Picking Specific Labels

[kevin.megee]

[ FlexSim 21.0.2 ]

Flexsim Community,

I'm struggling to create a simulation where two different processors pick from the same queue from specific labels. In the attached model, there are two sources (red and green) Each source creates a label and color and then is sent to queue1. From there I'm trying to get each processor (red and green) to pick from queue based off the matching label. then the two boxes go to the combiner and then to the separator.

To make things a little more complicated (for me at least) is that I want to use the same 8 boxes (4 red 4 green) over and over. preferably I'd like each box to have a label 1, 2, 3, 4 (per color). I get multiple errors in regards to the processors picking the labels and I cant get the boxes to go from the separator back to queue one.

One last thing, how can I get the two boxes next to each other on the combiner? You'll see that the green box is randomly in the air.

I'd appreciate any input. Thanks

Array_Example1.0.fsm

[joerg_vogel_HsH]

the first Item in a combiner is your container item. You can activate in flowitems bin a packaging method, But it is much easier, if you select a pallet instead of a box and the exchange the shape of the pallet to use a box shape in your source. You will still have to adjust the source code of the packaging method or you can use the OnEntry event / trigger of the combiner to set a different location for the item entering through port 2.

[jason_lightfootVL7B4 · Accepted solution]

You've made some interesting choices with your labelling - guided I think by the picklist option to set the "Label and Color". You have:

• On the red boxes a label called "Red" with a value of 1
• On the green boxes a label called "Green" with a value of 2.

Normally you'd have the same label name with the two different values so each processor can rely on the label being there and use the value to determine which item to pull.

The pull requirement is complaining because the red items don't have a label called "Green".

However you could test with a command that tolerates this using just:

item.Green?

This tests if the label exists and is non-zero. Unfortunately this isn't what's happening in the standard pick option to pull a "Specific Label" - which expects the label with the given name to exist. You could have chosen "colorType" as your label name for both and then tested for 1 or 2 and you would have no problem (* I avoided 'Color' as it's a class and keyword).

As @Jörg Vogel mentioned in his comment, an item packing method is probably the way to go to have them arranged together.

[jason_lightfootVL7B4]

In the attached model I've simply place the item locations in a message trigger - that is called from the entrytrigger (to allow the combiner to do its default movements first and then override those).

The default seperator sending logic is to send to two ports so you need a second connection back to the queue, or you need to tell it to send all items out of port 1.

array-example10_jl.fsm