During the course of a simulation each Flow Object in FACTS alternate between different states based on what it and the objects surrounding it are doing. In the Animation these states are visualized with a colored circle(/LED) above the object. The colors of the states are also used in the Utilization-chart. The different states are listed below along with a short explanation and its colored LED.
● - Working
This state indicates that the object is processing a variant/part.
● - Failed
This state indicates that the object is failed, i.e. at least one of the defined disturbances on the object or any object connected via a FailureZone is failed.
In this state variants/parts are not allowed to enter or leave the object.
● - Setup
This state indicates that the object is setting up for the variant/part that just entered.
● - Waiting
This state indicates that the object is waiting for and ready to receive a new variant/part.
● - Blocked
This state indicates that variants/parts on the object aren't able to leave since the successors of the object is busy with something else or possibly prohibited to receive any parts by a connected logic object.
Variants/parts that are blocked end up on a block list on the objects and logics that blocked them (e.g. the BlockingObject1-3 and MaxWIP1 in the example below). Once all reasons for blocking is gone it is the Dispatch-setting that determines which of the blocked parts that is allowed to enter.
Note: Logics, e.g. MaxWIP, can prohibit several objects from receiving parts at once (see the BlockingObject1-3 in the example to the right). Once the logic's reason for blocking is gone it will signal the blocking objects so that they can recieve and process new parts. Before the logic signals the connected objects they are sorted using these criteria:
- The blocking object whose blocked part has been waiting the longest.
- The blocking object whose blocked part is also the object that is next in turn to receive that part, according to the used Exit strategy on the object where the blocked part is located (i.e. the ExitStrategyObject in the example).
- The blocking object that blocked the first part.
● - Break
When an object is following a Timetable and that timetable contains breaks, the object will be in the Break-state during those times.
In this state variants/parts are not allowed to enter or leave the object.
● - Unplanned
When an object is following a Timetable and that timetable contains unplanned time (i.e. time between shifts, e.g. nights), the object will be in the Unplanned-state during those times.
In this state variants/parts are not allowed to enter or leave the object.