First simulation

Most simulation models have a least one source of elements and one drain for elements. In the following you will create an elementary simulation model, alter attributes and perform a simulation.

1. Place a “Source”, two “SingleProc”, a “PlaceBuffer” and a “Drain” on your Frame.
2. Use the “Connector” to link the objects. Click on the connector symbol in the toolbox, hold the “CTRL” key on your keyboard and click on the symbols:
   1. “Source” with the “SingleProc”,
   2. “SingleProc” with “PlaceBuffer”,
   3. “PlaceBuffer” with “SingleProc1”, and
   4. “SingleProc1” with “Drain”.
   Notice: Connectors are unidirectional links. Therefore keep in mind your intended direction.
   
   
3. Double-click on the event controller. Reduce the simulation speed (see figure 2-4) (1) and start the simulation (2).

Figure 1: Edit event controller's parameters

You should see material units being instantiated in the source, processed in the material flow objects and destroyed in the drain. All material flow objects process the material units within the same process time.

Edit parameters

You will now alter parameters from class elements as well as from specific objects.

1. First alter the “SingleProc” in the class library. Double-click or right-click on the entry and chose “Open”.
2. Input “120” as processing time and press apply. Tecnomatix Plant Simulation automatically validates the input to the format “DDD:HH:MM:SS.XXXX”.
3. Now open the object “SingleProc1” in your network. The processing time should be equally “2:00”. It is inherited from the class element.
4. Overwrite this processing time. Input “240” as new processing time. The symbol at the end of the line changes from green to yellow. Press it to reset to the default processing time.
5. Run again the simulation. Which difference do you notice?