vcContainer

vcContainer is a base class for all behaviors that can contain components, for example buffers, stackers and conveyors.

Inherits: vcBehaviour, vcFlow

Contents HideContents Show
  1. Hierarchy
  2. Common Properties
  3. Behavior Specific Properties
  4. Methods
  5. Events

Hierarchy

Some container type behaviors have specific implementations, while others have additional properties.

vcContainer

vcComponentContainer

vcPatternContainer

vcComponentCreator

vcMotionPath

vcOneDirectionalPath

vcRoutingRule

vcTwoDirectionalPath

vcTransport

Common Properties

The following are properties common to all container type behaviors.

Name Type Access Description
Capacity Integer RW Defines the maximum number of components that can be stored in the container at any given time. That is, the logical capacity of the container.
CapacityBlocks List of vcBehaviour RW Defines a list of Capacity Controller type behaviors that globally control the capacity of the container.

This property overrides the container's Capacity.
ComponentCount Integer R Gets the amount of components stored in the container.
Components List of vcComponent R Gets a list of components stored in the container.
ContentVisible Boolean W Sets the visibility of components stored in the container.
HeadComponent vcComponent R Gets a component stored at the head of the container.
Statistics vcStatistics RW Defines a Statistics behavior that collects data generated by the container during a simulation.
TailComponent vcComponent R Gets a component stored at the tail of the container.
TransitionSignal vcBoolSignal RW Defines the signal used for signaling when a component enters/exits the container.

A True value means a component has entered the container, whereas a False value means a component has exited the container.

Behavior Specific Properties

Bucket Path

Bucket Path is a type of path that contains components in buckets which are defined by two Geometry features. Generally, a Bucket Path is used as a conveyor that supports indexing and continuous modes of material flow.

Name Type Access Description
BackBucket vcGeometryFeature RW Defines a Geometry feature that represents the back section of each bucket.

The geometry will be visible only if the ShowContent property of the feature is set to False.
Buckets Integer RW Defines the amount of buckets used in the path.
BucketSize Real RW Defines the minimum distance between each bucket.
Direction Enumeration RW Defines the direction buckets move along the path.

See Conveyor Direction Constants for more information.
FrontBucket vcGeometryFeature RW Defines a Geometry feature that represents the front section of each bucket.

The geometry will be visible only if the ShowContent property of the feature is set to False.
Interpolation Enumeration RW Defines the mode of interpolating the motion of each bucket along the path.

See Conveyor Interpolation Mode Constants for more information.
OutFrame vcFeature RW Defines a Frame feature that is referenced as the location of the path's output port.

The path must have a defined output port in order to empty the contents of a passing bucket. Therefore, the OutFrame must be included in the Path property's list of frames.
Path List of vcFeature RW Defines an ordered list of Frame features that represent waypoints of the path.
PulseDriven Boolean RW Defines if the path is pulse driven in which a connected Integer signal sends a step size for moving each bucket.
RetainOffset Boolean RW Defines if the location of a component is retained when the component is placed or transferred onto the path.

A True value means a component is not snapped to the axis of the path defined by its waypoints.
Sensors List of vcBehaviour RW Defines a list of sensor type behaviors connected to the path.
Speed Real RW Defines the speed (mm/s) of the path.
StatusSignal vcBoolSignal RW Defines a signal that signals when the path is moving/not moving in pulse mode.

Component Container

See vcComponentContainer for more information.

One Directional Path (Deprecated)

See vcOneDirectionalPath for more information.

Two Directional Path (Deprecated)

See vcTwoDirectionalPath for more information.

One Way Path

One Way Path is a motion path that can move contained components in one direction. See vcMotionPath for more information.

Two Way Path

Two Way Path is a motion path that can move contained components in a forward and/or backward direction. See vcMotionPath for more information.

Methods

Name Return Type Parameters Description
getComponent vcComponent Integer component_index Returns a component at a given index stored in the container.
getPathPosition vcMatrix Real path_distance Returns a position matrix for a point on the path at a given distance.

The position matrix is based in the node coordinate system of the container.
getContainerProximity Real vcVector position Returns the orthogonal distance from a given position to the container.

Note: If the container is static, this method may return a very large value for any position.
grab None vcComponent component, [Enumeration assembly_mode] Attaches a given component to this container.

If the container is static, the component will automatically retain its location.

If the Assembly feature is used in Process Modeling, the optional assembly_mode argument defines how the Assembly Instance is handled when grabbing the product. See Grab Constants for more information.
startFailure None None Sets the state of container to failure.

In a failure state, a container cannot react to anything during a simulation until its shifted to a different state.
stopFailure None None Shifts state of component to a different state, thereby ending a failure.

Generally, this method is used to end a failure state and mark the end of a repair made to the container.

Events

Name Parameters Description
OnTransition vcComponent component, Boolean arrive_leave Triggered when a component is transferred to or from the container.

The component argument is the component in question, and the arrive_leave argument is a Boolean value that is True if the component has arrived to the container or False if the component has departed.

If the OnTransition() event is triggered with an arrive_leave value True, the component has just been added and is in a well-defined state with respect to its container. It is then safe to manipulate the component.

If arrive_leave value is False, the component is in the process of being removed and its Container is not well-defined. In this case, DO NOT use the Container property of the component being transferred.