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Within a Server, Combiner or Separator object, you can specify the Process Type as 'Task Sequence' allowing you then to define any number of Processing Tasks for that Server, Combiner or Separator. The processing tasks can be serial or parallel tasks. By using parallel tasks, for example, with a different worker (nurse, PA, Doctor) required for each parallel task, the tasks are done independently, but can be done at the same time. Parallel tasks can be specified using the same Sequence Number (see Task Sequence and Task Sequence - Processing Tasks sections of Simio help). So, for example, you can have the processing tasks within a Server all have a sequence number of 10 (meaning parallel). One of them requires a Nurse for X time units, another requires a PA for Y time units and the other a Doctor for Z time units). The patient doesn't leave the Server until all 3 tasks are completed. However, if the Nurse is available to do his/her task, they will start. Likewise for the others. And the workers can move on to other tasks at other Servers (patient areas) as well when they are done.

I have a system with 3 steps. At each step a certain amount of product is process and batched (using a combiner) on to a pallet. I have to assign a sequence table to the member entities and the parent (pallet) entities. However this is resulting in some batches sitting at a combiner because the pallet follows the sequence instead of going to the next batch ready if the pallet is empty. Any thoughts on how to handle this? If there is no call for an empty pallet the pallets could stay where they are or go to a specific location.

Does anyone know how to utilize the memberinput@"combiner" in a process? I tried a process "UnitIdentity" with a decision step "MemberInput@PalletLoad==H1BUnit" to set a real state "UnitTypeID" and a ModelEntity.Picture so I can utilize the link weights further downstream. I placed this in the Processing Add-On for the combiner. I have attached the file. It feels so close to a resolution and any help would be appreciated! Best regards, Alex APS Design 2.spfx

Hello, I ran into a similar problem and am finding it difficult to construct a match expression for the combiner. I want to model a gear assembly GA(parent node) with gear g1, g2, and g3 (all connected to member node). But, there is some upstream variation affecting mating of gears. So, business process is binning them say g1-bin1 through g1-bin5. Similarly g2-bin1 through g2-bin5 and g3-bin1 through g3-bin5. I am currently using matching bin expression but stuck with the combiner is giving me GA1 = g1-bin2, g1-bin2, g2-bin2 which is wrong. How can I tweak so that I can get GA1 = g1-bin2, g2-bin2, g3-bin2. To be clear - There are thousands of g1, g2 and g3 (outsourced parts). I do not want to match some 'source entity counter' because that would assign a unique number to each gear and over-constrain the matching process. Again this might be a rather simple problem but as a beginner modeller I would appreciate a quick hint. Thanks, Hrushi

*If you need a custom logic, because you have a lot of batch members, you can add a entered process in the node. Then you can use a search step and search your right member. Then you can use a Decide-Step or what else and use the "SetNode-Step" and not the link weight logic. So you can set the taget destionation with the SetNode-Step :-). Or, you write the state in the Parent-Entity after these Entitiy left the Combiner. They are different options to solve this problem.

I have recreated a system to see theoretical capacities and it has multiple sources (1 parent and 2 different members that I combine). I have turned off balking because that interferes with my unit mix. I have also changed all buffers to a finite number and crossing logic capacities to 1. Even with all of this, I still hit the 2500 max entities and an error pops up. This system should only be able to hold a couple hundred, so I know I don't need to adjust my capacity size. I made the units stop at the 1st server so I could isolate the issue and it appears to be upon creation or in the combiner. My question is, how can I have unit production pause (not stop) when the buffers and capacities are full? I have attached the file for reference. APS Design 2.spfx

Hi, I am trying to make it so that at the end of a process all of my combiners (say 10 or 20) collect all entities (assigned to a particular combiner when they enter the system) but wait to release to the sink until the simulation reaches a certain time (say 9:00 AM) AND all entities have been processed through the system and are in their assigned combiner. I use a combiner because they turn into a different type of entity before exiting the system. I've tried a few different things but cannot seem to get the process logic down. Any help?

Hi, I believe you approach is correct. I would suggest you look at the CombineMultipleEntityTypesOntoPallets Simbit for help on how to have the shirts be combined with the totes (this may help alleviate your confusion about the worker fetching totes instead of shirts). Another suggestion would be the think of the combiner in a slightly different way than the real system (parent object, like the pallets in the above node) and the shirts are then feed into the member input and combined when there are 5 shirts. Meaning the shirts are combined with the tote, then once 3 totes are filled the ARM can move them out (utilizing an evaluating seize request add-on process for the ARM transporter). Hope this helps. Jason

You can sum the "NumberOfRollContainers" whenever a member entity enters the combiner object by using "on member entering" property under "state assignments" section. Then, set this total to the "TotalRollContainers" state variable of the parent objet by using "before exiting" property of combiner object.

A couple quick thoughts: Both from your description and from what I know about chair lifts, it seem that using a conveyor might be the best modeling approach. You might consider using a combiner instead of a server to synchronize all waiting skiers together into a lift car.

Hello All, This is my first post and I am relatively new to the program, so my apologies if my strategies are not the best. Essentially what i am trying to simulate is a simple picking process with AMRs (automated mobile robots). The ideal workflow is: 1. 3 Totes are created and attached to ARM's shelves 2. Shirts are created and processed through a server (already done) 3. Worker picks 5 shirts from the servers (already done) 4. Worker takes the 5 shirts and places it on the Totes 5. Once the 3 totes are full, the AMR will navigate to an unloading destination so another worker can unload the boxes So i realized that simio does not have any "attach" features where i could attach a box to a robot so instead of attaching, i will just make a combiner near the robot of the totes and shirts that its output leads to the unloading destination via transporter AKA the AMR So far, I have been able to create shirts, put them on servers and have the worker pick and place them. I have been looking into using a Combiner to merge the totes and the shirts, but for some reason the worker keeps fetching totes and not shirts (yes, I set the Batch Quantity to 5, so the worker should fetch 1 totes and 5 shirts right?). I simply need one tote/5shirts and would like the process in that order, in other words, the worker fetches a box places it on the robot ("feeds the parent input of the combiner") and fetches for 5 shirts to place on the box ("feeds the member input of the combiner"). Im more worried about these first steps, i know it may take more understanding to have the robot move once the 3 boxes are full. Any help, helps. Thank you.

If the parent entity knows how many bags belongs to they, you could set this expression in combiner's Batch Quantity property, something like my new attached model. Then you set the bag and passager IDs in the Ranking Rule property. Match Quantity.spfx

Thank you for your help, though this does not work for my model. The amount of (member)entities that are batched differs (since the amount of bags that a passenger carries with them differs), i am able to make sure the parent entity "knows" how many bags they should batch with at the combiner, but i can only get 1 right member entity to batch. so what i would like to do is give all member entities that "belong to a passenger" a state which is the same as a state for the parent entity (passenger), so this can be used as "match expression".

You can assign each entity an individual ModelEntity.Priority and set your Combiner to only match entities with the same priority. Check my attached model to see an example. Match Priority.spfx

I want to assign a state variable to the batch members of a parent entity, is this possible? the reason for this: I have 2 types of entities (passengers and bags), they separate, then go through different processes and then are combined again. but since the passenger entities have to be combined with "their own" bags, a state (or something else) should be assigned which can be referenced as "match expression" in the combiner. is this the right way of modeling this type of process? or should i do this another way?

I have a multiple combiners into which a single worker provides entities. While the worker is at a specific combiner, I want to check if that combiner's output buffer is full. I'd prefer not to create a separate process for each combiner as I have dozens. How do I code the process so that it is generic and that 1 process can work for any combiner? I'm hoping this is an easy question. Sorry if it's obvious. Thanks for your help.

I want to simulate a touring group utilizing 2 different buses to the same destiny, concurrently there are multi-types of model entities with a unique percentage distribution; "Adult, Teen and Senior", passengers. Finally, at arrival, both groups unloaded from their buses at the same time. My Question is: How I can to batch each group in a separate assembling area, so then they would follow a different group routing? I studied the "Combiner Node" example in the SimBit, can I do it without parent priority logic?

I will try to use the match expressions to determine which containers to batch. It would make things simpler. In the meantime, I discovered I could insert an extra server with 0 processing time just to store the worker and trigger the processing. Then, if a member entity is ready to batch, the worker can perform the batch. If there is no member entity yet, the worker waits in the output buffer and then when the member entity arrives at his detached queue (I needed to add that back in for this to work) it transfers the worker back to the input of this server so the worker can execute the batching logic again. Then, the parent and members arrive together at the combiner and they're ready to be combined. Again, I'll try again to use the match expressions, but if I can't figure that out, this should suffice. thank you very much for your help. using combiner.spfx

1) The model seems working as you intended. The animation seems the logic is not working but in fact the animation is delayed (in the animation the modelentity is at output node of server2 i.e., seems behind the scheule but if you examine trace window the modelentity is just at combiner memberinput buffer.) 2) I think the process logics are not required if you will not use them for further modeling purposes. I mean If you set appropriate parent match expression and member match expression at combiner1 object, the object itself will combine them automatically (it will perform all the operations you performed in your processes). Try not to use them?

Thank you gocken. This is so helpful. It makes things much simpler. I created an example with an entity which uses the worker as a transporter to go to the parent node at the combiner. the batch is created and they move on together. This seems to work well. But, I need to be able to perform the batch selection in a process. This is where things keep falling apart for me. I made the combiner match on member and parent, giving the entities a state variable set to True if those items were to be batched. I want to set this in an add-on process. Further, I need to be able to trigger this process when either a parent or a member entity enter their input buffers. I have an example attached that uses the add-on process. Once the parent enters the input buffer, the parent can choose what to batch. The batched items move on to server1 and the separator. Then, the worker (entity and transport) return to parent input of combiner, but it's empty. The unbatched entity goes to server2 (just to ensure it arrives after the parent). I thought it would leave server2 and trigger an add-on process on arriving at the member input node, but the add-on process is triggered when still at the server2 output node. So, in the add-on process, I transfer the parent to the parent input node (just to get the parent to kick off its own add-on process, but it doesn't know where to search for the member entity because it's still at server2. How do I get a process to fire to determine what to batch whenever either a parent or a member arrives? using combiner.spfx

It seems that you can employ the same logic by using combiner (named picking) and seperator (name it as filling, I have forgotten) objects from standard library. This simplifies your model development efforts. Since using a different version I can not save the model I developed. But, attached some screenshots as a guidline.

If you have a batched entity (through Batch step or Combiner object), there is only one parent entity and the rest member entities. Thus, one entity exits the parent node, the others exit the member node. If the Separator instead did a Make Copies instead of the Split Batch, you still have the original parent entity (incoming entity) and the member entities (copies). If you need to split the entities in different directions, you should look at having both of those nodes connected to a single node where you then make the decision to go in two different directions.

Within the Server, Combiner and Separator, if you change the Process Type property (under Process Logic section of properties) to 'Task Sequence' then you will get a repeating editor for Processing Tasks property - within that editor for adding multiple processing tasks, you can specify the Process Type as 'Sequence Dependent Setup' where you then reference a Changeover Logic element. This allows all three of these objects to include setup times.

Is there any way for me to assign a setup time to a combiner? Is the setup time property only available in workstation object? Under the Advanced Options of the combiner, there is this Expected Setup Time expression. Can I use it to specify the setup time needed before a batch can be processed? Thank you

You should place a seperator just after the combiner object. After seperating them all send five of them to node A and the other to node B. There exist many different ways to perform this.