Set a custom release time in merge control

[niket_m]

[ FlexSim 21.2.0 ]

Hi there, I am trying to build a merge control logic to add custom merge control logic based on lane priorities and release time.

I want the conveyors to be prioritized for release based on the following table, where it will round robin from 1 to 5 if the slug if available. But it need prioritize to release the slug on conveyor 1 & 2 if they build the slug while releasing 3,4,5. I am still learning about the gap optimizing merge controller but I am wondering if this can be done better by a custom process flow logic by adding decision points and delays for each lanes. Not really sure if this is an easy query in gap optimizing merge controller

egmodel-merge.fsm

[ryan_c10 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Niket M,

It turns out that the Gap-Optimizing Merge Controller is a good solution for your indicated problem. You can add a Priority field to the Slug Build Lanes list, and then for your query, you can say: "WHERE isReady ORDER BY Priority ASC" to get the lanes that are ready to go, but release them in prioritized order. You can add a custom release time as an alternative "Ready Criteria" in the Properties of the Slug Builder conveyors. Just check "Time Elapsed" and enter your desired time for that lane (see below).

Here is my modified version of your model:

egmodel-merge-rc-processflow.fsm

I hope this helps! Let us know if you have further questions!

[niket_m]

@Ryan Clark, thank you for the answer. I thought that time elapsed could only be used to build the slug, not release it. Wouldn't it mean that the conveyor 1&2 will have to wait until 25 seconds to build the slug before releasing it? I need to release slug on the conveyors 1&2 immediately after the whichever conveyor is being released right now, regardless of amount of slug built on the conveyor 1&2. (I've attached a process flow chart below)

Also the model is running into this issue after running it for a while. Attached a copy of the model. egmodel-merge-rc-processflow.fsm

[niket_m]

@Ryan Clark, can you help on this? I'm trying to resolve this today if possible. Thanks :)

[ryan_c10]

Hey @Niket M,

I'm sorry for the late response! And sorry for the misunderstanding about your goal with this simulation. I've spent a little while playing around with it, and I don't know if the Gap-Optimizing Merge Controller is a good option for what you're trying to do. I would recommend creating a custom process flow to accomplish the logic you're trying to have.

I hope that helps! Let us know if you have further questions!

[niket_m]

Thanks @Ryan Clark, makes sense. I will try this problem with a custom process flow. It seems seem enough logically but difficult to design from process flow perspective.

[ryan_c10]

Hi @Niket M, was my answer helpful? If so, please click the "Accept" button at the bottom of their answer. Or if you still have questions, add a comment and we'll continue the conversation.

If we haven't heard back from you within 3 business days we'll auto-accept an answer, but you can always unaccept and comment back to reopen your question.

[Matthew_Gillespie]

@Niket M

You can use the Gap-Optimizing Merge Controller to so this, you just need to add a delay activity after the Release the Lane activity and set it to the delay time of the conveyor that just released.

See the attached model. egmodel-merge_minimumReleaseTime.fsm