PickUp
PickUp: Points where Carrier Items pick up regular items
The PickUp enables a number of items to be "picked up" by a Carrier Item and transported to another location, usually for delivery.
PickUp Objects can be classified as “Logical with Capacity”, as they can hold items, and no time passes when they process items.
Items entering the PickUp wait in it until a Carrier Item enters the object and collects them. Carried Items can be released again using the DropOff object.
The PickUp can be used for modelling situations in which items move or are supplied in groups, or batches. Items can be deposited at a PickUp until it fills to a set capacity, after which a Carrier Item can enter to collect some or all of the items.
PickUp States
Empty The Pick-up Object is empty.
Items may enter, and wait there until they are collected by a Carrier Item.
Busy The PickUp Object contains some items.
When the required minimum number of items is present, a Carrier Item will be allowed to enter the PickUp Object and collect the items.
Full The PickUp Object has been filled to its capacity.
No further items can enter until some space is released by a Carrier Item collecting some or all of the items.
Blocked A Carrier Item is being blocked from leaving the PickUp Object.
If you want the PickUp to be able to accept more items, place an Object with capacity in the Carrier Item's path after the PickUp Object.
PickUp Object Properties
The following Attributes can be set for an PickUp:
Item Capacity
A capacity limit, on the total number of items that can accumulate in the PickUp Object at any particular time.
Qty. Before Pickup
A minimum quantity required to have accumulated at the PickUp before it "calls" for a Carrier Item to enter it and make a pick up.
Max Qty. Picked Up
A "per pick up" limit on the number of items each Carrier Item can pick up from the PickUp Object. Setting a limit enables the items in the PickUp Object to be distributed between a number of Carrier Items.
<None> indicates that an entering Carrier Item will pick up all items in the PickUp Object.
If you use a Constant Attribute to set the pick up maximum value, then every Carrier Item visiting the PickUp must comply with this per-delivery maximum value, and it will not vary during the course of a model run.
To reset the <no limit> value for the PickUp, select the Constant Option in the Attribute Selection Dialog, and type in "-1".
If you use another type of Attribute to set the per pick up maximum value, then every time that Attribute is changed during the course of a model run, the per-delivery maximum value will change also.
If you use an Item Attribute to set the per pick up maximum value, then every time a Carrier Item goes to enter the PickUp, the Attribute is read by the PickUp and the per pick up maximum value will be set to that value.
Every Carrier Item that will use this PickUp must carry the Item Attribute.
All the above options can referenced to Attributes whose values can change, and thus these properties can be varied during a Model Run.
Refer to Editing Object Properties for information about editing properties common to all objects.
PickUp Articles
PickUp Object Frequently Asked Questions