Task 4.1 - Build the 3D Model and Process Flow

Task Overview

Your goal in this task is to build a 3D model and process flow that will simulate a workstation in which a sticker machine attaches a sticker to a product as it comes through the production line. (See the Tutorial Overview for more detailed information about this simulation model.)

In this task, you will build the first phase of your 3D model of the sticker system and create the basic logic that will control the 3D model using the Process Flow tool.

Step 1 Build the 3D Model

In this step, you'll add the basic objects that will represent your production line in your 3D simulation model. Then, you'll add the objects you'll need to simulate the tool changeover when an employee replaces a roll of stickers on the sticker machine. When you're finished, your model will look like this:

To create this model:

1. First you'll create the main production line for your business system. With the Library open, drag the following objects into your 3D model in this order:
   • Source
   • Queue
   • Processor
   • Sink
2. Create port connections (A-connects) between each of these objects in the order you added them to the model:

3. Next, add an additional Queue which will act as a storage area for the sticker rolls. Place the Queue a short distance from the Processor in the model.
4. Add an Operator to the model. The Operator will replace the sticker rolls with a new roll once they've been depleted. Place the Operator somewhere between the Processor and the Queue.
5. For clarity, rename the following objects:

Object	New Name
Processor	StickerMachine
Queue (the second one)	RollStorage
Operator	RollOperator

Check to ensure that your model looks similar to the image of the model shown in the beginning of this step.

Step 2 Add Activities to the Roll Refill Process Flow

In this step, you'll add the activities that will control the logic of the sticker roll refill process flow. You'll also add a list (a shared asset) to your process flow.

For now, you'll only add the activities, rename them, and create connections between them. You'll change the property settings for the activities in a later step.

When you're finished, your process flow should look like this:

To create this process flow:

1. On the main toolbar, click Process Flow, then select Add a General Process Flow.
2. In the Process Flow Library, drag a Container shape (under Display) into your process flow.
3. Rename this shape as Sticker Roll Refill.
4. Inside the new shape, add the following activities in this order (without connecting them or making them stacked blocks):
   • Schedule Source (under Token Creation)
   • Push to List (under Shared Assets)
   • Create Task Sequence (under Task Sequences)
   • 2 Travel activities (under Task Sequences)
   • Finish Task Sequence (under Task Sequences)
5. Add a List asset (under Shared Assets) below the Sticker Roll Refill shape. (It will be outside of the shape because this list will be used by multiple activities in the process flow.)
6. Rename the following activities and assets:

Object	New Name
Source	Source: Starting 2 Rolls
Push to List	Push to List: Sticker Rolls
Create TS	Create TS: Get New Roll
Travel (the first one)	Travel: Pick Up Roll
Travel (the second one)	Travel: Install New Roll
List	List: Sticker Rolls in Use

7. Resize the activities to display their full names if needed.
8. Join the Create TS: Get New Roll activity and the two Travel activities together in a stacked block.
9. Create connections from the Source to the Push to List, then another connection from Push to List to the stacked block with the Travel activities.
10. Create a connection from the stacked block to the Push to List activity.

Consider saving your simulation model.

Step 3 Build the Roll Refill Logic

In this step, you will edit the properties for the activities you added in the previous step. The following table provides an overview of how the activities in the Sticker Roll Refill process flow will function:

To create this functionality:

1. Click the Schedule Source to select it. In Properties:
   • Under Arrivals, double-click the cell under the Quantity column and type 2.
   • Under Assign Labels to Created Tokens, click the Add button to add a new label.
   • In the Name box, type rollQuantity.
   • In the Value box, type 20.00.

   

2. Click the Push to List activity to select it. Then click the No Link icon to enter sampling mode. Click the List: Sticker Rolls in Use to link them together.



3. Click the stacked block of Task Sequence activities to select them. In Properties under Create TS: Get New Roll:
   • Find the Executer/Task Sequence box. Click the Sampler button next to this box to enter sampling mode. Click the RollOperator in the 3D model to open a menu. Select RollOperator to assign the task sequence to this operator.
   • Next you'll change the name of the label that contains the task sequence. Click inside the box underneath the Assign To option and type Label: getRoll.

   

4. In Properties under Travel: Pick Up Roll:
   • Click the arrow next to the Executer / Task Sequence box to open a menu. Point to Token Label, then select getRoll.
   • Find the Destination box. Click the Sampler button next to this box to enter sampling mode. Click the RollStorage queue in the 3D model to open a menu. Select RollStorage to select the queue as the travel destination.

   

5. In Properties under Travel: Install New Roll:
   • Click the arrow next to the Executer / Task Sequence box to open a menu. Point to Token Label, then select getRoll.
   • Find the Destination box. Click the Sampler button to enter sampling mode. Click the StickerMachine processor in the 3D model to open a menu. Select StickerMachine to select the machine as the travel destination.

   

6. In the Properties under Finish TS:
   • Click on the box below Task Sequence and enter token.getRoll.

   

7. Lastly, you'll set up the properties for the list. Click the Sticker Rolls in Use list to select it. In Properties:
   • Click the Advanced button to open up the advanced list properties.
   • You'll add a field to this list that will reference and update the rollQuantity label. With the Field tab open, click the Add button to open a menu. Select Label.
   • In the Label Field box, type rollQuantity.
   • Make sure the Dynamic checkbox is cleared, then click OK to save the changes.

Consider saving your simulation model.

Step 4 Add Activities to the Roll Usage Process Flow

In this step, you'll add the activities that will control the logic of the sticker roll usage process flow. For now, you'll only add the activities, rename them, and create connections between them. You'll change the property settings for the activities in a later step.

When you're finished, your process flow should look like this:

To create this process flow:

1. In Process Flow Library, drag a Container shape (under Display) into your process flow.
2. Rename this shape as Sticker Roll Usage.
3. Create a stacked block with:
   • Event-Triggered Source (under Token Creation)
   • Pull From List (under Shared Assets)
4. Underneath the first stacked block, create another stacked block with:
   • Custom Code (under Basic)
   • Another Pull From List
   • Another Custom Code
5. Add a Sink activity underneath the second stacked block.
6. Rename the following activities:

Object	New Name
Source	Source: Flow Item Enters
Pull from List	Pull from List: Sticker Rolls
Custom Code	Custom: Stop Machine
Pull from List	Pull from List: Sticker Rolls
Custom Code	Custom: Resume Machine
Sink	Sink: Flow Item Exits

7. Create a connection from the first stacked block to the Sink activity.
8. Click the connection you just created to select it. In Properties in the Name box, type Succeed.
9. Create a connection from the first stacked block to the stacked block directly below it.
10. Click the connection you just created to select it. In Properties in the Name box, type Fail.
11. Create a connection from the second stacked block to the Sink activity.

Consider saving your simulation model.

Step 5 Build the Roll Usage Logic

In this step, you will edit the properties for the activities you added in the previous step. The following is an overview of how the activities in the Sticker Roll Usage process flow will function:

To create this functionality:

1. Click the first stacked block in the Sticker Roll Usage shape to select it.
2. Next to the Source: Flow Item Enters, click the No Link icon to enter sampling mode. Click the StickerMachine in the 3D model to open a menu. Select StickerMachine: On Entry. Notice that the following properties automatically update in Properties:



3. With the first stacked block still selected, click the No Link icon next to the Pull from List: Sticker Rolls activity to enter sampling mode. Click the List: Sticker Rolls in Use to link them together.



4. In Properties of List: Sticker Rolls in Use, press Advanced to open that list's full properties window. Go to the General tab. Clear the Assign SELECT Values to Puller Labels checkbox, and check the Use First SELECT Value as Quantifier checkbox. Press OK to apply and close the properties window.



5. In Properties of the Pull from List: Sticker Rolls activity:
   • Click the arrow next to the Query box to open a menu. Point to SELECT, then select rollQuantity.
   • Check the Use Max Wait Timer box. After clicking this box, an additional set of properties will appear underneath this checkbox.
   • Next to the OnWaitTimerFired box, click the Edit Properties button to edit the actions that will occur when tokens fail.
   • Click the arrow next to the Release Token action to expand its properties.
   • In the Destination box, type "Fail". NOTE: Typing 2 as the Destination would have the same effect since this is the connector ranked 2.

   

6. Click the second stacked block in the Sticker Roll Usage shape to select it.
7. In Properties under Custom Code: Stop Machine:
   • Click the Add button next to the Custom Code box to open a menu. Point to Control, then select Stop Object. The Stop Object properties will open.
   • Click the Sampler button next to the Object box to enter sampling mode. Click the StickerMachine in the 3D model.

   

8. With the second stacked block still selected, click the No Link icon next to the Pull from List: Sticker Rolls activity to enter sampling mode. Click the List: Sticker Rolls in Use to link them together.



9. In Properties under Pull from List: Sticker Rolls, click the arrow next to the Query box to open a menu. Point to SELECT, then select rollQuantity.
10. In Properties under Custom Code: Resume Machine:
    • Click the Add button next to the Custom Code box to open a menu. Point to Control, then select Resume Object.
    • Click the Sampler button next to the Object box to enter sampling mode. Click the StickerMachine in the 3D model.

    

Consider saving your simulation model.

Step 6 Run the Simulation Model

Now it's time to test the model to make sure that it's running correctly. Before you run the model, open the entries for the Sticker Rolls in Use List so that you can see the list in action:

1. Click the List: Sticker Rolls in Use to select it.
2. In Properties, click the View Entries button to open the list entries. It will be blank before you run your model.

Now reset and run your model and watch it in action.

As you run the model:

• The two rolls of stickers appear in the Sticker Roll Refill process flow.
• As each flow item enters the sticker machine, the rollQuantity reduces by 1.
• When one roll reaches 0, it disappears from the list and the RollOperator travels to the RollStorage queue for another roll.
• While the RollOperator is traveling, the sticker machine begins using stickers from the second roll of stickers.
• After the RollOperator installs the roll on the sticker machine, it appears on the list again and the process repeats itself.

Since the RollStorage queue is fairly close to the sticker machine, the RollOperator always successfully installs the new roll before the second roll is depleted. But if you want to see the sticker machine stop when it runs out of stickers, try moving the RollStorage queue far away from the sticker machine and/or reduce the number of stickers on a roll (by reducing the starting number on the rollQuantity label in the Schedule Source).

Conclusion

Now that you've built the basic 3D model and process flow for your sticker system, it's time to make clones of the sticker systems. The next two tasks in this tutorial will compare and contrast different methods for creating clones of 3D models and process flows. When you complete those tasks, you'll have a better understanding of why it's more effective to use process flow instances to create clones. Continue on to Tutorial Task 4.2 - Create Clones Using Copy and Paste.