FlowObject

Inherits from Object

Description

The main class for FloWorks objects.

Properties

flowControl Gets or sets the Flow Control that manages the flow rates for this object.
input FlowObject.InputOutput object that allows access to FloWorks object's input ports.
output FlowObject.InputOutput object that allows access to FloWorks object's output ports.
product Gets or sets the FloWorks object's product.
stats Allows access to a FloWorks object's statistics.

Methods

connect Connect a FloWorks object to this object.
impact Applies an impact factor to the maximum input and/or output flow rate and waits for resume().
resume Ends an impact factor event, which temporarily decreased or increased the maximum flow of a FloWorks object.
stop Applies an impact factor of zero to the maximum input and output flow rate, sets the FloWorks state of the object, and waits for resume().

Details

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FlowObject.flowControl

Object flowControl

Description

Gets or sets the Flow Control that manages the flow rates for this object.

The FlowControl is responsible for optimizing the flow through a network. Every object that is connected to the FlowControl is part of the network the FlowControl will optimize. Every flow object must be part of a FlowControl. The controller will calculate all rates throughout the network. After the flows have been established a new event will be created to recalculate the flow. This happens for instance when a tank becomes full or empty.

By requesting this property, you will get a reference to the Flow Control that currently manages this object.

By setting this property, you can change the Flow Control that manages the object. To disconnect the object from any flow networks, assign nullvar.

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FlowObject.input

FlowObject.InputOutput input

Description

FlowObject.InputOutput object that allows access to FloWorks object's input ports.

See the FlowObject.InputOutput documentation for more information.

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FlowObject.output

FlowObject.InputOutput output

Description

FlowObject.InputOutput object that allows access to FloWorks object's output ports.

See the FlowObject.InputOutput documentation for more information.

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FlowObject.product

Variant product

Description

Gets or sets the FloWorks object's product.

If you have not done so, please read the Products section of the manual found under User Manual > FloWorks > Concepts > Products.

By default FloWorks uses numeric product types with default colors as defined in the manual. This property will get and set that product number. In case you have defined a custom product table, you will get or set the name of the product in this table. When no product is applicable, for example in the case of an empty conveyor, this property will be zero (0) for numeric product types or nullvar for user-defined products.

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FlowObject.stats

readonly stats

Description

Allows access to a FloWorks object's statistics.

This property provides the following properties and methods:

input - returns the current cumulative inflow of the object.

output - returns the current cumulative outflow of the object.

utilization (for non-content-holding objects only) - returns the utilization of this object as a number between 0 and 1.

content (for content-holding objects only) - returns the current content of this object.

state(Variant& profile = nullvar) - returns a state tracked variable. If no profile argument is given, or if it is 1, then the default FloWorks state profile is returned. If the profile argument is equal to 0, the default FlexSim state profile is returned (note that most FloWorks objects do not use this). Other state profiles can be returned by providing the profile number or name.


// Get the state of a pump
FlowObject obj = model().find("FlowPump1");
int curState = obj.stats.state().value;	
		
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FlowObject.connect()

void connect( FlowObject connectTo )

Parameters

connectTo The object to connect to.

Description

Connect a FloWorks object to this object.

In some models, you want to dynamically connect and disconnect ports.

After dynamically (i.e. during the model run, not before Reset) connecting or disconnecting ports a recalculation of the flow rates is required.

This recalculation is not triggered when you use the default FlexSim commands such as contextdragconnection.

Therefore FloWorks provides two commands: FlowObject.connect and FlowObject.(input/output).ports.disconnect.

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FlowObject.impact()

void impact( treenode eventObject , double impactFactor , int isInputInfluenced , int isOutputInfluenced , int flowState = 0 )

Parameters

eventObject The event object that causes the impact. You must pass the same treenode to .resume() to end the event.
impactFactor The impact factor applied to the flow. Zero will stop all flow, an impact factor less than 1 will reduce the flow, and an impact factor greater than 1 will temporarily increase the maximum possible flow.
isInputInfluenced When non-zero, the impact factor will be applied to the maximum input flow. For non-content-holding objects, always use this parameter.
isOutputInfluenced For tanks, when non-zero, the impact factor will (also) be applied to the maximum outflow rate.
flowState The state to set on the FloWorks state profile while the impact factor is active (and not overridden by other events).

Description

Applies an impact factor to the maximum input and/or output flow rate and waits for resume().

Start an impact factor event, which temporarily decreases or increases the maximum flow of a FloWorks object.

The impact factor event applies a multiplicative factor to the maximum flow rate, which can completely stop or reduce the flow because of a failure mode; but by setting a factor larger than 1 this function can also be used to model increased productivity due to e.g. seasonal fluctuations.

This function is called automatically from the "down" trigger of a FloWorks Impact Event, you do not usually need to call it manually.

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FlowObject.resume()

void resume( treenode eventObject )

Parameters

eventObject The event object that caused the impact. You must pass the same event that was used in stop() to enable the impact factor.

Description

Ends an impact factor event, which temporarily decreased or increased the maximum flow of a FloWorks object.

Ends an impact factor event, which temporarily decreased or increased the maximum flow of a FloWorks object.

The impact factor event applies a multiplicative factor to the maximum flow rate, which can completely stop or reduce the flow because of a failure mode; but by setting a factor larger than 1 this function can also be used to model increased productivity due to e.g. seasonal fluctuations.

This function is called automatically from the "up" trigger of a FloWorks Impact Event, you usually only need to call it manually if you explicitly used the .stop() command.

Note that multiple events may be active on a flow object at any time, and multiple flow objects may be impacted by an event, so you may need to call this command more than once.

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FlowObject.stop()

void stop( treenode eventObject , int flowState )

Parameters

eventObject The event object that causes the impact. You must pass the same treenode to .resume() to end the event.
flowState The state to set on the FloWorks state profile while the impact factor is active (and not overridden by other events).

Description

Applies an impact factor of zero to the maximum input and output flow rate, sets the FloWorks state of the object, and waits for resume().

Start an impact factor event, which temporarily stops all inflow and outflow of a FloWorks object.

This function is equivalent to calling FlowObject.impact(eventObject, 0, true, true, flowState).