Buffer using optional flow steps

[hans]

Trying to create an optional buffer between product creation and transport,

1. Product is created at ManualProcess2
2. It is brought to FillTrolleys2
3. In case FillTrolleys2 is unavailable, it should be brought to InputBuffer2, which is marked as optional in the process flow editor.

In my case FillTrolleys2 is available, but the human resource is still filling up the buffer.

Also Help says that: Optional Process Step. Optional step is executed if the next Process Step and its processes are unavailable.

What is wrong here and what is the right way to create a buffer that is only filled when the next step is unavailable? (buffer should also be prioritised once the step does become available).

[Tilma]

Hi, you need a TransportLink between your manual process and the process FillTrolleys. At the moment, the only way from one to the other is through the buffer, so even if the buffer is not really used, the resource has to transport it through this process.

There are 2 academy videos with a part about optional processes: Process Modeling Flow Editor | Visual Components Academy and Process Modeling Flow Editor advanced features | Visual Components Academy

There is also the Layout Template “Optional buffer in batch production” in the eCatalog

[hans]

Hi, yes, the links were there. They were just filtered out in the image, sorry about that.

Retried adding the optional buffer in there again and it’s actually working. I think in this case it initially “seemed” to be not working correctly, because I had 6 workers inserting products into this one trolley - and while one worker was transporting the product in, it occupied this flow step and the optional buffer became the only available step, so the other worker started using it. In real life this wouldn’t make sense, but in the simulation it does.