Advanced Flow Exercises
Review of Basic FactoryFLOW exercises
These next fifteen steps are designed to review the basic features of FactoryFLOW and how to perform a basic FactoryFLOW analysis. This same example will then be used to look at some of the advanced features of FactoryFLOW.
Step 1 - Open “flowdemo.dwg” located in the class directory
Step 2 - Load the FactoryFLOW application. Open the database “flowdemo-01.flo” located in the class directory.
Step 3 - Perform a Euclidian calculation. (Data Analysis ? Calculation)
Step 4 - Adjust the path thickness to “0.001” (Paths? Flow Path? Adjust Flow Path Thickness)
Step 5 - Query a path. (Paths? Query Path? Query Flow Path)
Step 6 - Delete the flow paths. (Paths? Flow Path ? Delete Flow Path)
Step 7 - In AutoCAD under the FactoryFLOW menu, select Go to Aisle Network Layer. This will turn the CIMFF_ACTPATH layer on. It was frozen by default in the drawing file.
Step 8 - Perform an AutoJoin Activity Points in the Project. (Paths? AutoJoin? AutoJoin Activity Points in Current Project)
Step 9 - Perform an Actual Path calculation (make sure that the calculation log is selected before executing the function. (Data Analysis ? Calculation)
Note: The AutoCAD progress bar is used to indicate the status of the calculation. To see the progress bar do not maximize the FactoryFLOW Editor window.
Step 10 - View and discuss the calculation log.
Step 11 - Create a Distance-Intensity Diagram. (Reports? Create Distance-Intensity Chart)
Step 12 - Query a Distance-Intensity Point. (Reports? Query Distance-Intensity Point)
Step 13 - Generate a Congestion Diagram with a scale factor of “0.01” and an aisle thickness of 12ft. (Data Analysis? Aisle Congestion Analysis)
Step 14 - Delete the material flow paths.
Step 15 - Delete the congestion diagram paths. (Paths? Congestion Path? Delete Congestion Path)
Setting up Company Defaults
FactoryFLOW now uses a database to store all the information needed to run a study. Some of this information is repeatable for different Flow studies and can then be stored in a default database. This database can then be used as the starting point for all future flow studies. In the basic example the default database used was called FactoryFLOW.flo. The following exercises will go through the process of adding information that can be contained in this default database.
Creating a default FactoryFLOW.flo file
1. Open FactoryFLOW
2. Create a study with the name “FactoryFLOW.flo”
3. From the Data menu, select Activity Point Types. FactoryFLOW allows users to define their own activity types. Add the following AP types, then delete existing AP types that were already there. Select a color and shape for each type:
Activity Type
Internal Type
Color
Shape
Loading dock
Dock
Red
Arrow
Marshalling
Process
Magenta
Diamond
Inspection
Process
Blue
Square
Line Feed
Assembly
Green
Circle
Empty Storage
Store
Cyan
Triangle
Full Storage
Store
Yellow
Triangle
4. Delete all other Activity Points.
5. Select Containers from the Data menu. In the Containers dialog box, delete all but two containers.
6. Add Container and Carton.
7. In the Containers dialog box, set the type and size of Carton to 24x24x12 (type carton) and Container to 96x60x72 (type Rack). Each will have a stack height of 5.
8. From the Options menu, select Settings.
9. Under Time Setting, set the time unit for both Material handling and Production to DAY.
10. Exit FactoryFLOW Editor.
11. The file that was just created will become your new default file for all FactoryFLOW studies. Go to the \\CIMF\PROGRAM directory and rename the existing FactoryFLOW.flo file to “FactoryFLOW-old1.flo”.
12. Copy the file you created above (“FactoryFLOW.flo”) to the \\CIMF\PROGRAM directory.
13. When you have completed the training you will have to set up your own company standard “FactoryFLOW.flo” file.
Creating Default Time Templates
When FactoryFLOW calculates the time to move a container of parts from one location to the next, the total travel time is calculated in three steps:
1. Time to load the container – determined by the Load Template.
2. Time to move to the drop location – determined by the distance and speed of the material handling device.
3. Time to unload the container – determined by the Unload Template.
Load and unload templates for a specific trip can be defined in 3 ways:
· GLOBAL MATRIX: Use a specific template based on:
· The type of action (load or unload) of
· a specific container type that is delivered by
· a specific Material handling device to
· a specific Activity Point location
For example: If a carton of parts is unloaded with a Fork Lift at a Line Feed location then use the Fork unload 123 Template.
· MATERIAL HANDLING DEFAULT: Specify a specific load and unload template for a material handling device and use these templates whenever a material handling move is made by the device.
· LOCAL ACTIVITY: For any specific move, overwrite either of the options mentioned above with a specific load or unload time.
Setting up the order of selecting templates
1. Open the “FactoryFLOW.flo” file created above.
2. From the Options menu select Settings and select the Activity Assignment Priority tab.
3. For both the load and unload, alter the order of the priority so that it is Local Activity first, then Global Matrix, and finally Material Handling Default.
Setting up time equations
We are now going to create a number of time equations that will be used in our activity templates. All times are in MINUTES. Look at the following table: (Highlighted items should already be present.)
Name
a
b
c
x-variable
y-variable
Frequency
Get off Fork:
0.3
Per Trip
Get on Fork
0.5
Per Trip
Load Activity
1
Per Trip
Unload Activity
1.2
Per Trip
Tugger Load
0.2
Per Trip
Tugger Unload
0.3
Per Trip
Sign paper work
1
Per Trip
Cut open container
0.05
Per Container
Unwrap part
0.02
Per Part
Maneuver Fork Lift
0.3
Per Trip
Walk – Trip
0.01
0.02
Feet Walked
Per Trip
Walk – Container
0.01
0.02
Feet Walked
Per Container
Each item in the preceding table represents a specific time element. The total time of each element is defined by an equation of the format ax+by+c. For example, if we look at the “Walk - Container” equation we can model it as:
Time = 0.01 (Feet Walked) + 0.02 Do this once per container
So, if 5 containers move a total of 30 feet each, the total time generated by this equation will be:
TIME = (0.01*30 + 0.02) *5 = 1.6 min
To set up the equations listed above:
1. From Data select Activity Equations.
2. Select ‘Create a new activity equation.
3. In the Equation Wizard, name the new equation ”Walk - Container”.
4. Add the optional description “Walk time per container delivered”.
5. Choose to Set up an equation with variables.
6. In the first variable description enter Feet Walked.
7. Set the value of the coefficient “a” to 0.01.
8. Do not create a second variable.
9. Enter a constant of “0.02”.
11. This activity is performed “once per container”.
12. Now enter the remaining equations listed above.
Setting up templates
Now that we have defined the different equations that define the material handling tasks we need to create specific material handling templates. The templates that we are going to create are listed below:
Template Name
Activity
X
Y
Get Cont at Dock
Maneuver Fork
Get off Fork
Walk – Trip
30
Sign paper Work
Walk – Trip
30
Get on Fork
Load Activity
Set Cont at Line
Maneuver Fork
Unload Activity
Get off Fork
Walk – Container
10
Cut open Container
Unwrap part
Walk – Container
10
Get on Fork
Fork Load
Load Activity
Fork Unload
Unload Activity
Tugger Load
Tugger Load
Tugger Unload
Tugger Unload
To set up the actual templates do the following:
1. From Data select Activity Templates.
2. Select Add new Activity template and enter Get Cont at Dock.
Note: Data and text fields for templates allow up to 255 characters.
3. From the Available Activities select the appropriate elements as listed in the table above.
4. Repeat the process for each template in the table.
5. Close the template dialog box.
Note: To summarize templates and activity equations used in a study, you can create an Activity Template report from the Standard Reports menu.
Setting up the Global Matrix
Now that we have defined our templates we can specify when they apply. This is done in the GLOBAL MATRIX.
Activity Point Type
Container Type
Material Handling Type
Load/ Unload
Template
Loading Dock
Carton
Lift Truck
Load
Get Cont at Dock
Line Feed
Carton
Lift Truck
Unload
Set Cont at Line
1. From the Data menu select Global Matrix.
2. Enter the information listed in the table above.
Summary
If we load a unit load of cartons with a Fork Lift at a Loading Dock the Get Cont at dock template will be applied. If we do any other type of loading with a fork lift the Fork Lift’s default load template will be applied (to set up the default load template, see the Material Handling Section in the Data Import section of this tutorial), unless a Local activity is specified for the move. The order in which FactoryFLOW looks for the load/unload template is determined by the Activity Assignment Priority settings.
To use the templates in all future studies
The templates are saved in the .flo file. To use a .flo file, including its templates, as the default for new studies, you can replace the current default file.
1. Exit FactoryFLOW Editor.
2. In a file browser go to the Factory \PROGRAM folder and rename the existing FactoryFLOW.flo file to “FactoryFLOW-old2.flo”.
3. Copy the file you created above (“FactoryFLOW.flo”) to the Factory PROGRAM folder.
Important: Make backup copies of the original and any new .FLO files you use as default for new studies. As an alternative to automatically basing new studies on FactoryFLOW.flo, you can open any project file and save it with a new name.
Importing Data
You can import data to a FactoryFLOW project file from a properly formatted Excel multi-sheet workbook that can contain all the input data required for a study except the layout drawing, or only a set of selected data.
You can import up to eight categories of input data from an Excel workbook that includes properly formatted data in the following worksheets:
Worksheet name
Data Contained in worksheet
Assembly Tree
Information about how parts are organized by products and assemblies.
Routing
Routing information for all moves.
Units
Units for various parts of the analysis.
MH Equipment
Material handling equipment definitions.
Activity Points
Activity points data.
Act Point Types
Activity point type definitions.
Containers
Container definitions.
Tugger Routes
Tugger route definitions.
You can also export study data from FactoryFLOW to an Excel workbook. Having the data in a workbook provides you an additional environment for examining and manipulating the input data.
Importing a partial workbook
1. Open the Excel file “Flow-Demo-partial.xls” (look at the format).
2. Start AutoCAD.
3. Load layout: “FlowDemo.dwg”.
4. Launch FactoryFLOW.
5. Open the FactoryFLOW Editor.
6. Start a new flow project and in the dialog box specify a name of a new project as “FlowDemo-02.flo”.
7. File import Excel workbook – select “Flow-Demo-partial.xls”.
NOTE: In order to successfully import Excel spreadsheet data, Microsoft Excel must be loaded on the computer.
8. Select the Truck under Assembly data and then right-click, select Properties and specify the production volume as 1500/day.
9. Select the first part in the first product and then look at the flow diagram pane. The shapes of the locations are all defaulted to the first Activity Point type that is of internal type “process”. The black arrows indicate full containers. Red arrows indicate empty. Look at editable fields in the table section of the route editor.
10. Select Activity Points in the left tree structure.
11. For each activity point select the appropriate type. (for example, dock = loading dock, estore = empty storage)
12. Return to assembly data and look at the different part flow diagrams.
Importing a complete workbook
1. Open the Excel file “Flow-Demo-full.xls” (look at the format).
2. Open a new project the FactoryFLOW Editor.
3. Start a new flow project and in the dialog box specify a name of a new project as “FlowDemo-02.flo”.
4. File import Excel workbook – select “Flow-Demo-full.xls”. Leave all worksheet options checked on.
5. Observe the imported data and tree structure.
Calculating Tugger material handling
1. Select the material handling item from the tree.
2. Select Tugger1 and observe that the device type is set as tugger (this means that the device runs a fixed route at a predefined frequency and delivers multiple parts per round trip).
3. Click the button labeled “Show Parts Delivered by this device”.
4. Click the Tugger Route button found in Tugger1’s dialog, or choose the Tugger Routes command from the Data menu.
5. In the Tugger Route dialog box, define all of the routes (closed loop routes) that a specific tugger will complete and specify the frequency of each route.
6. Delete any existing routes by highlighting the route name in blue and selecting the Delete Route button.
7. Select Add Route and add a route called “Route_1”. Make sure that the checkbox next to the route name is selected to include this route in the next calculation.
8. Specify the number of times that this route will be completed per day (set frequency to 16 trips per day) (If your time unit displayed is not day then change it in Optionsà Settings.)
9. In the available AP list, all AP in the database are listed. All of the AP with red icons must be visited by the tugger. Now select a route and be sure to include all the Activity Points that have to be included. Once a route has been created, it can be renamed or copied for use in alternative routes.
http://www.cadfamily.com/html/Article/FactoryFLOW%20Class%20Guide%20v1_2%20Part%20B_1007_1.htm
http://www.cadfamily.com/html/Article/FactoryFLOW%20Class%20Guide%20v1_2%20Part%20B_1007_2.htm
http://www.cadfamily.com/html/Article/FactoryFLOW%20Class%20Guide%20v1_2%20Part%20B_1007_3.htm
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