Adding Zones

You can add several types of zones to a flow.

This task shows you how to:

See Also
About Zones
Adding Activities
Edit Dialog Box

Add an In Zone

You can add an in zone to a product flow.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Add In Zone .
  2. Click a point in the work area to specify the location of the in zone.
    The in zone appears in the work area.
  3. Optional: Use the Robot to define the position of the zone.
  4. To finish, press Esc.
  5. To edit the zone, double-click it in the Resource Configuration table.
  6. Optional: In the Edit dialog box that appears, you can set the Operation mode to Schedule.
  7. Optional: Define the schedule using the Edit option in the dialog box to specify the part name, lot size, and time of arrival of the part.

During simulation, machines produce parts on the in zone according to the schedule you defined.

Add an Out Zone

You can add an out zone to a product flow.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Add Out Zone .
  2. Click a point in the work area to specify the location of the out zone.
    The out zone appears in the work area.
  3. Optional: Use the Robot to define the position of the zone.
  4. Press Esc.

Add a Product Zone

You can add a product zone to define a point in the product flow where a resource handles the product.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Add Product Zone .
  2. Select a resource.
    • The product zone appears on the selected resource.
    • If the resource is a carrier on a Power and Free conveyor with a mount port defined on it, then a dialog box appears. You can select a mount port from the list displayed in the dialog box.

      Apply to all instances option lets you create a product zone on all the instances of the selected carrier.

  3. Optional: Use the Robot to define the position of the zone.
  4. In the context toolbar, click Add the Product that flows and select a product in the tree or work area.
  5. To finish, press Esc.

Add a Resource Zone

You can add a resource zone to specify a point in the product flow where a worker waits for a product.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Add Resource Zone .
  2. Select the closest resource to specify the location of the resource zone.
  3. Click a point in the work area to specify the location of the resource zone.
    The resource zone and the Robot appear.
  4. Optional: Use the Robot to define the worker position and direction.
  5. Specify the Quantity of workers required.

    Note: You can have more than one worker in a resource zone.

    During simulation, each worker occupies the closest possible resource zone or the closest least occupied zone assigned to the operation.
  6. To finish, press Esc.

The resource zone appears on the selected zone.

Tips:
  • Add Resource Zone is also available in the context toolbar when you click a transfer activity on a resource.
  • To delete a zone, right-click a zone and select Delete.

Define a Decision Zone on a Conveyor

You can define a zone on a conveyor where you want a resource to execute an activity on a product. You can define one decision zone per conveyor only.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Add Decision Zone .
  2. Select a point on the conveyor.
  3. Click the selected point again to confirm your selection.
    The decision zone appears on the conveyor.
  4. Optional: Use the Robot to define the position of the zone.
  5. Press Esc.
  6. Create an activity to handle the product:
    1. Select the decision zone.
    2. In the context toolbar, click Add Transform Activity .
    3. Click Add products to define the requirements for the Transform activity and select an input product.
    4. Click Add Products to define the output for the Transform activity and select an output product.
    5. Press Esc.
  7. To edit the activity parameters, select the zone and click Edit SLA Resource .
  8. In the Edit dialog box that appears, specify the Claim Capacity under Decision Zone Behavior.
    You have defined the maximum number of parts that occupy the decision zone. For example, if the claim capacity is 1, then only one part occupies the decision zone. If the claim capacity is 2, then one part will occupy the decision zone and the other part accumulates behind the part occupying the decision zone.
  9. Enable the Unclaim When Trail Ends option beside Claim Capacity.
    This unclaims the decision zone as soon as the part starts traveling away from the zone or when the trail end of the part reaches the zone.

The transform activity appears on the decision zone.

Create an AGV Decision Zone

You can create an AGV decision zone and add it to a pathway.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Add AGV Decision Zone .

    Note: You can also add an AGV decision zone to a pathway in the Resource Configuration table.

  2. Click a pathway from the tree then click Resource Configuration .
  3. In the Resource Configuration table that appears, right-click the AGV decision zone and use the context menu to add activities, product flows, and resource zones to the AGV decision zone.

    Note: You can also add activities, flows, and zones to the AGV decision zone with the action bar commands.

    You have created an AGV decision zone.

    If you assigned a product flow to the AGV decision zone, then product transfer occurs. In this case, if the AGV decision zone has parts inside the pallet, then the assigned product flow routes the parts.

  4. To edit the AGV decision zone, right-click the zone and select Edit AGV decision zone from the context menu.
  5. Set the Route Type to Fixed, then click OK and close the Resource Configuration table.

You have edited the AGV decision zone.

Define a Parking Group and Manage Mobile Objects

You can define a parking group and manage mobile objects for an AGV decision zone.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Parking Group Definition to define a parking group for an AGV decision zone.
  2. In the Create or Edit AGV Parking Group dialog box that appears, click Add Group , then select the AGV decision zone.
  3. Click the start and target decision zones then add or remove decision zones from the group in the Select Decision Zone(s) dialog box that appears.

    Note: The target decision zones signify the place where the AGV decision zones park after completing the task at the start zone. This behavior is available by default.

  4. Click Edit Group to edit a parking group and Remove Group(s) to delete a parking group.
  5. Click Assign Pool to assign a resource pool and Unassign Pool to unassign a resource pool.
  6. Click OK to validate.
    After completing the operation on the target decision zone, based on parking group definition, AGV routes to the parking decision zone if there are no other pending tasks.





  7. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Define mobile pre-emption to preempt the AGV moving to a parking task to perform a different task.
  8. Click Assign to choose preempting resources or Unassign to unassign them.
  9. Set the preempting condition Activity Threshold value measured by percentage, then click OK.
    You have preempted the AGV moving to a parking task to perform a different task.

  10. To define the depart requirement at the AGV decision zone, click Define Mobile Depart Requirement from the Programming section of the action bar.

    Note: AGVs must spend time at a decision zone even if the AGV does not have any operation defined at that decision zone. This occurs through the depart requirement for an AGV decision zone.

  11. In the Edit Resource Depart Requirement dialog box that appears, double-click an AGV decision zone to define or edit the depart requirement.
  12. Set the depart requirement.

    Note: If you choose Wait Specified Delay, you must specify the Delay value measured in seconds.

Once you define depart requirement, all of the AGVs of the same pool that are passing through that decision zone stop for the defined time and start to travel again. During simulation, AGV is in Depart Blocked state when stopped at a decision zone due to the depart requirement defined on the decision zone.

Define a Route Group on a Decision Zone

You can route group definition to a decision zone.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Route Group Definition , then select a decision zone.

    Note: You can also route group definition to a pathway. In this case, the route groups already defined on the pathway are on the list.

  2. In the Create or Edit AGV Route Group dialog box that appears, click Add Group .
  3. In the Select Decision Zone(s) dialog box that appears, click Add Decision Zone to add decision zones to the group or Remove Decision Zone to remove them from the group.
  4. Click OK to validate.
    The Select Decision Zone(s) dialog box closes and the Create or Edit AGV Route Group dialog box appears.
  5. Specify the Starting Zone for the route group.
  6. Specify the Route type from the listed options.
    Once you update the route type for any group, the same is updated for Route type on the start decision zone only and not on the target decision zones.
  7. Specify the Group Name of the route group.
  8. Choose the Priority of the group, which is used to manage multiple route groups that you defined on a given decision zone.
    If a decision zone has multiple groups, then the zone considers the route group with priority one first. If it is full, then the zone uses another route group with the next priority for routing. If all the decision zones in the first group are busy, AGV routes to the second route group.
  9. Specify the route group’s Product Status type to specify if the group can be used for Light Rework or Good parts.

    Note: This does not support Heavy Rework.

    During simulation, AGV travels to the relevant destination based on the route group's product type. If the part is rework, the AGV is routes based on the route group defined for rework part. If the parts are good, then the part routes using the route group with the product type good.



  10. Specify the Executing Pool for the route group.
  11. Specify the Target Zones for the route group.
    If there are multiple target zones, the target zone selection is based on what you defined as the Closest Free AGV in Route type. In this case, the AGV routes to the closest free AGV Decision Zone. Similarly, Farthest Free AGV is routed to the farthest free AGV Decision Zone and Cyclic AGV routes to each AGV decision zone in a cyclic manner.

  12. Click Edit Group to edit a route group and Remove Group(s) to delete a route group.
  13. Click Assign Pool to assign a resource pool and Unassign Pool to unassign a resource pool.
  14. Click OK.

You have routed group definition to a decision zone.

Note: During simulation, when a group supplies a part to an AGV decision zone with a defined load activity, it selects an AGV to perform the task.



Once the load activity occurs, based on route definition for given decision zone, AGV goes to the next decision zone.



If you defined a rejection rate on the decision zone, then inspection carries out on the part during simulation and the part is good or rework.



Define a Request Group for a Decision Zone

You can define a request group when you must pull a part from decision zone.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Request Group Definition , then select a decision zone with the Operation mode set to Pull.

    Note: You can also request group definition for a pathway. In this case, the request groups already defined on the pathway are on the list.

  2. In the Create or Edit AGV Request Group dialog box that appears, select the pathway then click Add Group .
    When you select a pathway, the list of all the request groups you defined appears.
  3. Click Add Decision Zone to add decision zones to the group or Remove Decision Zone to remove them from the group in the Select Decision Zone(s) dialog box that appears.
  4. Click OK to validate.
    The Select Decision Zone(s) dialog box closes and the Create or Edit AGV Request Group dialog box appears.
  5. Specify the Starting Zone, Target Zones, Source Zones, and other options in the dialog box.

    Note: The options in this dialog box are similar to those in the Create or Edit AGV Route Group dialog box.

    The target decision zones in the request group signify the decision zones to pull parts from to satisfy a request in the start zone.
  6. Click Edit Group to edit a request group and Remove Group(s) to delete a request group.
  7. Click Assign Pool to assign a resource pool and Unassign Pool to unassign a resource pool.
  8. Click OK.

You have requested group definition and pulled a part from the decision zone. Whenever you create a request on the resource connected to a decision zone operating on Pull mode, the request group fulfills the part request on the connected resource during simulation.

Define a Claim Group for a Decision Zone

You can define a claim group for a decision zone.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Claim Group definition , then select a decision zone.

    Note: You can also claim group definition for a pathway. In this case, the claim groups already defined on the pathway are on the list.

  2. In the Create or Edit AGV Claim Group dialog box that appears, click Add Group .
  3. In the Edit Claim Group dialog box that appears, click Add Decision Zone.
  4. In the Select Decision Zone(s) dialog box that appears, add decision zones from the group, then click OK.
  5. Define the Claim Capacity value, which is used to manage the maximum number of AGV decision zones in the group.
  6. Click Remove Decision Zone to remove decision zones from the group.
  7. Click OK to validate.
    The Select Decision Zone(s) dialog box closes and the Create or Edit AGV Claim Group dialog box appears.
  8. Optional: Modify the request groups by using the Edit Group and Remove Group(s) options.

During Simulation, when two AGV come across an intersecting path with a claim group defined, the first AGV claims a decision zone, which is part of claim group. In this case, the other AGV waits in the previous decision zone in a claim blocked state.



Once the First AGV unclaims the decision zone, which is part of the claim group, then the claim blocked AGV starts moving.