Multiple servers with single shared capacity

[Hristiyan Petkov]

Dear Simulationists,

I am trying to model a manufacturing cell consisting of a metrology station, CNC machine, and an airblast station. Each processed batch contains 3 different parts. The batch is inspected in the metrology station, then is mounted on the CNC where the first part is machined. After the first part is machined, it is then taken out of the CNC machine and transported to the airblast station, and after that to the metrology station and the finished parts store, while the CNC machines the second part of the batch. The same is repeated for the second and third part of the batch. After all three parts are machined, the plate used as a fixture for the batch is also processed on the CNC, followed by transportation to the metrology station and the plate store. There are defect rates of different magnitude associated with different operations.

My idea was to represent each of the operation steps as separate servers (4 CNCs, 4 metrology stations, 3 airblast stations) and create a process logic that assigns a single shared processing capacity on all servers performing the same function. For example, this would not allow the second CNC to start operating if the first is already operating. I have been struggling to define this process logic for three days now, and as my desperation levels grew progressively higher, I decided to seek assistance from the experts in this forum.

I would deeply appreciate it if you share your ideas on how this process logic might look like, ideas about more efficient methods to model the scenario and any general feedback or suggestions!

This is a repost of the thread from the public forum to allow file attachments.

Thanks,
Hristiyan