Chapter 7 Entity Transfer Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Chapter 7 Entity Transfer Dr. Jason Merrick Last update August 20, 1998

What We’ll Do ... Types of Entity Transfers Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 What We’ll Do ... Types of Entity Transfers Resource-Constrained Transfers Transporters (Model 7.1) Conveyors Non-accumulating (Model 7.2) Accumulating (Model 7.3) Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Types of Entity Transfers Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Types of Entity Transfers Connect Zero-delay Connection graphic vs. module Labels (no graphic) Route Non-zero-delay — constant, r.v., expression Stations, animated Routes Fixed routes vs. entity-dependent Sequences Connect and Route both assume: No limit on number in transit at a time Entities have their own feet Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Resource-Constrained Transfers Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Resource-Constrained Transfers Limit total number of entities in transit at a time Telecommunications (number of packets) Logistics (number of vehicles) Entities still have their own feet Model via existing constructs — think creatively Model “space” on the “road” as a Resource Limit number of Units of this Resource Entity must Seize unit of “space” resource before beginning trip, Release it at end of trip The “space” resource must be defined via a Resources module if > 1 unit is required Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Resource-Constrained Transfers (cont’d.) Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Resource-Constrained Transfers (cont’d.) Leave Data area of many logic modules Tran Out… button Seize a unit of the “space” resource Priority (1 is highest, …) If no units are free, entity must stay where it is Option for Load Time Enter Data area of many logic modules Tran In… button Release the unit of the “space” resource Option for Unload Time Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Transporter Concepts Carts, fork lifts, trucks, wheelchairs, people, … Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Transporter Concepts Carts, fork lifts, trucks, wheelchairs, people, … When entity is ready to go somewhere, it needs to be “picked up” and moved Use Transporters — “moveable” resources Activities: Request, Transport, and Free Two types of Transporters Free-Path (we’ll do) Travel time depends only on velocity, distance Ignore “traffic jams” and their resulting delays Guided (won’t do) AGVs, intersections, etc. Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Creating Transporters Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Creating Transporters Transporter data module (Transfer panel) Transporter name (Cart in our model) Number of Units (2) Free Path vs. Guided (accept Free Path default) Distance Set (accept default name Cart_Dst) Velocity (50 feet/min.) Initial Position (accept Arbitrary default) Options ... When Freed ... (Remain Where Freed) Can have Schedules, Failures, Statistics Picture for animation, including Ride Point Consistency of time and distance units across model Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Requesting a Transporter Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Requesting a Transporter Entity is done at a station, wants to move on Leave Data area, Tran Out… button Transfer Type: Request Transporter name (Cart) Rule (Smallest Distance) Applies when > 1 transporter is available Other options include Cyclical, Preferred Order, Random Priority of this request (1) Applies when demand for transporters exceeds supply Load Time (0.25 min.) Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Entity Animation During the Transporter Request Process Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Entity Animation During the Transporter Request Process Use an Arena Storage (similar to a queue) Place to store entity to make it show in animation Get at via animate subdialog in most logic modules Leave for Next Station area Select Storage radio button Storage name (accept default) Check Unstore box to decrement Storage statistics Produces animation object that looks like an animated queue, except for default color (green) Can edit the storage animation just like a queue Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Freeing a Transporter Entity has arrived at its next station on a Transporter Enter Data area of this station, Tran In… button Select Free Transporter radio button Arena keeps track of which one, unit number Unload Time (0.25 min.) Transporter is now available, will position itself according to Options ... When Freed … in Transporter data module Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Distances for Transporters Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Distances for Transporters Define contents of the Distance Set Cart_Dst Distances (in feet) moved by parts: Blank cells: part movements that don’t occur Place 11 Distance modules (Transfer panel) Beginning, Ending Stations Member of what Distance Set? Numerical Distance Direction is implied — need not be symmetric Units!! Units!! Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Animating Transporter Movement Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Animating Transporter Movement Part of Distance module Beginning, Ending stations First, move module handle to appropriate physical location (organize Distance modules — maybe many) Then, drag animation (stations, line) where they belong Dragging module handle also moves animation Use Shift+Drag on handle to leave animation where it is Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Animating Transporter Movement (cont’d.) Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Animating Transporter Movement (cont’d.) Line characteristics — double-click on line # Points — then drag to correct animation position Maybe Rotate/Flip entity as it moves, line Colors Parking Areas for Transporters Double-click on double circle, Points…, Add, … Like a queue — Points vs. Line, Color, Rotate, Flip Drag around for realistic positioning There could be many animation stations for a single logical station, but you should have only one parking area per Station (delete others) Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

More Distances — Empty Transporters Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 More Distances — Empty Transporters Above Distances incomplete — only for entities Transporters must also move when empty In general, n(n - 1) distances need definition for network with n nodes Some not possible — Order Release to Exit System Additional distances to define (grayed): Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

System Improvement (?): Replace Transporters with Conveyor Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 System Improvement (?): Replace Transporters with Conveyor Replace Transporters with a conveyor Loop conveyor to follow main path, clockwise Six entrance/exit points Load, Unload takes 0.25 minute Each part is 4 feet per side, but want 6 feet of conveyor space for clearance on corners Speed = 20 feet/minute Distances: Units!! Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Conveyor Concepts Entity to be conveyed must wait for space Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Conveyor Concepts Entity to be conveyed must wait for space Conveyor consists of cells Equal size, constantly moving Entities might require multiple contiguous cells Must define cell size; tradeoff involved: Small cells: accurate model but slow execution Large cells: less accurate but faster Entities Access space, Convey, and Exit Conveyor = series of linear Segments Each segment starts and ends with a Station Link to form loops, diverge points, converge points Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Types of Conveyors Both travel in a single, irreversible direction Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Types of Conveyors Both travel in a single, irreversible direction Nonaccumulating: belt, bucket line, escalator Spacing between entities on it doesn’t change Entire conveyor stops for entity Access/Exit if Load/Unload time is > 0 Accumulating: rollers, freeway Conveyor never stops moving If entity on it stops to Exit, other entities behind it are blocked and bunch up (entities ahead of it keep moving) When blockage ends, blocked entities go on but maybe not all at once (spacing requirements) Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Change Transporters to Non-Accum. Conveyors (Model 7.2) Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Change Transporters to Non-Accum. Conveyors (Model 7.2) Modify Transporter model (Model 7.1) Define Variables Load Time, Unload Time Delete Transporter module Add Conveyor module (Transfer panel) Name, Segment Set (define Segments later) Velocity, Cell Size definitions Initial status: Active Max Cells Occupied (for “biggest” possible entity) Type: Nonaccumulating Entity Size: Cell Size Conveyor statistics (check box) Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Change Transporters to Non-Accum. Conveyors (Model 7.2) (cont’d.) Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Change Transporters to Non-Accum. Conveyors (Model 7.2) (cont’d.) Every Tran Out: change Request to Access Conveyor = Loop Conveyor # of Cells to Access = 2 Load Time = Load Time (Variable name) Every Tran In: change Free Transporter to Exit Conveyor Unload Time = Unload Time (Variable name) Replace Distances with Segments (need 6) Beginning, Ending Stations, Segment Set Name Define distances for simulation Units = actual length (in feet), not number of cells Place lines for animation Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Digression: Manual Change of Variable Values During Run Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Digression: Manual Change of Variable Values During Run Increase Load Time and Unload Time to 2 during run (see effect on conveyor stopping) Pause the run: Suppose you do this at time TNOW = 301.885 Use Run Controller: Run/Command menu option or 301.885>ASSIGN Load Time = 2 301.885>ASSIGN Unload Time = 2 Resume the run: Close Controller window; OK for demos; questionable for “real” runs Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis

Change Conveyors to Accumulating Type (Model 7.3) Simulation with Arena — Chapter 7 Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis 4/22/2017 Change Conveyors to Accumulating Type (Model 7.3) Modify Model 7.2 (with non-accumulating conveyors) Conveyor module Change Type to Accumulating Specify Entity Size to 4 to allow entities to bunch up closer than the 6 feet needed for an entity When a blockage is removed, entities will automatically re-space themselves to consume 6 feet each Verify effect by increasing Load/Unload times Simulation with Arena — Entity Transfer and Steady-State Statistical Analysis