Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Package picks in a tote when building a real-world scenario of an order fulfillment center.
Any referenced datasets can be downloaded from "Module downloads" in the module overview.
Transcript
00:03
When simulating orders in a fulfillment center, once all the items from an order are consolidated,
00:09
you can then build the logic for the packaging process, to pack all items for the order together.
00:17
This involves using a List, as well as a Zone to control how the items are packed.
00:23
With the logic already built for the order and pick processes, put wall reservations, and to track pick items through your model,
00:31
you are ready to build the packaging process.
00:35
In this scenario, the pick tokens enter the first list, Arrived Picks, where the items for an order are consolidated.
00:44
Once all picks are available, the Order token pulls the pick tokens from the first List.
00:50
They move to another Push to List activity called Wait for Packing.
00:57
Then, they move on to the second list, Ready for Packing.
01:01
The order token now controls the packing process.
01:06
A Zone activity set is used to limit the number of orders that can be packed at a given time on the pack table.
01:13
For the Zone, here called Limit Totes on Pack Table, select More Properties.
01:20
In Zone Properties, select the Partitions tab.
01:24
The Zone is set to partition the tokens by their “token.Putwall”.
01:30
This means each put wall will have its own limitation applied.
01:35
Select Partition Constraints, and you can see that the number of order tokens allowed for each put wall is 3.
01:44
Once an order token can enter the Zone, a Create Object activity is used to create the tote, here called Create Packed Order Tote.
01:54
The Object is set to create a Quantity of “1” “Tote” at the corresponding out Object, the pack station.
02:03
It will then Assign the corresponding Tote to the order token.
02:08
Next, a Change Visual activity, called Color Box to Match Token, is used to color the pack tote to match the order token and items,
02:17
enabling visual confirmation in your 3D model that the items belong to the order tote.
02:24
Next, use an Assign Labels activity to reference the Operator who is packing the items.
02:31
In this case, for Pack Operator, the Value of the label is set to “token.Putwall.centerObjects[1]”.
02:41
The Pack Operator is connected to the put wall using a center port,
02:46
which allows you to reference the center object in the code to easily link the Operator to the corresponding put wall.
02:54
Next, the order token moves to a Pull from List activity called Select Pick from Putwall.
03:01
Here, the Pull from List activity is partitioned by “token” to ensure that the order token pulls only its matching items from the list.
03:11
Similarly, the item tokens are set up with a Partition ID that references the Parent token.
03:18
Additionally, the Request and Require Numbers are both set to “1”.
03:23
This means the order token will pull one item from the List at a time and calls it a “SelectedPick”.
03:31
The pick token is then pulled from the list and moves to the Finish activity, Pick in Tote.
03:37
The order token then moves to the Loading and Unloading Task Sequence.
03:43
Use the corresponding task activities to tell the Operator to Load the pick item from the put wall, and then Unload the pick item to the Tote.
03:53
In the Wait for Packing activity, the Push Value is set to “token.item”,
03:59
which means the item pushes to the list, not the token;
04:03
this simplifies the process.
04:06
The order token loops back to the Pull from List activity to check the list for additional tokens that match its Partition ID.
04:15
The order token will continue this sequence until there are no further items on the List that match its Partition ID.
04:24
Then, the order token needs to be released.
04:28
For Select Pick from Putwall, notice that the Use Max Wait Timer is enabled, with a Time of “1”.
04:37
After one second, if nothing matches on the List, then the order token proceeds to the On Wait Timer Fired event to “Release Token”.
04:46
Expand this field, and you can see that the token is set to release to Destination “2”.
04:53
Select the activity to view the paths that the token can take after being pulled from the list.
05:00
Path 2 leads to the Order Exits on Conveyor to Shipping section of the process flow.
05:07
Here, the pick items for the order no longer occupy the rack, so an Assign Labels activity is used to flag the put wall slot as available.
05:18
In the model, select the Pack table.
05:22
In Properties, expand Output.
05:26
When this was initially built, the Pack table was set to Do Not Release Item
05:31
to allow you to control when the pack tote moves to the conveyor.
05:36
This ensured that all items are packed prior to the tote advancing in the flow.
05:42
Now, a Custom Code activity is used, called Release Order to Conveyor, to move the tote forward.
05:49
Edit the Custom Code to view the Code Snippet, here set to “releaseitem(token.OrderTote,1)”.
06:01
This releases the Order Tote to port 1, the conveyor, allowing the order tote to exit the Zone.
06:09
Finally, the Exit Zone activity links back to the Zone to notify it of the order’s exit, allowing another order tote to enter the Zone.
06:19
A Sink activity removes the order from the model, completing the process.
06:26
With the model set up in this way, you can gather statistics.
06:31
In the Toolbar, select Dashboards > Add Blank Dashboard.
06:38
Right-click in the Dashboard and select Composite Staytime > Histogram.
06:44
Right-click the Histogram and use the Entrance Objects Sampler to select a starting point for the chart.
06:52
If you prefer, you can also add a Start activity and rename it.
06:57
In this example, a Start activity is added beneath Time to Pick and renamed to “Start on Conveyor”.
07:07
Then, the Entrance Objects Sampler is used to Sample it in the process flow.
07:14
Next, use the Exit Object Sampler to select Pick in Tote in the process flow.
07:21
Reset and Run the model.
07:24
The Histogram tracks the time it takes from the item’s arrival at the conveyor to packing the item in the tote.
07:31
Now that you know how to pack picks in a tote when simulating order consolidation in a fulfillment center,
07:38
you are ready to learn how to apply photo eyes to avoid jams in your conveyor system.
Video transcript
00:03
When simulating orders in a fulfillment center, once all the items from an order are consolidated,
00:09
you can then build the logic for the packaging process, to pack all items for the order together.
00:17
This involves using a List, as well as a Zone to control how the items are packed.
00:23
With the logic already built for the order and pick processes, put wall reservations, and to track pick items through your model,
00:31
you are ready to build the packaging process.
00:35
In this scenario, the pick tokens enter the first list, Arrived Picks, where the items for an order are consolidated.
00:44
Once all picks are available, the Order token pulls the pick tokens from the first List.
00:50
They move to another Push to List activity called Wait for Packing.
00:57
Then, they move on to the second list, Ready for Packing.
01:01
The order token now controls the packing process.
01:06
A Zone activity set is used to limit the number of orders that can be packed at a given time on the pack table.
01:13
For the Zone, here called Limit Totes on Pack Table, select More Properties.
01:20
In Zone Properties, select the Partitions tab.
01:24
The Zone is set to partition the tokens by their “token.Putwall”.
01:30
This means each put wall will have its own limitation applied.
01:35
Select Partition Constraints, and you can see that the number of order tokens allowed for each put wall is 3.
01:44
Once an order token can enter the Zone, a Create Object activity is used to create the tote, here called Create Packed Order Tote.
01:54
The Object is set to create a Quantity of “1” “Tote” at the corresponding out Object, the pack station.
02:03
It will then Assign the corresponding Tote to the order token.
02:08
Next, a Change Visual activity, called Color Box to Match Token, is used to color the pack tote to match the order token and items,
02:17
enabling visual confirmation in your 3D model that the items belong to the order tote.
02:24
Next, use an Assign Labels activity to reference the Operator who is packing the items.
02:31
In this case, for Pack Operator, the Value of the label is set to “token.Putwall.centerObjects[1]”.
02:41
The Pack Operator is connected to the put wall using a center port,
02:46
which allows you to reference the center object in the code to easily link the Operator to the corresponding put wall.
02:54
Next, the order token moves to a Pull from List activity called Select Pick from Putwall.
03:01
Here, the Pull from List activity is partitioned by “token” to ensure that the order token pulls only its matching items from the list.
03:11
Similarly, the item tokens are set up with a Partition ID that references the Parent token.
03:18
Additionally, the Request and Require Numbers are both set to “1”.
03:23
This means the order token will pull one item from the List at a time and calls it a “SelectedPick”.
03:31
The pick token is then pulled from the list and moves to the Finish activity, Pick in Tote.
03:37
The order token then moves to the Loading and Unloading Task Sequence.
03:43
Use the corresponding task activities to tell the Operator to Load the pick item from the put wall, and then Unload the pick item to the Tote.
03:53
In the Wait for Packing activity, the Push Value is set to “token.item”,
03:59
which means the item pushes to the list, not the token;
04:03
this simplifies the process.
04:06
The order token loops back to the Pull from List activity to check the list for additional tokens that match its Partition ID.
04:15
The order token will continue this sequence until there are no further items on the List that match its Partition ID.
04:24
Then, the order token needs to be released.
04:28
For Select Pick from Putwall, notice that the Use Max Wait Timer is enabled, with a Time of “1”.
04:37
After one second, if nothing matches on the List, then the order token proceeds to the On Wait Timer Fired event to “Release Token”.
04:46
Expand this field, and you can see that the token is set to release to Destination “2”.
04:53
Select the activity to view the paths that the token can take after being pulled from the list.
05:00
Path 2 leads to the Order Exits on Conveyor to Shipping section of the process flow.
05:07
Here, the pick items for the order no longer occupy the rack, so an Assign Labels activity is used to flag the put wall slot as available.
05:18
In the model, select the Pack table.
05:22
In Properties, expand Output.
05:26
When this was initially built, the Pack table was set to Do Not Release Item
05:31
to allow you to control when the pack tote moves to the conveyor.
05:36
This ensured that all items are packed prior to the tote advancing in the flow.
05:42
Now, a Custom Code activity is used, called Release Order to Conveyor, to move the tote forward.
05:49
Edit the Custom Code to view the Code Snippet, here set to “releaseitem(token.OrderTote,1)”.
06:01
This releases the Order Tote to port 1, the conveyor, allowing the order tote to exit the Zone.
06:09
Finally, the Exit Zone activity links back to the Zone to notify it of the order’s exit, allowing another order tote to enter the Zone.
06:19
A Sink activity removes the order from the model, completing the process.
06:26
With the model set up in this way, you can gather statistics.
06:31
In the Toolbar, select Dashboards > Add Blank Dashboard.
06:38
Right-click in the Dashboard and select Composite Staytime > Histogram.
06:44
Right-click the Histogram and use the Entrance Objects Sampler to select a starting point for the chart.
06:52
If you prefer, you can also add a Start activity and rename it.
06:57
In this example, a Start activity is added beneath Time to Pick and renamed to “Start on Conveyor”.
07:07
Then, the Entrance Objects Sampler is used to Sample it in the process flow.
07:14
Next, use the Exit Object Sampler to select Pick in Tote in the process flow.
07:21
Reset and Run the model.
07:24
The Histogram tracks the time it takes from the item’s arrival at the conveyor to packing the item in the tote.
07:31
Now that you know how to pack picks in a tote when simulating order consolidation in a fulfillment center,
07:38
you are ready to learn how to apply photo eyes to avoid jams in your conveyor system.
How to buy
Privacy | Do not sell or share my personal information | Cookie preferences | Report noncompliance | Terms of use | Legal | © 2025 Autodesk Inc. All rights reserved
Sign in to start learning
Sign in for unlimited free access to all learning content.Save your progress
Take assessments
Receive personalized recommendations
May we collect and use your data?
Learn more about the Third Party Services we use and our Privacy Statement. May we collect and use your data to tailor your experience?
Explore the benefits of a customized experience by managing your privacy settings for this site or visit our Privacy Statement to learn more about your options.