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Further Products for optimizing manufacturing

• InFrame Synapse MES Production planning and control for high-tech fabrication sites

• InFrame Synapse PCS Process & equipment control to improve quality and yield

• InFrame Synapse Equipment Connector Powerful interface for easy connection of equipments

• InFrame Synapse APS Smooth planning and allocation of manufacturing resources

• AnyLogic Simulation Software Powerful simulation and modelling environment

Roverviewesource Models

With the resource models contained in the InFrame Synapse Simulation Suite processing equipments (with fixed and moving work pieces, generic cluster tools) and transportation systems (conveyors, cross-conveyors, turntables, automated guided vehicles, robots, central handlers with multiple robots on the same rail and collision control) as well as pedestrians can be modeled. The corresponding library contains around 50 elements.

Equipment and Transportation System Modeling

The InFrame Synapse Simulation Suite elements available for equipment and transportation system modeling extend the standard functionality of AnyLogic in various ways. The focus however is on a simple integration of equipment controllers that shall be simulated, the consideration of maintenance intervals and breakdowns/repairs as well as a clear separation between equipment modeling and process flow definition within the models.

Equipment Controller Integration

The so called Generic Equipments library contains abstracted processing equipment and conveyor models which were built on top of the AnyLogic Enterprise library. The control of machines and conveyors can be accomplished by corresponding controllers. With the DefaultEquipmentController the library already provides a controller which is as general as possible. Core of the controller is a finite state machine with three top-level states (off, up, down).

Finite state machine inside of the DefaultEquipmentController

The definition of custom controllers is possible for developers at any time. For this purpose, an active object solely has to implement the appropriate interfaces. The controller assignment to processing equipment or a conveyor is simply achieved by specifying the controller name during its instantiation (see below).

Controller assignment (extract AnyLogic screenshot)

Consideration of Maintenance Intervals and Possible Breakdowns/Repairs

Maintenance intervals and possible breakdowns are implemented within the InFrame Synapse Simulation Suite through so called EventGeneratorConnector and DownEventGenerator elements. The implementation of the DefaultEquipmentController (see above) for example, contains an EventGeneratorConnector which allows the "plugging in" of DownEventGenerator objects into the controller. The DownEventGenerator objects in turn are responsible for issuing events, e.g. for breakdowns or necessary maintenance. The configuration of the DownEventGenerator elements is conveniently achieved via the configuration window of the processing equipment and conveyor models.

Configuration of maintenance, breakdowns and repairs for a SimpleConveyor element (extract AnyLogic screenshot)

Separation of Equipment Modeling and Process Flow Definition

In order to achieve clarity with respect to model structure and as a result increase maintainability of complex AnyLogic models, a separation of equipment modeling and process flow definition can be established with the Simulation Suite (see also business logic).

Pedestrian Modeling

The Custom Pedestrian library allows the simulation of pedestrians outdoors and inside of buildings like train stations, factories, airport terminals, schools and stadiums. In doing so, it is possible to determine pedestrian densities or to check the layout of buildings and emergency plans. The library was applied in a large number of projects including the passenger flow simulation for the Frankfurt airport on behalf of Fraport AG.

One of the main differences compared to the AnyLogic pedestrian library is that complexity and accuracy of the models can be customized to the concrete use case. This is achieved by three different algorithms/models for the motion behavior of the pedestrians. The model developer can choose from the three algorithms within the so called PedestrianGround element of the Custom Pedestrian library (see picture).

PedestrianGround icon and algorithm selection for pedestrian motion behavior (extract AnyLogic screenshot)

The social force model covers the pedestrian behavior in a detailed fashion but increases complexity considerably. The abstract simple model reduces complexity to a minimum but isn't as exact as the social force and trajectory model. The latter takes with respect of accuracy and complexity a middle position.

In many cases a graphical representation of pedestrian densities is desirable in order to simplify the detection of bottlenecks. For this reason, the Custom Pedestrian library includes the PedFrequentationMatrix element that can be applied to selectable parts of the simulation models.

Room with partitions and doors, graphic representation pedestrian density