Oven

Batch processing of inflow (aka batch delay)

Diagram

Information

This information is part of the Business Simulation Library (BSL). Please support this work and ► donate.

An oven (aka batch delay) can be seen as an idealized model of a batch process, e.g., cookies are put on a baking tray, the oven is loaded, the cookies are baked for some time, and finally the oven is unloaded (the process may then start over again).

The parameters or inputs batchSize, maxLoadingTime, processingTime, and setupTime specify the behavior of the batch process. The oven is loaded by a flow connected to its inflow port (usually from a cloud or another stock representing a buffer stock) until either the batchSize is reached (the oven's capacity) or the time since the loading of the oven commenced has reached the maxLoadingTime. It will then close and prevent further inflow for the duration of the processingTime. The unloading of the finished "material" will take place in dt time - a global variable that indicates the shortest possible durationa of any process in a model. The reloading can commence after setupTime has passed since the process has ended. For setupTime = 0 simulatenous loading and unloading will take place.

To initialize the oven, an initialLoad and an initialLoadingTime (e.g., how much time has already passed loading the oven when the simulation starts) have to be given.

Notes

Care has to be taking in the case of simultaneous loading and unloading as in the case of the loading rate being higher than the unloading rate the capacity could be reached before the unloading is done so that material would be processed twice.

batchSize, maxLoadingTime, processingTime, and setupTime can be time-varying continuous inputs, but are internally recalculated every time the process starts and then are held fixed.

Parameters (15)

init	Value: InitializationOptions.FixedValue Type: InitializationOptions Description: Provide InitializationOptions (Free, FixedValue, SteadyState)
hasStockInfoOutput	Value: false Type: Boolean Description: = true, if a StockInfoOutput should be added to the stock
initialLoad	Value: 0 Type: OutputType Description: Amount loaded at start time
initialLoadingTime	Value: 0 Type: Time (s) Description: Time that has already passed to load the initial load at start time
batchSize	Value: unspecified Type: OutputType Description: Constant number of units processed in one batch (optional)
maxLoadingTime	Value: inf Type: Time (s) Description: Constant maximum allowed time for loading (optional)
processingTime	Value: unspecified Type: Time (s) Description: Constant processing time for the batch process or per unit loaded (optional)
setupTime	Value: unspecified Type: Time (s) Description: Time needed after processing is finished before loading can start (set to zero for simultaneous loading and unloading)
unloadingTime	Value: modelSettings.dt Type: Time (s) Description: Time needed to unload
hasFixedProcessingTime	Value: false Type: Boolean Description: = true, if the processing time is given for the process, otherwise it is the time per unit loaded
hasConstantLoadingTime	Value: false Type: Boolean Description: = true, if the maximum allowed time for loading is to be given by the parameter
hasConstantBatchSize	Value: false Type: Boolean Description: = true, if the batch size is to be given by the parameter
hasConstantProcessingTime	Value: false Type: Boolean Description: = true, if the processing time is to be given by the parameter
hasConstantSetupTime	Value: false Type: Boolean Description: = true, if the setup time is to be given by a parameter
hasConstantUnloadingTime	Value: false Type: Boolean Description: = true, if the unloading time is to be given as a parameter

Connectors (8)

	y	Type: RealOutput Description: Level or rate information
	y1	Type: RealOutput Description: Level or rate information
	y2	Type: RealOutput Description: Level or rate information
	inflow	Type: StockPort Description: Inflow port of the stock
	outflow	Type: StockPort_Special Description: Special outflow port of the stock (stock sets rate)
	y_stockInfo	Type: StockInfoOutput Description: Optional StockInfoOutput
	dataIn	Type: InputConnector Description: Expandable connector for inputs
	dataOut	Type: OutputConnector Description: Expandable connector for outputs

Components (17)

	modelSettings	Type: ModelSettings Description: Setting important global variables within a model
	parMaxLoadingTime	Type: ConstantConverterTime Description: Constant max loading time
	parProcessingTime	Type: ConstantConverterTime Description: Constant processing time
	parBatchSize	Type: ConstantConverter Description: Constant batch size
	u_maxLoadingTime	Type: PassThrough Description: Variable input of loading time
	u_processingTime	Type: PassThrough Description: Variable input of processing time
	u_BatchSize	Type: PassThrough Description: Variable batch size
	parSetupTime	Type: ConstantConverterTime Description: Constant setup time (optional)
	u_setupTime	Type: PassThrough Description: Variable input of setup time
	actualMaxLoadingTime	Type: ClipProcessTime Description: Maximum allowed loading time
	actualProcessingTime	Type: ClipProcessTime Description: Processing time
	actualBatchSize	Type: ZeroIfNegative Description: Batch size to be processed
	actualSetupTime	Type: ZeroIfNegative Description: Setup time for further calculations
	dynamicStockInfo	Type: DynamicStockInfo Description: Collecting dynamic stock info output information
	actualUnloadingTime	Type: ClipProcessTime Description: Unloading time
	u_unloadingTime	Type: PassThrough Description: Variable input of unloading time
	parUnloadingTime	Type: ConstantConverterTime Description: Constant unloading time

Used in Examples (1)

AssemblyLine

BusinessSimulation.Examples

Modeling a production process

Revisions

Fixed missing connect equations to establish potentially present variables in expandable connector for output in v2.1.0.

Removed conditionality for expandable connector dataIn in v2.1.0.

Connectors InputConnector and OutputConnector changed to encapsulated expandable connector classes in v2.1.0.

Continuous inputs made default in v2.1.0 and changed default parameter values to unspecified in v.2.1.0.