Storage and Assembling of different Parts with Production Orders

[WoodStudent]

Dear Community,

I have the book Plant Simulation, but because my problem is very specific and I am an absolute beginner with programming methods using Simtalk maybe someone can help me.

For my Master Thesis I would have to make a simulation of following production process:

I produce coated panels. Therefore I have two sources (Source_Panels and Source_Foils). Both raw materials include different products, let´s assume that there are 3 different types of panels and 3 different types of foils (Panels: Panel1, Panel2, Panel3 and Foils: FoilA, FoilB, FoilC). These are stored in two different stores.

The panels are stored in stacks of 20 singe panels. A forklift (Track1) brings the stack to Conveyor1, where at the Destacking the panels are separated. The single panels are further transported (Conveyor2) to the press.

The foils are stored in rolls, where one roll has for example 100 meters of foil on it. A forklift (Track2) brings the required Roll from the store to a buffer.

So there are two parallel processes which meet at the assembly station (Press), where the foil is applied on the panels.

Now I have following problems/questions:

• I have a table with production orders. A production order consists of the Panel type, Foil type and Amount (for example Panel2, FoilA, 10 Pieces). Out of this table I have to tell the forklifts to get the right materials (Panel1, Panel2 or Panel3 from the Panel_Store and the FoilA, FoilB or FoilC from the Foil_Store) and bring it to their destination (Conveyor1 and Buffer). --- How can I control the forklifts with the table production_orders?
• The panels are created (Source_Panels) and stored (Store_Panels) in stacks of 20 pieces. Later the panels are separated (Destacking) and I have single panels. --- How can I do this?
• The panels of type Panel2 have a length of for example 4 meters. I have a production order of 10 pieces. If I coat these panels I would need 4m*10=40 meter of foil. So when the roll which was transported to the buffer has 100 meters of foil, and I need only 40 meters, 60 meters are remaining. These should be transported back to the store. --- How do I manage this at the assembly station (Press)?
• The Drain should produce the required raw materials 5 hour before the production order and provide it in the store. So if I have a production order at 10:00:00 where I need panels of type Panel1 and Foils of FoilC, the source should produce them at 05:00:00.---Can this be connected to the table production_orders?

Attached you find the layout. The INIT method creates the two forklifts on the tracks.

Every answer would be helpful. If you need any more information just ask!

[Noam]

You asked four questions, I will try to address the second one, which hopefully will help with the third one as well. It should be the same principal.

There are several approaches to breaking down batches. One of them is to use a container to move the batch, for example load 20 Panels of type MU, to a palette of type Container, move the palette to where it needs to be, and unload the 20 Panels. Discard or recycle the palette.

A DismantleStation, as your model shows, is a viable approach as well. The methodology involves creating seperate MUs for the stack and for the panel. Think of the stack as the pallete or steel ribon ties holding the stack together. Once that approach is taken, your task is pretty straight forward. The Stack enters the station, and the Panels leave it. The MU used for the Stack can be discarded or recycled.

See model attached.

Notes:

1. I skipped the store, and the forklift, in order to focus on the destacking question. For the same reason I created a simple cyclic production order for the Source_Panels.
2. The Enterance Control of the Destacking station takes care of the varity of Stacks arriving, and makes certain the correct Panels are coming out.
3. I skipped the rest of the production steps.

Hope this helps,

Noam

[Steffen_B]

some more answers

• "I have a table with production orders. A production order consists of the Panel type, Foil type and Amount (for example Panel2, FoilA, 10 Pieces). Out of this table I have to tell the forklifts to get the right materials (Panel1, Panel2 or Panel3 from the Panel_Store and the FoilA, FoilB or FoilC from the Foil_Store) and bring it to their destination (Conveyor1 and Buffer). --- How can I control the forklifts with the table production_orders?"

- you could create from the production orders delivery orders for the forklifts. If the buffer has capacity, you could load the next line in the delivery list...

• "The panels of type Panel2 have a length of for example 4 meters. I have a production order of 10 pieces. If I coat these panels I would need 4m*10=40 meter of foil. So when the roll which was transported to the buffer has 100 meters of foil, and I need only 40 meters, 60 meters are remaining. These should be transported back to the store. --- How do I manage this at the assembly station (Press)?"

you could insert a "virtual" process step: cutting (create...) a piece from the foil and move it to the assembly station; for the remaining foil you could insert a additional sensor in your forklift-route to load it there (if ther is one); for the amount foil on the foil roll you can create a user defined attribute...

"The Drain should produce the required raw materials 5 hour before the production order and provide it in the store. So if I have a production order at 10:00:00 where I need panels of type Panel1 and Foils of FoilC, the source should produce them at 05:00:00.---Can this be connected to the table production_orders?"

--> you could create a delivery table for the sources, if you have a valid format for the delivery date in the production_order table

[WoodStudent]

Hi Noam,

Thank you for your answer. This are some good ideas.

Unfortunately i can´t open the example (version 13.1 vs. version 13)--

maybe you could send me some screenshots?

Best regards,