Add any of the conveyor library objects to build and optimize your conveyor system, including decision points, stations, photo eyes, motors, and merge controllers.
Transcript
00:03
When modeling conveyors in FlexSim, you can use the conveyor library objects to optimize your conveyor system.
00:10
These objects, including decision points, stations, photo eyes, motors, and merge controllers,
00:19
enable you to build the logic, activities, and processes needed to produce a realistic and effective conveyor system.
00:27
The example model shown includes a Source feeding a standard rectangular conveyor
00:32
and will be used to demonstrate each of the related Library items.
00:36
A decision point is an object used to build logic into your conveyor system.
00:41
This allows you to control what happens to an item, based on specific criteria.
00:47
In the Library, under Conveyors, select Decision Point, click anywhere on the conveyor to add it, and then select the decision point.
00:58
In Properties, under Triggers, you can use the Add drop-down to control what happens to items, for example, On Arrival.
01:09
Among the many options, On Continue determines what happens before they leave the decision point.
01:15
A station is an object used to add processing points to a conveyor system.
01:21
The station works like a standard Processor, except that it is placed directly onto the conveyor, rather than being a separate object.
01:29
Add a Station to the conveyor, and then select it.
01:36
In Properties, you can adjust the Process Time to stop an item for a length of time while it processes.
01:42
Additionally, you can add triggers to your station to add different logic.
01:48
A photo eye is like a sensor, or a laser, and detects the presence or absence of items on a conveyor.
01:55
Add a Photo Eye to the conveyor, and then select it.
02:01
In Properties, you can build logic based on the state of the photo eye.
02:06
For example, you can add triggers to perform different actions when your photo eye is covered, blocked, or cleared.
02:15
A motor is used to control whether the conveyor system is on or off at a given time.
02:20
Motors can also be used to sync dog gaps on a power and free chain loop when simulating a power and free conveyor system.
02:29
Add a Motor in the Model next to the conveyor and then select it to view the available Properties.
02:36
Lastly, a merge controller is an object that controls how different conveyor lanes merge together.
02:43
Add a Merge Controller near the conveyor, and then select it.
02:50
As you can see in the image on the merge controller, if you have four lanes merging into one,
02:56
it helps you to define the lane release strategy for the merge.
02:60
It is generally only used with slug-building conveyors.
03:04
Here, a different model is displayed to illustrate how decision points and a merge controller operate together.
03:11
This model has a decision point with a trigger that, Upon Arrival,
03:15
routes flow items to a destination based on the product Type of the item.
03:20
The outObjects referenced in the Destination field are the four decision points at the start of each lane,
03:26
and are linked back to the first decision point.
03:30
As the simulation is Reset and Run, you can see that each Type of product travels to its respective lane.
03:37
Additionally, there is a merge controller in action that is connected to each of the four lanes.
03:43
This controls the logic that releases the slugs into the merged lane.
03:48
This was set up here using a pre-built process flow.
03:52
In the Toolbar, expand Process Flow, select Add an Object Process Flow, and then select Gap-Optimizing Merge Controller.
04:02
In this case, the default logic was used, but you could also modify it to use your own.
04:09
Each template includes detailed, step-by-step explanations of how the logic works,
04:15
as you can see here on the Gap-Optimizing Merge Controller tab.
04:20
You can access more information about conveyors, as well as a conveyor tutorial, in the FlexSim Help documentation online.
00:03
When modeling conveyors in FlexSim, you can use the conveyor library objects to optimize your conveyor system.
00:10
These objects, including decision points, stations, photo eyes, motors, and merge controllers,
00:19
enable you to build the logic, activities, and processes needed to produce a realistic and effective conveyor system.
00:27
The example model shown includes a Source feeding a standard rectangular conveyor
00:32
and will be used to demonstrate each of the related Library items.
00:36
A decision point is an object used to build logic into your conveyor system.
00:41
This allows you to control what happens to an item, based on specific criteria.
00:47
In the Library, under Conveyors, select Decision Point, click anywhere on the conveyor to add it, and then select the decision point.
00:58
In Properties, under Triggers, you can use the Add drop-down to control what happens to items, for example, On Arrival.
01:09
Among the many options, On Continue determines what happens before they leave the decision point.
01:15
A station is an object used to add processing points to a conveyor system.
01:21
The station works like a standard Processor, except that it is placed directly onto the conveyor, rather than being a separate object.
01:29
Add a Station to the conveyor, and then select it.
01:36
In Properties, you can adjust the Process Time to stop an item for a length of time while it processes.
01:42
Additionally, you can add triggers to your station to add different logic.
01:48
A photo eye is like a sensor, or a laser, and detects the presence or absence of items on a conveyor.
01:55
Add a Photo Eye to the conveyor, and then select it.
02:01
In Properties, you can build logic based on the state of the photo eye.
02:06
For example, you can add triggers to perform different actions when your photo eye is covered, blocked, or cleared.
02:15
A motor is used to control whether the conveyor system is on or off at a given time.
02:20
Motors can also be used to sync dog gaps on a power and free chain loop when simulating a power and free conveyor system.
02:29
Add a Motor in the Model next to the conveyor and then select it to view the available Properties.
02:36
Lastly, a merge controller is an object that controls how different conveyor lanes merge together.
02:43
Add a Merge Controller near the conveyor, and then select it.
02:50
As you can see in the image on the merge controller, if you have four lanes merging into one,
02:56
it helps you to define the lane release strategy for the merge.
02:60
It is generally only used with slug-building conveyors.
03:04
Here, a different model is displayed to illustrate how decision points and a merge controller operate together.
03:11
This model has a decision point with a trigger that, Upon Arrival,
03:15
routes flow items to a destination based on the product Type of the item.
03:20
The outObjects referenced in the Destination field are the four decision points at the start of each lane,
03:26
and are linked back to the first decision point.
03:30
As the simulation is Reset and Run, you can see that each Type of product travels to its respective lane.
03:37
Additionally, there is a merge controller in action that is connected to each of the four lanes.
03:43
This controls the logic that releases the slugs into the merged lane.
03:48
This was set up here using a pre-built process flow.
03:52
In the Toolbar, expand Process Flow, select Add an Object Process Flow, and then select Gap-Optimizing Merge Controller.
04:02
In this case, the default logic was used, but you could also modify it to use your own.
04:09
Each template includes detailed, step-by-step explanations of how the logic works,
04:15
as you can see here on the Gap-Optimizing Merge Controller tab.
04:20
You can access more information about conveyors, as well as a conveyor tutorial, in the FlexSim Help documentation online.
