How to set product high on a forklift

[julio_r]

[ FlexSim 19.1.1 ]

How can we make the animation the forklift does when reaching for an object on top of a rack.

What I need is:

-forklift gets object (simple load activity)

-forklift rises object to certain high.

-forklift moves to a location without unraising the object.

-forklift unloads object (simple unload activity)

I though about using an animation but as soon as the forklift moves it moves the object back to the standar driving high.

[braydn_t · Accepted solution]

Hey @Julio R

This solution isn't the most graceful, but it will work.

forks-up-workaround.fsm

The forklifts calculate where their forks need to be while they are completing their tasks.

I have a source that feeds into Queue1, and then an event triggered source in process flow that creates a token every time a box arrives in Queue1. I created two extra Queues called Queue4 and Queue3. The forklift loads at Queue1, then goes to unload at Queue4, and then immediately reloads the item and heads for Queue3. It unloads at Queue3, and then immediately reloads, and then since Queue2 (the destination) is immediately below Queue4, it lowers the forks and then unloads. All you have to do is un-check the "Show 3D Shape" and "Show Name" boxes under Queue4 and Queue3's General Properties, and you won't be able to see them anymore, so it will look like it is simply raising the forks and driving.

I hope this helps!

[julio_r]

Thank you, this is a clever way to do it and I will be using it for now.

Is there a way to modify the animation of the forklift? I understand those are made with opengl but I don't know how to modify it or where.

[braydn_t]

@Julio R

You can modify the animation of the Forklift, but in order for it to work in this case you would have to create a custom operator with the forks always being in their "up" position. You would then run animations on load to have it go down to the space where the box is, load, then raise back up. You would do the same animations but in revers on unload, so it would be 4 animations per load/unload cycle.