[Plant Simulation Tutorial #03] – Core Object Overview: Understanding Source, Station, and Drain

✍️ [Plant Simulation Tutorial #03] – Core Object Overview: Understanding Source, Station, and Drain

📑 Summary
In this post, we’ll explore the three most fundamental objects in Plant Simulation: Source, Station, and Drain. These elements form the backbone of any process flow and are essential for building more complex simulation models.

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🔍 1. Source – The Entry Point

The Source object is responsible for generating Movable Units (MUs). You can think of it as a feeder or raw material supplier in a real-world factory.

This object introduces MUs into the system based on a defined time interval or schedule. You can set it to generate materials every 30 seconds (interval mode) or at specific times (schedule mode).

PropertyDescription

Interarrival time	Time interval between MU generations (seconds, minutes, etc.)
Exit strategy	Transfer logic of MUs (e.g., FIFO)
MU type	Type of MU to be created (default or custom)

 

💡 Example:
Set Interarrival time to 10 seconds, and a new MU will be created every 10 seconds and injected into the simulation.

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🔧 2. Station – The Processing Unit

A Station represents a machine or workstation where MUs undergo some form of processing. In real terms, it can be a milling machine, lathe, welding station, cutting station, etc.

Once an MU enters the station, it is processed based on a specified time. You can define this time using fixed values, statistical distributions, or formulas. You can also configure setup times, such as cleaning or cooling times, to make the simulation more realistic.

PropertyDescription

Processing time	Time required to process an MU (can be constant or statistical)
Capacity	Number of MUs that can be processed simultaneously
Failures	Define breakdown and repair logic (downtime simulation)

 

💡 Example:
Set Processing time to Normal(5,1) to simulate an average processing time of 5 seconds with ±1 second variation.

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🔚 3. Drain – The Exit Point

The Drain object serves as the final destination for MUs. It functions as an exit or shipping point where completed units leave the system.

PropertyDescription

Statistics

Track the number of MUs that have exited the system

 

💡 Tip:
The number of MUs processed by the Drain is useful for calculating overall system Throughput.

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🎓 Basic Model Example

1. Open a new Frame
2. Place and connect the objects in the following order:
   Source → Station → Drain
3. Press F5 to run the simulation
   → You’ll see MUs being generated, processed, and then removed

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📘 Pro Tips

• Each object supports scripting via the Method tab (SimTalk language)
• Entry/Exit Controls allow you to interact with external variables
• These objects integrate well with more advanced concepts like Value Streams and Resource Pools

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📝 Conclusion

Source, Station, and Drain are the core trio of Plant Simulation.
Once you understand and master these three, you can simulate a majority of discrete manufacturing and logistics flows with confidence.

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🔜 Next Post Teaser
In [Plant Simulation Study #04], we’ll explore MUs (Movable Units) in depth — how to define attributes, customize them, and use them in dynamic scenarios.