Managing Resource Working Cycles

You can create, edit, or delete resource working cycles with the Working Cycle Management command.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Open a scenario that includes the following:
  • Multiple activities assigned to a common resource pool on at least two different machines.
  • A worker in the common resource pool that completes their work on a set of machines before moving onto other pending tasks, if any exist. You can achieve this by using a resource working cycle.
See Also
Using Activity Sets
Adding Activities

Create Resource Working Cycles

You can create a new resource working cycle with the Working Cycle Management command.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Working Cycle Management .
    The Manage Working Cycles dialog box displays.

  2. In the Manage Working Cycles dialog box, click Add, then select a machine or activity from the tree or the main 3D.
    The machine or activity is selected and the name shows in the Tools Palette toolbar.
  3. In the toolbar, select Finish.
  4. In the Available Resource Pool panel that displays, select the resource and click OK.
    The Edit Working Cycle dialog box displays.

  5. In the Edit Working Cycle dialog box, move machines or activities from the Available Elements section with the arrows.
    The machines or activities are added to the new resource working cycle and are listed in the Working Cycle section of the dialog box.
  6. Optional: In the Edit Working Cycle dialog box, check the Park Worker at Next Task Zone option to make the worker wait in the task zone of the next activity in the working cycle once a task is completed.

    Note: This option is unchecked by default. If unchecked, the worker finishes a task and does not move to the task location of the next activity. He moves to the zone only when the next task begins.

  7. Click OK.
    The new resource working cycle is listed in the Manage Working Cycles dialog box .
  8. Click Close.

You have created a new resource working cycle.

Edit Resource Working Cycles

You can edit an existing resource working cycle with the Working Cycle Management command.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Working Cycle Management .
  2. In the Manage Working Cycles dialog box that displays, select a working cycle and click Edit.
  3. In the Edit Working Cycle dialog box that displays, move required machines or activities in the Available Elements section to the Working Cycle section with the arrows.
    You have added these machines or activities to your existing working cycle and you can reorder them with the arrows or with drag-and-drop.
  4. Change the value as required in the dialog box next to each resource working cycle in the Working Cycle section of the dialog box.
    Note: The value next to each listed item represents the number of times the worker executes the resource working cycle before doing the next one. You can change this value and it must be above zero. For example, if the value is 2, then the worker executes the activity twice before moving on to the next activity in the resource working cycle. During this execution, other tasks must not interrupt the worker.

    By default, The dialog box sets the value to 1.



  5. To activate the resource working cycle, select it in the dialog box and check Activated.
    The status of the working cycle is updated and shown as Activated. A icon is displayed in the Diagnostic column of the Manage Working Cycles dialog box.
  6. To deactivate the resource working cycle, select it in the dialog box and clear the Activated check box.
    The status of the working cycle is updated and shown as Deactivated. No icon is displayed in the Diagnostic column of the Manage Working Cycles dialog box.
  7. Optional: In the Edit Working Cycle dialog box, check the Park Worker at Next Task Zone option to make the worker wait in the task zone of the next activity in the working cycle once a task is completed.

    Note: This option is unchecked by default. If unchecked, the worker finishes a task and does not move to the task location of the next activity. He moves to the zone only when the next task begins.

  8. Click OK.
    You have updated the resource working cycle.
  9. Click Close.

You have edited an existing resource working cycle.

Delete Resource Working Cycles

You can delete a resource working cycle with the Working Cycle Management command.

  1. From the Programming section of the action bar, click Working Cycle Management .
  2. In the Manage Working Cycles dialog box that displays, select a resource working cycle in the list and click Delete.
    You have deleted the resource working cycle and removed it from the list.

You have deleted a resource working cycle.

Modify Distance and Weight Attributes for Resource Working Cycles

You can modify the distance and weight attributes for resource working cycles.

  1. From the tree, select a machine or activity in a resource working cycle and click Edit SLA resource .
  2. In the Edit dialog box that displays, modify the Default speed attribute as required.
  3. Select an object that a worker carries in the resource working cycle and click the Measure Intertia command in the Tools section of the action bar.
  4. In the Measure Intertia dialog box that displays, modify the Mass attribute in the Main Results tab as required.
  5. Open the Simulations Options dialog box by clicking the Simulation Options command at the right edge of the work area.
  6. In the Flow Simulation tab, check the Collect Resource State Times option.
    This shows you information on the resource's behavior during the simulation.
  7. On the right edge of the work area, click States History.
    The States History dialog box displays a chart with the simulations statistics.
  8. Optional: In the dialog box, click the Export to XML command and save the file in the required location.
    When you open the saved file in a browser, it displays the values in XML format.

You have edited the distance and weight attributes for the resource working cycle.

Open the HTML Report for a Resource Working Cycle

You can view the distance and weight statistics for a resource working cycle with the HTML Report.

  1. Click the Play command of the Compass and select a simulation.
  2. In the Player, click Play forward .
  3. On the right edge of the work area, click System Performance Monitor .
  4. Select the System Utilization tab.
    The chart displays the state of each element of the production system.
  5. Optional: Click Open HTML Report .
    The report displays values on the elements of the production system for Total Distance Traveled (Millimeter) and Total Weight Carried (Kilogram).

The HTML Report for the resource working cycle is open and displays its distance and weight statistics.