FlexSim Knowledge Base
Announcements, articles, and guides to help you take your simulations to the next level.
Sort by:
Attached is an example simulation of a rail hump yard. Trains in this hump yard are processed in three stages: Arrival - A train engine delivers an arriving train into the arrival area of the yard and then leaves Classification - The shunt engine takes trains from the arrival area to the hump. From there the train is uncoupled into sets of cars for classification, and each set of cars 'falls' to its designated departure train and couples to it. Departure - Once a train has been composed, it is transferred to the departure area, where it waits a random time until departure. I've tried to keep the logic as simple as possible so you can understand the process flow. I've implemented no traffic control between train engines/shunt engine, so they will occasionally run over each other. However, I have used AGV routing constraints to dynamically block off sections of track that are filled by trains, so the engines will move around them. HumpYardSample.fsm
View full article
To go along with the launch of Flexsim 2018, we've put together a few sample models to show some of its features. Internet Cafe internetcafe.fsm This model shows off several of the new animations added to the Operator and Person flowitem. It also demonstrates how the Create Person activity can be used to attach a Person flowitem to an Instanced Process Flow. People with yellow shirts are attached to the ComputerUsers flow. They acquire a computer desk and then have an employee bring them over to their computer. Those in orange shirts are attached to the FoodCustomers flow. They buy drinks or snacks at the counter and then hang out at the tables. Casual Restaurant casualrestaurantredux.fsm Clinic clinic.fsm Grocery Store grocerystore.fsm Airport Security airportsecurity.fsm Bus Stop busstops.fsm
View full article
Note: these demo models have been designed for the French-speaking FlexSim user community (all explanations and statistics shown in dashboards are labeled in French). However as 3D animation is a universal language, feel free to download these models whatever language you speak. Manutention de marchandises / Material handling download link: https://redirect.flexsim.fr/download_demomanutention niveau: ★☆☆ Ce modèle donne une vue d'ensemble sur les ressources disponibles dans la librairie FlexSim pour transporter des produits: AGV, opérateur, cariste, ascenseur, robot 6 axes, pont roulant, transtockeur. This model gives an overview of available resources in the FlexSim library to transport products: AGV, operator, forklift, elevator, 6-axis robot, crane, ASRS. Triage sur convoyeur / Conveyor sorting system download link: https://redirect.flexsim.fr/download_demotriage niveau: ★★☆ Dans ce modèle, des colis arrivent sur un carrousel et sont triés sur un des 6 convoyeurs de sortie en fonction de leur référence de commande. Si la cellule photoélectrique du convoyeur de sortie est saturée, les colis font un tour de carrousel supplémentaire. In this model, packages arrive on a carousel and are sorted on one of the 6 exit conveyors, according to their order reference. If the exit conveyor's photocell is saturated, packages make an additional carousel lap. AGV - Automated Guided Vehicle download link: https://redirect.flexsim.fr/download_demoagv niveau: ★★★ Ce modèle illustre une application des capacités de simulation d'AGV de FlexSim. Des caisses y circulent entre divers modules via des AGVs. This model demonstrates a subset of FlexSim's AGV simulation capabilities. Loads are transported by AGVs between several modules. Workshop download link: https://redirect.flexsim.fr/download_demoworkshop niveau: ★★★ Ce modèle présente une approche possible pour simuler des gammes de fabrication. Une gamme est assignée à chaque produit entrant dans le modèle. Le produit traverse ensuite chaque étape de sa gamme. This model presents a possible approach for data-driven product routing. Each product moves through a series of processing steps defined in a table. Clinique / Clinic download link: https://redirect.flexsim.fr/download_democlinique niveau: ★☆☆ Ce modèle est un exemple de parcours patient dans une clinique: enregistrement, triage par une infirmière, examen par un médecin, soins (ECG, radio ou IRM) et enfin présentation du diagnostic au patient avant raccompagnement vers la sortie. This model is an example of patient flow in a clinic: sign in, triage by a nurse, consult with a doctor, treatment (EKG, X-ray or MRI) and finally patient education before escorting him to the exit.
View full article
This model shows a two-floor healthcare facility with an elevator connecting the two floors. Patients are moved on a gurney from different rooms and across floors. There is a dashboard with two checkboxes so you can turn on and off the visuals for the different floors. One unique feature of this model is that each patient has a constant companion who follows them throughout their care process. This could be used either to demonstrate that companions can be modeled in FlexSim, or as a basis for another modeler to copy. FlexSim-HC-2023-MultiFloor_With_Companion.fsm
View full article
In a recent model I was building I needed a case packer that had some special abilities. This "Combiner" is different than a traditional library accessed Combiner because: 1) You can set how many containers can be packed at a time. (In my model 3 cases were packed simultaneously with each cycle. I call these "batches" in my logic. This variable is accessed as a label on the 3D object. 2) It assumes that all the flowitems being packed come from the same port, you can't have multiple sources of flowitems or have a recipe. Although it could be modified to allow for that. 3) It is very easy to set home many flowitems per container. This variable is accessed as a label on the 3D object. This could be changed easily as the itemtype or some other criteria changes while running the model. 4) If the flow of containers or flowitems is delayed, the machine can time out and release a partial batch or partially filled container. I have included a model control GUI so you can manually stop the sources and test this logic. Note the labels associated with max wait time in the object labels again. 5) After a batch of containers and flowitems has been collected, there is a RobotCycleTime that occurs that represents the moving of the flowitems into the containers, this time is ran one time for the entire batch. While this object may not be the final solution for a lot of instances, I believe that it is a good starting point for a lot of objects that will be needed in future models. The Process Flow is well documented to explain the logic. Note that this is an Object Process Flow and all instances will need to be connected to the logic in the process flow. CustomCasePacker.fsm 0
View full article
This supply chain demonstration model shows both a visual and statistical representation of a company's stock and backorder from day-to-day. The goal of the model was to predict shortages and backorder trends due to COVID-related disruptions. FlexSim's 3D view is used in a novel way to visualize the current stock and demand for each product. Each queue represents a different product SKU and each box represents a product unit, with red indicating product demand and blue indicating product availability. This model also contains a comprehensive set of dashboards to help visualize and interpret the data. Logistics_Supply-Shortages-Stockouts_v22-2.fsm
View full article
A number of questions on the forum involve racks being service by a combination of shuttles and elevators. There are solutions involving network, Astar and AGV navigators, but for this example we’re just going to use TaskExecuter FlowItems and conveyors. The elevator system in particular, as described to me, seemed it would benefit from the flexibility conveyors offer – particularly spacing options, and the possibility of having dog/power-and-free based travel. For the pick face we can just use the slot and item locations to give the task executers travel command, and we can use kinematics for loading and unloading tasks. This removes the need for network nodes or control points at each location and allows fine positioning of a ‘two spot’ shuttle in front of the slot. The system has been put into a container to represent the cell/aisle and it is this object that is the instance member of the ShuttleSystemProcess process flow. The cell is designed to be duplicated with each cell becoming a new member instance of the single process flow. It comprises two racks, two elevators (conveyor loops), and a shuttle return queue (also a conveyor but with no roller visual). The system assumes that by the time an inbound item arrives at the pickup position it has been assigned a slot in one of the racks in the cell – so you should assign a slot in the normal way before it reaches a shuttle. You can additionally request items for picking out of the racks by pushing the item to the global list ItemsToPick. Currently each shuttle will store and/or pick one item in one trip with a dedicated position for each. When doing both in a single trip, the order in which this happens will depend where along the level the slots are located. In the event that there are no remaining tasks but items still need to exit the cell, the shuttles at the front of the queue will be asked to circulate empty through the system, thereby allowing the outbound items to advance to the exit position. The number of shuttles in the system is a process flow variable. In the example system there are elevators at each end of the rack(s) with a number of carriers to transport shuttles to the levels. Both elevators have a process flow variable for the number of carriers to be generated. Shuttles are not allowed to pick from the same level at the same time but in order to keep the up-elevator moving the carriers can unload the shuttle to the level even if another is active on that level. The shuttles only travel along the face of the rack in one direction towards the down-elevator and once are collected by a carrier the next shuttle on that level can start its operations. It is possible to run the system with only one rack should you wish to view the operations without the second rack obscuring your view. Since different applications will use different rack dimensions the cell has a label method called “configureToRack” which will align the conveyors and decision points to Rack1 based on the level heights and size of the racks that the user has set for Rack1. There may be some limits to very small sizes when the conveyor decision points overlap. The second rack will be configured during this method call to mirror Rack1. Here’s an example invocation of this method for an instance of the cell: Model.find("RackShuttleSystem").as(Object).configureToRack The shuttles need levels to be the same height along the length of the rack. Some effort was made to configure the system based on the shuttle and carrier sizes, so you can try adjusting those to suit your needs and hopefully the alignment will work as needed. The elevator conveyor and shuttle speeds are not set by the alignment method so you can edit those in the usual way. This is an example for both learning and perhaps as a starting point for any project should you find the approach suits your application, modelling style and skills. ShuttleLiftAndRack.fsm Time taken: 1 day to build the working model - plus another to work around holes api for auto-alignment code. 17Nov Updated: to initalize shuttles at the load point (via fast entry) added shuttleQheight label for use to set the returnQ height in the cell (used by the alignment method) added a process flow variable 'shuttleLoadTime' for the time to un/load items. aligned shuttle kinematics to the speed and acceleration of the TE FlowItem.
View full article
[ FlexSim 16.1.0 ] Attached is an example model that uses both of the new template process flows for AGV and AGV elevator control, available in FlexSim 2016 Update 1. Thanks @Katharina Albert (I believe), who provided the seed model, which I adjusted/extended as I implemented these process flows. This model enumerates many of the control point connections and path configurations you might use in an AGV model when using these template process flows.
View full article
Top Contributors