I have a customer wanting to simulate a sorter with some different equipment (different leading and trailing gap requirements). What I know about process flow makes time between items easier to look at in my mind (and with fixed speeds that might be the approach I take). I will need to build a process flow that can release boxes of varying size with a target gap between packages. Initially I will probably keep the gap fixed although eventually will want to introduce variance for more realistic results. As items divert I will need to reflect the new distance between items. Couple approaches I am considering is a list with distance or time to the upstream and downstream item on the sorter, which would add distance to other list entries as things are pulled off the list and diverted. The other way I'm thinking is decision points that keep track of time ahead and behind an item bound for it's destination to decide if the divert decision will happen of not. How would you recommend this be approached and is there a good way to look at distance between flow items in travel like this? I could calculate travel distance based on conveyor speed and time elapsed, not sure if there are any native tools what would do what I am trying to achieve more naturally
Thanks
(Example from similar model with a different goal)
