Flexsim Basics - Labels

In this FlexSim Basics video, we're going to discuss labels: what they do, how they work, and how to add them to your model. A label is a way to store information on a FlexSim object. Fixed resources (such as processors and sources), task executors (such as operators and forklifts), and even the flow items themselves can all make use of labels. If an item or object has a label attached to it, that label's name and value can be accessed and used throughout the model, greatly increasing the flexibility of your simulation. In order to use a label, it must first be created and defined. Labels can be created in two ways: by using a trigger; or by going to the "Label" tab in the object or item's properties window. We'll cover triggers in a different video, so for now select any object in the library and drag it into the 3D view. Double-click on the object to open its properties window, and click on the "Labels" tab. A label must have a name and data type associated with it, so you'll have to select either "Add Number Label" or "Add Text Label" and give the label a name. The most common data type for a label is a number; number labels can only accept numerical values. Text labels, on the other hand, can hold strings of text, lists and even tables. Labels don't need to have values in them right away; they can be left blank and added later, most likely as part of a trigger. One common misconception is that by adding a label to a source, all flow items created by that source will be given the label. This is not true. A label is owned by the object or item it's attached to, and isn't simply transferred or printed onto another object; if you want a label on newly created flow items you have to put it there, either by using a picklist option in a trigger or by using the "Labels" tab we saw earlier. To find the properties window for a flow item, click on "Tools" in the menu bar and then click "Flowitem Bin". Select the flow item you want to add a label to, and click the "Properties" button. Now you can navigate to the "Labels" tab and add a label just like we did earlier. This label will be added to ALL flow items of this type that are created in the simulation, so every box to come out of the source will have this label attached to it. Finally, a label is only useful if you can access the data. Labels can be used to track item types, processing quantities, SKU numbers, or any other data that FlexSim doesn't track by default. FlexSim has many picklist options that can access the value of a label and use it in the simulation process. Several FlexScript commands are available to make use of labels: "getlabelnum" and "getlabelstr" can query the value of a numerical or string label, while "setlabelnum" and "setlabelstr" can set or change the value of a label. Thank you for watching. For more information on FlexSim products or to view more tips and tricks for successful modeling, please visit www.flexsim.com.