Using Extended Features in ProModel

Instructor Info:
Rebecca Santos
Technical Support Engineer
Office: 801.223.4671 3/2018 Version 10.0.0.3218
ProModel Extended Features Webinar

[email protected] For Software Version: 10.0.0.3218

Copyright © 2018 ProModel Corporation
556 E Technology Way
Orem, UT 84097
801-223-4600

This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without prior written permission of ProModel Corporation. ProModel and MedModel are registered trademarks of ProModel Corporation.

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During this Webinar on ProModel Extended Features you will learn
how to:

 Create models in collaboration with coworkers

 Watch more than one view during the simulation
 Analyze and Manipulate RDB files in Excel
 Use Excel to create and edit models
 Optimize simulation models

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 ProModel has some Power
Tools that can make
building models easier and
faster.
◦ Multi-View Runner
◦ ProRDB
◦ Model Collaborator
◦ ProActiveX
◦ SimRunner

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 It is possible to define views in ProModel

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 Click
Add

Change Zoom
Options to Update
Enter Selected View
Name

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 The Views window
shows up during the
simulation letting
the user select
which view he/she
chooses to watch.
However, it’s only
possible to watch
one view at a time.

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 Multi-View Runner allows you to watch more than one view at a time

 Creates a .pmvr file

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 A monitor selection portion of
the Multi-View Runner dialog
box allows you to select what
views you want to be displayed
on the monitor.

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 None Full Screen

Side by Side Four

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The drop-down list allows
the user to select the
views they want to display
on each screen

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 Saving the configuration View
Running the
without changing its synchronization
simulation
folder or name interval

Creation of a
new
configuration

Opening an Saving the List for selection of

existing configuration in a the scenario you
configuration different folder or with want to simulate
a different file name

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 While the simulation is running the
Views window and a pop-up simulation
control bar box is displayed.

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 When a simulation is run
RDB files are created
 These files contain the
basic statistics created
during the simulation
 Each scenario will have its
own RDB file

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 The information
stored in the RDB
files is the data
displayed on
Output Viewer.

 They are located under:

C:\Users\<username>\Documents\ProModel\Output

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  Extract all or part of the
standard ProModel
output statistics

C:\Program Files (x86)\ProModel Corporation\ProModel\10.0\Power Tools

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 Allows using Excel to retrieve
model output data
 Granted, of minimal benefit,
given the power of the
standard ProModel output
viewer
 Nevertheless, allows non-
ProModel users to extract key
metrics from output data

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 Open ProRDB
 Specify the RDB file
 Specify the Replication
and Period of interest
 Get Data

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 Collaboration on model creation can speed up the process
 ProModel offers 3 tools that can help in this process:
◦ Model Collaborator
◦ Merge
 Submodel
 Model

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 Allows merging two different models

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 Allows you to merge two different models even if they have
duplicated locations, entities, attributes or variables.
◦ If there are locations, entities, attributes or variables with the same name it will add a suffix or a
prefix to the duplicate locations, entities, attributes or variables of the model that is being
merged to the main model.

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 Guides you through the merging Process in w wizard-like interface

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 Extract & Build text and graphics items in a model
 Use Excel techniques to construct items
◦ COPY / PASTE sections of items
◦ FILL DOWN (iterating numbers & names)
◦ CONCATENATE items to build other items
 Automate model Open & Save & Run

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 Written in VBA
 Allows you to edit
the code.

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 Can be found at "C:\Program Files (x86)\ProModel
Corporation\ProModel\10.0\Power Tools\ProActiveX.xlsb“

 The released version ProModel 2018 has a ProActiveX file that brings up
the old User Interface. This was fixed and the new version of ProActiveX
can be found in the Solutions Café
(https://www.promodel.com/solutionscafe/).

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 Load the model so you

can start working on it.

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 Click on GET ALL to import

the model information to
ProActiveX

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 3

 Click on View start editing

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 4

 Click on Build ALL when

you finish editing

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 Save your model and click 5
Open in ProModel
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 Special notes

◦ Always Save a backup copy of your model before making any changes

◦ Always carefully check to see if ProActiveX did what you expected

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 Optimization tool

Finding the best solution

for a System (model)
given some constraints (inputs)
driving toward a Goal (objective function)

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 When to use it
◦ Want to play with certain key system controls to:
 Maximize throughput; Minimize WIP; Maximize utilization of key bottleneck
machine; Minimize delays; Min/Max whatever

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  Goal: Maximize profit
 Can change:
◦ Quantity of Operators
◦ Batch Size
◦ Use Robot or Not

Profit = Value of product * Quantity Produced - Cost of raw material - Cost of Labor - Cost of Robot

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 How many Scenarios are possible?
◦ Parameters choices * Parameters choices = BIG!!!

 For example:
 Between 1 & 5 operators
 Batch size between 1 & 50
 Use a robot or not ( 2 choices )
◦ Therefore: ( 5 ) * ( 50 ) * ( 2 ) = 500 Scenarios!!!
Do you want to create 500 scenarios to find the right solution?

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 Create simulation model
◦ Scenario Parameter macros
◦ Output metrics
 Open SimRunner
 Define Objective Function
 Define Input Factors
 Define Optimization control parameters
 Run Optimization
 Examine results … We have a winner!!!

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 Setup … Analyze … Optimize

Steps for
current
activity

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Select Model Name (if starting new Project)
or Project Name (if previously created)
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 GOAL!!
 Desired Minimize or Maximize of item(s)
 Equation that calculates desired metric
◦ Example: v_Profit = v_Revenue – v_Cost
◦ Example: v_WIP = (CONTENTS(x)+CONTENTS(y)+…)
◦ …

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Pick anything in this list to Minimize or Maximize

Weight Factor
Target Range … For identifying Infeasible Solutions
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 Choose Item
◦ For this model: v_Profit – Current Value
(current value = At the End of the Run)
 Choose:
◦ Maximize or Minimize
◦ Target Range, if any
◦ Weight
 If you change something,
don’t forget to press the
Update button

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 The Changeable Parameter to use for creating Scenarios must be
numeric Scenario Macros

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 Scenario Parameter Macros
Choose Integer or Real Don’t forget the
Update Button
Specify Lower/Upper Limits
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 Save the Project
◦ Creates a .OPT file

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 Helps determine:
◦ Number of replications
◦ Warmup period
 However…
◦ ~30 Reps usually OK
◦ You’ll know if
Warm-up is appropriate

Run Analyze… Reports suggestions

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 Profile
◦ Cautious, (more runs)
Moderate,
Aggressive (less runs)
◦ Convergence %
 No Animation
 # of Replications
 Warmup/Run Time
 Confidence Level

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 Run…
◦ Results for each run…
“Performance Plot”
Green – Each run
Red – Best so far
◦ Table of Results
 When finished…
“Optimization Converged”

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 Best solution is at the top
◦ For our example:
$18,300 profit for the day
5 Operators
Batch size: 4 or 7
Yes, Use the Robot

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 But more can be gleaned…
◦ What if someone doesn’t show up for work
(4 Operators instead of 5):
Profit of only $17,260

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 Regarding the Batch Size…
◦ How sensitive is the Profit?
Not very ($250/day), for sizes 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
◦ What if there are “standard” containers?
Then don’t fill every hole

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 Regarding the Robot…
◦ What’s it’s worth?
$13,600 - $18,300 = -$4,700 day loss without

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  How about if we don’t use Profit?
◦ Max Throughput, Min WIP, Min Labor – w/ Weights

Best Solution: 4 Operators , Batch Size = 16 , Use Robot

Different Analysis… Different Results
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 Thanks for attending this ProModel Extended Features
Webinar! We hope it was helpful.
 Remember, help is only an email or phone call away.
 Good luck and happy modeling!

Technical Support
888-776-6633
[email protected]
6 am - 6 pm M-F, Mountain Time

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