How can I queue the zone to alternate item types?

[robert_hambright]

[ FlexSim 17.0.0 ]

Hello.

alternating-zone.fsm

I have a process flow where items enter a zone. These items are assigns a label of 1 or 2 based on duniform(1,2). I want to collect the tokens in a zone, but have them exit the zone by alternating between the label types. I do NOT want them to exit FIFO like the do currently. How can I set the queue this way? Thank you.

[JordanLJohnson · Accepted solution]

The EnterZone activity can force a token to wait, based on what other tokens are in the zone. An ExitZone activity can't force a token to wait.

In your example, the Zone has a max content of 1, which means that tokens will exit the Zone in the order they entered (FIFO).

If you want to change the order in which tokens enter the Zone, You can use the example I attached. Every token that will enter the Zone is first pushed on a list. Then, another token sequentially pulls type one, and then type two. This makes it so that the queue on the Enter Zone activity alternates between type one and type two.

alternating-zone-2.fsm

[robert_hambright]

Thank you!