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Please excuse a naive question from a newbie. Building a simulation for material flows in selective mining. Entities, "low_grade" and "high_grade", supplied at different rates by two sources, both go into a server (the mining machine) which passes them to a separator. I want the high_grade entity to go to a processing subsystem, and the low_grade entity to go to backfill (or a waste dump). Do I presume correctly that I should use a Separator for this? If so, how do I set it up to send the two entity types to different destinations ? At present, all seem to be going to the same destination. Instead of having different entities, could I use one entity type and assign grade values according to a probability distribution? If so, how would I then use a separator to send below-cutoff material to backfill?

Hello, I am trying to imitate what you can see in a factory. For example, I created a couple of materials that could be produced and consumed. Process: I created materials. For definitions, I created a produced material that will get the material from a table. Afterwards, I selected a task processing(sequence) under server. I added all the materials that needed to be produced. On task sequence I selected the materials tab to consume each material, but all the entities are running under 40 different materials. My desired output is to see only 1 entity running producing and consuming 1 raw material. Joshua

Hi, I'm making a manufacturing line sumilations where 2 entities representing components enter combiner, where they are being proccessed to a new single entity. How I'm suppoused to terminate those 2 entities that are entering the combiner and generate one new that is leaving? Also, can you combine more that 2 entities in one combiner?

My simulation is looking at maintaining inventory levels at multiple servers across a road network. Inventory is delivered via transports and is processed at each station at a rate of 1 item per hour (constant). What I am trying to do is to run some experiments to determine effects of different parameters on delivery system performance (ability to maintain inventory at (between 0-12) at each server location for the duration (72 hours is the current short test case). I have my responses set up to report Input@Server1.AssociatedStationLoad however the numbers are being listed between 0 and 1 instead of 0 and 12. Additionally, in the experiment output I get a 1 or 0 per server per scenario iteration. What I need to see is if any (and what) server hits 0 at any given time by having an output give an inventory level at current time for the duration of each run. Any advice?

Hi, I want to generate one type of product with one interarrival time. I have one source and one model entity. However, this entity can have different lengths following probabilities. Depending on these properties, the processing times at the servers will be shorter or longer. I tried to assign a state to the entity before this entity exits the source so ModelEntity.Length becomes DataLength.prob.randomrow. where DataLength is a table with the different lengths and the probabilities associated with those Lengths. The only thing is that it is a property and not a state, but I do not know how to do it in another way. Afterwards, I have different processing times at the servers depending on the different characteristics of my entity. For example, server1 will have different processing times depending on the length. How can I reference to the good processing time say I have added a column to the table DataLength with the associated processingtimes according to the lengths? Finally, I would also like keep track of those different lengths generated and see what the model produced in the end. Thank you for your help, Emilie

Hello. I have a vehicle that moves through Top level model to Submodel. However, Entity in Submodel Could not Call the vehicle in the top level model. Thoughts as to why it gets stuck here? RideOnTransporter_In_Submodel.spfx

I am trying to make a routing decision based on the Candidate node's routerequestqueue's summation of the entities user-defined property. If there are different types of entities with ex. different priority levels. I would like the routing process to choose the transfernode which has the smallest total sum of it's entities priority level. the transfernode that needs to be chosen also has a routing group attached to its entity destination type rule where its final machine has 0 buffer and due to a blocked destination rule, there will be a queue build up at the transfernode that needs to be chosen. I have thought about using a state variable for each node and using add-on process each time a unit enters and leaves a node but because the main model has many multiple nodes the node's entity priority sum has to be able to be accessed through the candidate.transfernode._________________. For example during the routing step in the process section, I have candidate.transfernode.destinationroutinggroupname.routerequestqueue which gives me the node's number of units waiting, but i need to be able to access the candidate nodes summed queued property. Is there either a way to directly access this information, have looked at the expressions and having a hard time finding something. failed attempt: candidate.transfernode.destinationroutinggroupname.routerequestqueue.population.defaultentity.priority.summation or is there a way to use the add-on process where i am adding/subtracting the priority levels, but somehow attach it to the candidate.transfernode's property Hopefully this makes sense. If you look at the file, please ignore the upper half and focus on the transfer nodes maintransfer, transfernode1 and transfernode1_1. maintransfer has an entered add-onprocess which is the subject of this question. the route process and it's selection expression is what I'm trying to adjust but find a way to express the candidate transfernodes of transfernode1 and transfernode1_1 (which are part of the XferRouting group). I'd like to choose and compare the total summed priority level of each node's queue. Simple_Routing.spfx

A quick solution to force all entities to get dropped at the same place is to add an add-on-process when an entity is loaded. which Checks if the entity is the first item in the vehicle and if not set its destination node to the first item. Decide: Token.associatedobject==Token.ContextObject.Vehicle.RideStation.Contents.FirstItem If False -> SetNode: Token.ContextObject.Vehicle.RideStation.Contents.FirstItem.ModelEntity.destinationnode a more elegant solution would probably involve batching the entities into a bucket that would then get transported to the destination. Upload 11.1.21.spfx

Hi, I have 6 entities arriving at exactly 8am each day. Each of the 6 entities will create a certain number of entities on arrival from their respective distributions. How do I model in my source? I cannot have multiple sources as each entity has its own server processing times. Please can you help? Thank you

Thanks Hurol! The "problem" with that property is that this only serves to process one additional entity. In my case, there can be n>=1 entities and I need to process all of them.

Hi, See attached model that uses an output table to log information on each entity. You could just as easily you an ExcelWrite/Write Step to do the same thing. Cheers, Lucas. Data Table Entity Log.spfx

Hi! I have been using SIMIO for quite some time now, but I have barely come across this need. I need to record the time spent per entity at any given path/server in the simulation, rather than obtaining the average time for all entities at the end of the simulation. Take the image below as an example. I need to record the time spent in the link (TimeOnLink) per entity generated. The path corresponds to that connecting the source to servers 2-7. Then, I need to record the time spent per entity on servers 2-7 (TimeInStation). I can display the unique ID number for each entity by Entity.ID, now I need to match the statistics. I figure the best way to model is trough ExcelWrite, but I can't manage to make it work. Any hints? The plan is to get the following information per entity, rather than a summary of all entities.

Hello ttarken, A simplified approach might be use a Resource to constrain the system until the required operator is available. If the operator should move with the Crane, a good starting point might be to try seizing a Worker and requesting a move to the pickup Node. Then, you could try using a Move step to move the Worker from the pickup Node to the drop-off Node with the Crane. Please see below a link to a similar post discussing how to use two Cranes to move a single entity. The example model attached to the other post might provide guidance for your application.

Hi Jim, May be there are many possible ways to follow to get the information you want. But, I suggest you to use a search step for searching a server's (or any other object's) processing queue to get such information. You can search not only the server's processing queue but also the whole "entity population" to get whole state variable's defined on them at any arbitrary time thoughout the simulation run. All you have to do is to define additional expressions on search step. In the example file attached a simple model is developed to get entities' state variables residing at server1's processing queue. Here note that, you have to click button at arbitrary times. Then, if 3 or more entities exist at server1.processing queue, the search step founds the first 3 of them (since a forward search is performedin this sample model) then later an excel write step writes entities created time (you can get many state variables of entities written on the same excel file). You can change search limit, queue state name, include a match condition etc. If you want to get such information at the beginning or at the end of the simulation run you should use this same logic at appropriate processes (onrunending, onruninitialized etc...). Also, you can get these information written on either a database or an output table as well. Hope this helps? getting a snaphot of Entity WIP via a button.spfx entities_processing.xlsx

Hi Jim, I uploaded a simple model related to the concept how to get instant information about any object in simio by using button. If you need more do not hesitate to ask more? getting a snaphot of Entity WIP via a button.spfx

Hi All, In examining a medical system, we have a requirement to log snapshots of the patient details being processed at specific points in time during experiment replications. For each server, we would like to know the state values for entities currently in processing in each functional area ( a mix of servers and storage queues). I suppose I am looking for an "Easy Button" which would quickly capture a Work In Process snapshot of the system. Are there any thoughts on accomplishing something like this? Any kind comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jim

Hello! I need to block a specific server in my model, preventing this server from starting its the processing time. The conditions for this to happen are dictated by the following servers, according to a number. In this simplified model I made, if the entity went through the server M1, then this server will stay suspended until T4 finished its processing time. At the same time, M2 will have the same behavior. Following the above, the server just before M1 and M2, called Volvo, must not start its processing time if M1 and M2 are working or if either one is working while the other one has suspended its processing time due to T4 is working with the entity just went through. The thing is I already tried 2 approaches, the first one was through suspending the server called Volvo (Bloqueo volvo file), and resuming when T4 finished its processing time, but despites it is suspending Volvo's processing time, it doesn't resume it correctly. On the other hand, I tried using a waiting room that blocks the pass of entities trying to reach the Volvo server, but it works erratically (Bloqueo volvo cancha file). I would appreciate any suggestion or help of any kind. Thanks in advance. bloqueo volvo.spfx bloqueo volvo cancha.spfx

Thanks you so much for you help Liz. That's such an advanced modeling techinique I had never heard of before. I would never be able to figure it out myself. It has almost worked but correctly. It has recorded the results for some tallies correctly but recorded some tallies on the wrong tally. I think there is a problem with the set row feature somewhere. I have no problem with setting rows elsewhere in the model such as arrivals from production and arrivals from truck tables create entities correctly with all their state variables. The product list table also has unique "productnames" (entity instances), set as key and auto set-row property is set to true. I have added another coloumn with element tally statistics reference (DistanceOnForklift) to products table. I have auto created it as you suggested and turned on the auto-set row feature to true. Both my product names and tally statistics coloumn are set as key in same "products" table. But the tally step still doesnt record them to the correct tally statistics. Where am I doing wrong? Would you still be able to help me? Shall I send you the model in private message? Here is the formula I have inputted 'Products[Products.ProductName.RowForKey(ModelEntity.EntityType.Name)].DistanceOnForklift' and in the picture below you can see that tally step records into wrong tally element on last three entries. I would be glad if you could help me.

Hi, There is not a direct function to access how much Processing Time is left for an entity in the Processing Station, however you can use a workaround that I have attached in a model. The ability to access the function you are referring to in your post is on our Product Backlog, but not being able to access the direct function makes this difficult to achieve. Once you save off the time remaining in a ModelEntity level State Variable, you can use a separate process to compare the value to the "certain amount" that it could exceed and then perform other steps following that. All the best, Caleb CheckRemainingProcessingTime.spfx

Hi! I already know how to determine the expected operation time. The thing is, I want to know how much of that time is left at any given moment, in order to make a decision (to choose which server I should send the following entity). Thanks in advance

I would recommend using a Data Table. One column could have all your entity types defined. The next column could be a Tally Statistic Element Reference Property. This column would match up the Tally statistic you want to correspond with the Entity Type. You could choose to auto-create these Tally Statistics from the Data Table. If you change the Tally Statistic Property's column Reference Type property from 'Reference' to 'Create', this will make the Tally Statistics for you. I recommend the Help page "Table-Based Elements (Auto-Create)" in Simio for more information. If your Entity Instances noted in the Data Table are unique, no duplicates, you can set that column as a Key. With that column as a Key, you could use just the Tally step and use the RowForKey expression. RowForKey will allow a key input to search for in that column. If the model entity is driving the process, you could use an expression like this for the Tally Statistic Name 'Table1[Table1.EntityInstanceProperty1.RowForKey(ModelEntityReference)].TallyStatisticProperty'. Since it seems this process will be on the OnRunEnding, it will not have a reference to a specific entity, so you will most likely need a Search step to find the entities still in the system. I would set the Search step to find Infinite things and let each entity reference exit on the found branch. If the EntityInstanceProperty column in your Data Table has the Auto-set Table Row Reference property to 'True', the entities will already know the row reference and your Tally step Tally Statistic Name property could be 'Table1.TallyStatisticProperty'.

Thank you so much Liz! I understand exactly what you mean. However we thought that using Tallies would give more correct results for the average value calculations. I am also thining that running and add on process on "run ending" would allow me to calculate the distances statistics for all the entities even if they are not destroyed. Now I know how to calculate it but there are around 800 different product types. So I have to write 800 if conditions saying if decide, entity.type.name == "A" is true, Tally "distanceonforkliftA", on false exit, if decide entity.type.name == "B", Tally "distanceonforkliftB" etc. Is there a way to automatically create tally statistics for each entity instance?

Hello! With your current approach, you need a way to aggregate the distance traveled per each entity. Each entity in the population is collecting their own distance traveled, but on the Output Statistic, you are looking at just the Instance, ProductA. The Instance will not automatically aggregate the population's values. If you were to specify a specific population index, for example ProductA[5].DistanceFunction, the Output Statistic would return the 5th entity in the population's distance function and you should see a value. However, making an Output Statistic for each population index would be inefficient and tedious to collect. I recommend using a global/model level State Variable. This State Variable could be summed as a ProductA entities leave the system. So the Product A entities will continue to collect their individual distance traveled as you have set it up, but then prior to exiting through the Sink, add their distance traveled to a running total State Variable. That total could then be divided by the number of entities destroyed giving you an average distance traveled.