How to pass a flowitem from a transporter to another?

[luis_ernesto_pncn]

[ FlexSim 19.0.0 ]

Hello world, I am currently having issues modeling a situation in which a Transporter ("Montacarga 1") loads one flowitem from a Queue ("Zona de descarga") to literally pass it to another Transporter ("Montacarga 2") so that the latter puts such flowitem in a specific queue (that may be "Descargue 1", "Descargue 2" and so on until "Descargue 5" depending on the item type). Also, "Montacarga 1" can't leave the object "Plataforma de carga" on which it is positioned.

I have thought of using triggers like Coordinated Task Sequence from "Zona de descarga" to solve this but I don't really get how it works and how to make it properly. Also, I have thought of using the "On Load" trigger from "Montacarga 1" for it to get as close as possible to "Montacarga 2" to deliver its current flowitem and let it continue with the process of unloading it.

By the moment, that would be the only question I have. Could somebody help me?

inventory-warehouse-2019.fsm

[jeff_nordgren]

@LUIS ERNESTO PNCN,

You mention passing a pallet from one transporter to another. But in your model, you are trying to do something with boxes that doesn't make any sense to me. So, what exactly are you trying to do in the model? Not sure I understand well enough to offer any help.

Thanks.

[luis_ernesto_pncn]

Boxes? that's rare, I use pallets to represent the flowitems coming from a source called "Proveedores". (Maybe it occurs because in your computer you don't have the 3d pallet model in the FlowItem bin, so I think flexsim uses the 3d box model by default)

There is a TaskExecuter that loads 4 pallets from Queue1 to deliver to the "Zona de descarga" Queue. Once they are placed on such queue, the flowitems must be separeted to be put on the colorful queues according to its ItemType (which is a number between 1 to 5).

And to make that last part done, a transporter that is on the 3d object called "Zona de descarga" has to load one pallet and pass it to the other transporter that is on the floor, this second transporter is the one that actually unloads the flowitems on the colorful queues.

I know this all process seems overrefined, weird and stuff, but believe me that this model has to be a real representation of a wooden warehouse. That's why I am trying to be very perfectionist with it.

[braydn_t · Accepted solution]

Hey @LUIS ERNESTO PNCN

I made a few changes to your model using A* navigation, Network nodes, and Process Flow. The forklift on the loading dock loads the pallets and then unloads them onto the other forklift, which unloads them into their respective queue using some code I wrote in the second unload task. It travels to the queue along the green preferred path, and then back to a a network node by the loading dock. The forklift on the dock stays on the dock because of some A* barriers I put in under the dock. If you want more info about what I did you can check out the A* tutorials and the Process Flow tutorials. Let me know if this works for you.

inventory-warehouse-process-flow.fsm

[luis_ernesto_pncn]

OMG! IT WORKS PERFECTLY GOOD! (although I am using the FlexSim 19.0.0 version).

I could run the simulation and I see everything working fine:

load-and-unload.gif

You are a hero Sir @Braydn T. Thank you so much.

[luis_ernesto_pncn]

Also, which tutorials of A* and Process Flow do you recommend me to watch? do you have a link? @Braydn T

[braydn_t]

Hey @LUIS ERNESTO PNCN

I/m glad it worked for you!

There are many Process Flow tutorials here:https://docs.flexsim.com/en/19.1/Tutorials/ProcessFlow/Tutorial1UsingSharedAssets/UsingSharedAssetsO...

and

Here are some tutorials on A* Navigation
https://docs.flexsim.com/en/19.1/Reference/Tools/AStar/

Good Luck!