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Rafael de Assis avatar image
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Rafael de Assis asked João Dias answered

How to parametrize a source in MTO (Make to order system)?

diagram2.pngHello everyone!

I need help starting a model. I'm not sure how to start the "source". This process is quite peculiar.

product: the product is made up of two parts and the possible configurations are countless;

process: for each part of the product there is a workstation. Workstation 1 is capable of producing 3 types of products; station 2 is capable of producing 2 types of products. The final product is always made up of 1 part produced at workstation 1 and one part produced at workstation 2 (it's not random). Then these in-process products go to a third workstation where they are coupled.

The product is unique, and in real life each product has a unique production order.

I'm really not sure how I can parameterize my "sources". I left some drawings to better illustrate the understanding of the process.

qty: on average 600 products are produced/day between all the configurations.

No parts are left over, they all have their pairs to couple.modelo source.fsmdiagram.png

FlexSim 21.1.5
sourcedatasource
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1 Answer

João Dias avatar image
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João Dias answered

Hello

In your case, since each final product is made up of two parts (one produced at station 1 and the other at station 2), and these parts need to be specifically matched at station 3, the best way to configure arrivals in FlexSim is by using the Source with more advanced control.

There are two main options: if you only need to represent the proportion of item types being produced, you can use the “Arrival by Percentage” option in the Source, where you define, for example, that 30% of the items are type A and 70% are type B. This is useful if the exact sequence doesn't matter, only the overall distribution.
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However, in your case, since each product is unique and has a specific production order, the best approach is to use an arrival table. With this, you can define exactly the sequence and type of each item to be created, and even assign a specific production ID if needed. You can access this setup through the Source’s picklist by choosing the arrival via table option.

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Once the items are created, it’s important to assign a label to each item to indicate which station it should go to or where it came from. This can be done directly in the arrival table (by inserting the label values there) or using a script in the Source’s OnCreation trigger. With the label set, you can use the “Port by Case” option in the queue’s output settings to route each item to the correct workstation based on the label’s value.

Finally, for combining the two parts at the third workstation, you can use a Combiner and configure a matching logic. Since each pair is unique and no part should be left over, it's important that both items carry a common label (such as a production ID) so the Combiner knows exactly which items should be matched.

If you want to understand more about the Source configuration options, I recommend checking the official documentation:
https://docs.flexsim.com/en/25.2/Reference/3DObjects/FixedResources/Source/Source.html


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