Process Flow Palette

The Process Flow palette contains all the objects needed to create process flow type models.  These models are characterized by a passive entity that is passed from one object to another following a process flow diagram.  These types of models are often used to simulate a manufacturing process where the entities represent parts that are moved between processing stations.  The following objects are provided in the Process Flow palette.

Process Flow Palette

Object

Description

 

SimEntity

The basic entity for use in a process flow type model.

 

EntityLauncher

Creates a copy of a prototype entity when clicked by the user.

 

EntityGenerator

Creates copies of a prototype entity at specified intervals.

 

EntitySink

Destroys any entity it receives.

 

Server

Processes a received entity over a specified duration.

 

Queue

Stores received entities until they are needed.

 

EntityConveyor

Transports a received entity along a specified path at a fixed speed.

 

EntityDelay

Delays a received entity by a specified duration.

 

Seize

Seizes one or more units of a Resource.

 

Release

Releases one or more units of a Resource.

 

EntityProcessor

Seizes one or more resources, delays the received entity by a specified duration, and releases the resources.

 

Assign

Assigns new values to attributes.

 

Branch

Directs a received entity to a selected destination.

 

Duplicate

Sends copies of the received entity to a set of destinations.

 

Combine

Matches entities from multiple queues.  The entity from the first queue is passed on while the other entities are destroyed.

 

SetGraphics

Changes the appearance of the received entity.

 

EntityGate

Blocks received entities from progressing further until the EntityGate is opened by one or more Thresholds.

 

EntitySignal

Opens or closes a specified SignalThreshold when an entity is received.

 

SignalThreshold

Threshold that is opened and closed directly by an EntitySignal object.

 

Assemble

Combines sub-components to create an assembled part.

 

EntityContainer

An entity that can hold one or more entities.

 

Pack

Inserts entities in a new EntityContainer.

 

Unpack

Removes all the entities from an EntityContainer which is subsequently destroyed.

 

AddTo

Add entities to an existing EntityContainer.

 

RemoveFrom

Removes some or all of the entities from an EntityContainer.

 

EntityLogger

Records the outputs and state data for a generated entity in an output log.

 

Statistics

Collects statistics from the received entities.

Many of the objects in the Process Flow palette provide the following outputs.

LinkedComponent Outputs

Output Name

Description

obj

The entity that was received most recently.

NumberAdded

The number of entities received from upstream after the initialization period.

NumberProcessed

The number of entities processed by this component after the initialization period.

NumberInProgress

The number of entities that have been received but whose processing has not been completed yet.

ProcessingRate

The number of entities processed per unit time by this component after the initialization period.

ReleaseTime

The time at which the last entity was released.