Modelling guide

Machine tending: an operator leaving a machine while it runs

An operator loads a machine, starts it and goes to another machine while it runs, coming back to unload: machine tending, one person on several machines, semi-automatic stations.

Built in A field or setting does it directly.

How

Use a shared operator pool and say which parts of the task need the operator:

  • In settings: "shared_operator_pool": true, and the crew in the profile: "resources": { "human_operator": { "id": "human_operator", "total_pool": 1 } } (Project settings → Shared operator pool, Operators in pool).
  • On the machine: "operators": 1 (Hardware → Operators).
  • On the capability: "operator_start_s": 40 (loading and starting) and "operator_end_s": 20 (unloading), in seconds (Hardware → Operator at start / at end). The time between them runs unattended; the operator may work elsewhere. Without either field the operator stays the whole task.

When two machines need the operator at once, one waits (machine interference); the results show each operator's time per station and the waiting.

Check

A lathe and a mill each run a 5-minute cycle; the operator needs 40 s to load and start and 20 s to unload. At a 360 s takt one operator keeps both machines going and the run makes all 160 shafts of 16 h. Held for the whole cycle, the same operator makes 94.

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