Auto Transport links and Sequences in PM

Extensions and Python Add-ons Visual Components Add-on Samples
1

It’s a bit cumbersome when you need to connect complicated transport links and build sequences in PM, this example demonstrates how to automatically generate transport links and sequences based on Excel data using the Python API.

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Overview

Focus

Note

  1. The Excel format is fixed but can be modified according to your project needs.
  2. Read excel and generate transport links and sequences scripts are in Feeder component
  3. Each machines has custom process, it changes next process target, that’s how it works.

Good to know

  1. When current process and next process are the same process, it still works, but the product will first go to neighbor process before circling back.

Explanation

PM Process 10 x Steps 5.vcmx (247.0 KB)
PM Process 10 x Steps 5.xlsx (10.7 KB)

PM Process 600 x Steps 20.vcmx (938.3 KB)
PM Process 600 x Steps 20.xlsx (78.4 KB)

5 Likes
2

Hello @idkfa thanks for creating the API. please I need to know the steps required to create this API. It will be valuable for me.

I would like to chat with you via email for further details.

Thanks

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The source script is in Feeder component, the steps are there, you could check it there!

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Thanks very much @idkfa, I will ask you further questions regarding the source script when I fully understand it.

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error
error1488×390 56 KB

Hii @idkfa, I got this error where I tried to read the excel file from my PC. Please could you give recommendation to solve it?

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It works for me here. What is your VC version? Could you describe what are the steps you did?

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Hii @idkfa, I’m using version 4.8 of Visual Components.

I followed the same steps as described in your video. I downloaded both excel and model file. I selected the excel file directory which is on my desktop. I then read the excel file which has been giving error.

I also noticed that some of the statements you used e.g (AssignProcess for Feeder and Machine for Processes) are not present in my version of Visual Components.

Any suggestion will be helpful.

8

So you read “PM Process 10 x Steps 5 vcmx”, do nothing, then read “PM Process 10 x Steps 5 xlsx”, error happens? I could not reproduce it here, kind of odds.

AssignProcess statement and Machine statement are custom statements, not standard statement.

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Yes quite frustrating to be honest. I will make another try.

Thanks for pointing out AssignProcess and Machine statement are custom statements.

If I may ask, what version of Visual Components do you use?

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Mine is 4.8 or 4.9 Premium, what’s your version, let’s me try this in your version.

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@idkfa I’m using 4.8 Premium.

Do you have any tutorial on how to create a custom statements?

Or you can give a brief explanation if possible.

Thanks

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Hey Ayodeji,

Here is a resource on how to create custom statements. It is a layout with a sample Process Node and PythonProcessHandler that you can use to learn. See other components with PythonProcessHandlers in the eCat as well, like the Parametric Vertical Mill in the Machines folder.
PythonProcessHandlerExample.vcmx (402.4 KB)

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@ChuckViper

Thank you very much, I hope this would help. Will get back to you if I have any doubts.

14

@ChuckViper

When I tried to create a custom process in the process node. The custom process statement did not update in the process executor when I compiled the PythonProcessHandlerScript.