How to get the length of the waiting queue for each floor

[ozawa_shinya]

[ FlexSim 23.0.8 ]

Hi,

I would like to get the length of the waiting queue for each floor, and to decide whether to use the elevator or the stairs depending on the status.

For example, if an operator on the 1st floor needs to move to another floor, is it possible to use the stairs if the queue length for the 1st floor elevator is greater than the threshold?

I also attach the model.Elevator_and_Stairs.fsm

Thanks in advance.

[jonah_kendellR47TC · Accepted solution]

You could use a Tracked Variable to record the number of people waiting for/using the elevator. In the attached model, Queue3 has a trigger that will increment TrackedVariable1 whenever a person enters the queue. Then ElevatorBank1 will decrement TrackedVariable1 whenever a person "continues" or leaves the elevator. That way TrackedVariable1 keeps track of how many people are using the elevator.

To decide where to send the people, I used a Send to Conditional Port for Source1, with this condition:

TrackedVariable("TrackedVariable1").value <= getvarnum(Model.find("Elevator Bank1"), "capacity")

If the tracked variable is less than or equal to a number (e.g. the max capacity of Elevator Bank1), then it will send the person to the queue by the elevator. If not, then it will send the person to the queue by the stairs. Hope this helps you in making your model.

ConditionalElevatorStairsRoute.fsm

[ozawa_shinya]

Thank you for your model. This is exactly what I want to do.

[ozawa_shinya]

Your idea is good, but it won't work if there are elevators and stairs nearby. I tried to put Queue2 near the landing of the stairs, but it did not work as expected. Do you have any ideas?

[jonah_kendellR47TC]

I made a couple changes. Is this more like what you were expecting?

elevator-and-stairs_JK.fsm

[ozawa_shinya]

I apologize for the confusion caused by the slight change in the model I attached at the beginning (Elevator_and_Stairs.fsm) and my current question.

What I want to know now is about the case where the elevator and the stairs are near each other as shown in the figure below.

It would be nice if it could be achieved without setting a virtual distance.

[moehlmann_fe]

You can try to block the elevator with barriers/dividers and only allow people who were send there to pass them.

[ozawa_shinya]

Thank you for your advice. It worked by combining Jonah-san's suggestion with the divider and the conditional rules.