Simple Process Sync Question

Okay, this will be pretty simple for some of you guys.

I'm just getting acquainted with FlexSim, and I want to simulate a process we do where I work. It's basically an indexing conveyor with 4 different processes. The indexing doesn't happen until all the processes are complete. It's pretty cookie cutter production type stuff.

I've got the processes separated by a conveyor (multiple conveyors representing the one large one), and I want the conveyors to only move after ALL the processes are done. What's the easiest way to do it?

Right now I've just go the processes feeding each other with the "setup" time being the conveyor. I'd really rather show the conveyor, though.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Hello David,

my approach would be to build a method wherein the inputs of the conveyors are closed and opened based on the latest process ending time.
Therefore I set the process finish time plus the actual runtime into a variable construct such as a label or a table cell. For example you can set variable to the maximum value of the actual stored and the new value.

setlabelnum(obj, labelname, maxof(getlabelnum(obj,labelname),new_process_finish_time));

obj = reference to the object where the label to find
labelname = string of the label name
new_process_finish_time = value when the process finishes.
Further I send a delayed message. The delay last till the processfinish. When the message is received I compare actual runtime with the stored values in the variable. If the receiving time matches with the latest process finish time I open the input of the conveyors. A short time later I close the input again. This could you implement again with a delayed message.

Jörg

Hmmm, I may look into that today. I've got a few other things I doubt will work, but I want to try. LOL!

I'll let you know if that works, though!

Thanks!

Other option would be to have all processors send a message on Processfinish to a controller object. Controller objects checks if all messages are received and opens all conveyors. The conveyors can close themselves on exit and on reset.