model and now I want to make the raw materials wait in the ingredient queue using a table. I tried to assign labels to tokens as RawType before going to the combiner and used a table to specify the delay time. However, the label is not working properly and the wait time is not functioning. Can you help me with that? My ultimate goal is to specify a processing time per raw per item because depending on the Item raw materials are processed differently.

Raw Detail Weight Up.fsm

[kavika_faleumu]

@MohammadMajd, if you want to change the delay of ingredients in the IngredientsQueue, then you should change the Delay "Wait in Queue".

It's currently set to 1 second delay. If you want to look up by ingredient, use the "By Global Table Lookup" option.

[MohammadMajd]

Raw Detail Weight Up.fsm
thanks Kevin, when I do that I get an error that row identifier is invalid. also the token shows raw type as null. I appreciate your help.

[jason_lightfootVL7B4]

You're assigning a null value to RawType:

You probably want the Type of the item/ingredient.