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Set up a parameter table to input, edit, and store variables that control the behavior of objects in your model.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
5 min.
Transcript
00:03
Parameter tables enable you to systematically input, edit, and store variables that control the behavior of objects in your FlexSim model.
00:12
This might include the processing time for a machine, the arrival rate of customers, or the number of workers present in a model.
00:21
In this example, FlexSim is open to an already created model.
00:26
By default, each model contains a parameter table, which can be accessed from the Toolbox.
00:33
Under Model Parameter Tables, click Parameters.
00:38
To view the Model and Parameters panes side-by-side, click the Parameters tab and drag to the right to dock it next to the Properties pane.
00:48
You can add additional Parameters tables from the Toolbox
00:51
by right-clicking Model Parameter Tables and selecting Add Model Parameter Table.
00:56
In this case, use the default table shown.
01:01
Each row in the table represents one parameter.
01:05
You can easily adjust the number of parameters by clicking the up and down arrows.
01:10
In this example, add two parameter rows.
01:15
Keep in mind that every Parameter Name must be unique across all parameter tables within your model.
01:21
In this example, Parameter1 will be used to control the location of Processor1.
01:27
First, click in the Value column, then expand the drop-down to access the Value Properties.
01:35
Here, the Type is set to Continuous, since the value is setting a location,
01:41
but you can expand the drop-down to select another Type.
01:45
For example, you might use Binary for a parameter with an on or off setting.
01:51
In this case, set the Lower Bound to 7, and the Upper Bound to 13.
01:58
To set the object reference, click the Reference Sampler.
02:03
Then, in the Model, click Processor1 and select Properties.
02:11
Since there is no option for location in this menu, select SetupTime, which can be edited in the Value Properties.
02:19
To change this parameter to a location, next to On Set , click Add/Edit this Trigger’s Operations, and set the Property to “Location.X”.
02:31
Close the Value Properties.
02:34
When the model is Reset, you can see that Processor1 shifts because the Parameter1 value is set to 7.
02:42
Adjust the Value for this parameter to 12, then Reset and Run the simulation to see the location shift again.
02:50
For now, set the Parameter1 Value to 10.
02:55
Next, follow the same steps to set Parameter2 as the location of Processor2, with a Lower Bound of 17, and an Upper Bound of 23.
03:06
Again, adjust the On Set trigger operation Property to “Location.X”.
03:13
Then, in the Table, set the Value of Parameter2 to 20.
03:18
Reset the Model, and the location for both Processors adjusts accordingly.
03:24
In the Parameter Table,
03:26
Display Units and Description are optional fields that help you to organize and quickly reference the Parameters that you set up.
03:33
In this case, type a Description for Parameter1, such as “The X location of Processor 1”, and then set the Display Units to “meters”.
03:44
Next, set the Reference for Parameter3 to Dispatcher1 and select Delete and Copy Out Objects.
03:53
This allows you to change the number of objects that are attached to Dispatcher1.
03:58
In the Value Properties, set the Type to Integer, and keep the defaults for the Upper and Lower Bounds.
04:07
In the Parameter Table, set the Value of Parameter3 to 5.
04:12
Reset the Model, and notice that the Dispatcher now has five operators attached to it.
04:18
Additionally, you can use parameter tables in conjunction with the Experimenter tool
04:23
to test different variables and evaluate their impact on model performance.
Video transcript
00:03
Parameter tables enable you to systematically input, edit, and store variables that control the behavior of objects in your FlexSim model.
00:12
This might include the processing time for a machine, the arrival rate of customers, or the number of workers present in a model.
00:21
In this example, FlexSim is open to an already created model.
00:26
By default, each model contains a parameter table, which can be accessed from the Toolbox.
00:33
Under Model Parameter Tables, click Parameters.
00:38
To view the Model and Parameters panes side-by-side, click the Parameters tab and drag to the right to dock it next to the Properties pane.
00:48
You can add additional Parameters tables from the Toolbox
00:51
by right-clicking Model Parameter Tables and selecting Add Model Parameter Table.
00:56
In this case, use the default table shown.
01:01
Each row in the table represents one parameter.
01:05
You can easily adjust the number of parameters by clicking the up and down arrows.
01:10
In this example, add two parameter rows.
01:15
Keep in mind that every Parameter Name must be unique across all parameter tables within your model.
01:21
In this example, Parameter1 will be used to control the location of Processor1.
01:27
First, click in the Value column, then expand the drop-down to access the Value Properties.
01:35
Here, the Type is set to Continuous, since the value is setting a location,
01:41
but you can expand the drop-down to select another Type.
01:45
For example, you might use Binary for a parameter with an on or off setting.
01:51
In this case, set the Lower Bound to 7, and the Upper Bound to 13.
01:58
To set the object reference, click the Reference Sampler.
02:03
Then, in the Model, click Processor1 and select Properties.
02:11
Since there is no option for location in this menu, select SetupTime, which can be edited in the Value Properties.
02:19
To change this parameter to a location, next to On Set , click Add/Edit this Trigger’s Operations, and set the Property to “Location.X”.
02:31
Close the Value Properties.
02:34
When the model is Reset, you can see that Processor1 shifts because the Parameter1 value is set to 7.
02:42
Adjust the Value for this parameter to 12, then Reset and Run the simulation to see the location shift again.
02:50
For now, set the Parameter1 Value to 10.
02:55
Next, follow the same steps to set Parameter2 as the location of Processor2, with a Lower Bound of 17, and an Upper Bound of 23.
03:06
Again, adjust the On Set trigger operation Property to “Location.X”.
03:13
Then, in the Table, set the Value of Parameter2 to 20.
03:18
Reset the Model, and the location for both Processors adjusts accordingly.
03:24
In the Parameter Table,
03:26
Display Units and Description are optional fields that help you to organize and quickly reference the Parameters that you set up.
03:33
In this case, type a Description for Parameter1, such as “The X location of Processor 1”, and then set the Display Units to “meters”.
03:44
Next, set the Reference for Parameter3 to Dispatcher1 and select Delete and Copy Out Objects.
03:53
This allows you to change the number of objects that are attached to Dispatcher1.
03:58
In the Value Properties, set the Type to Integer, and keep the defaults for the Upper and Lower Bounds.
04:07
In the Parameter Table, set the Value of Parameter3 to 5.
04:12
Reset the Model, and notice that the Dispatcher now has five operators attached to it.
04:18
Additionally, you can use parameter tables in conjunction with the Experimenter tool
04:23
to test different variables and evaluate their impact on model performance.
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