Phase 3. Adding tellers

Now we will create another part of the system by adding tellers that are working at the bank. Now some clients will come to see tellers, some — to access the ATM. We can model tellers using delays in the same way as we modeled ATM. However, modeling tellers using resources is much more convenient. Resource is a special unit that can be possessed by an agent. Only one agent can possess a resource at a time; therefore agents compete for resources.

Create a service

1. Open the  Process Modeling Library in the  Palette view and drag the  Service block onto our  Main diagram.

   

    Service seizes resource units for the agent, delays the agent, and releases the seized units.
2. Go to the  Properties view of the service block.
3. Modify the block's properties:
   • There is only one queue for all tellers. Set up Queue capacity to 20.
   • We assume that service time is triangularly distributed with the min value of 2.5, average value of 6, and the max value of 11 minutes. Set Delay time to triangular(2.5, 6, 11 )

     

Adjust the process flowchart

1. Move the blocks queue, ATM, and sink to the right to make space for one block between the source and the queue.

   

2. Open the  Process Modeling Library in the  Palette view and add the  SelectOutput block in the resulting space. When you place the block on the connector, it will automatically get built in.

   

    SelectOutput is a decision-making block. The agent arrived at the block is forwarded along one of two output ports depending on the user-defined condition.
3. Select selectOutput in the flowchart and go to its  Properties view. Choose the option If condition is true for the Select True Output parameter. Make sure that Condition is randomTrue(0.5 ).
   This agent routing condition defines that the number of customers competing for ATM and teller service will be approximately equal.
4. Connect selectOutput and service with other blocks as shown in the figure:

   

Add resources for the service

1. Open the  Process Modeling Library in the  Palette view and drag the  ResourcePool block onto our  Main diagram.
    ResourcePool block is a storage for resource units.
2. Place it under service and go to its  Properties view.
3. Name the block tellers.

   

4. Specify that this resource block has only four resource units by setting its Capacity to 4.
   

   

5.  ResourcePool block should be connected to resource seizing and releasing block (  Service in our case). So we need to modify the properties of the service block.
6. Select service in the flowchart to open its properties. Set the Seize parameter to units of the same pool. Then specify the resource pool we have created in the option Resource pool. You can either click the down arrow to select the resource pool object from the drop-down list, or you can click the button, located on the right, to select the object in the graphical editor (all inappropriate objects will be greyed out).

   

7. Now since the model has changed, we need to alter the model animation as well.

Now we want to draw the area for queuing and a place to get serviced for our clients.

Set up space markup for the queue to tellers

1. This time we will draw a waiting area using a rectangular node. First, open the  Space Markup palette in the  Palette view.
2. Double-click the  Rectangular Node element to switch to the drawing mode.
3. Click in the graphical editor and drag the rectangle without releasing the mouse button. Release when you have a rectangular node of the required form. You can edit its form later as you need.
4. Name the node waitingArea.
5. Switch the Visible control to no. This way the markup shape will be invisible during animation at model runtime.

   

6. Click the service block in the flowchart and go to its  Properties view.
7. Select the  waitingArea node in the Agent location (queue) option.

   

Set up space markup for the customers

The customers need a place to stand somewhere while they are getting serviced by tellers.

1. Draw another rectangular node as displayed in the image below. Name the node customerPlaces and in its properties switch the Visible control to no.

   

2. We will use attractors to define the customers that are getting service. Select the node customerPlaces and click the button Attractors... in its properties. In the Attractors window that will pop-up, specify 4 for the creation mode Number of attractors and click OK. You will see that attractors appeared in the  customerPlaces node with an even offset.

   

3. Now we need to refer to this area in the flowchart. Click the service block in the flowchart and go to its  Properties view.
4. Select the  customerPlaces node in the Agent location (delay) option.

   

Set up space markup for the tellers

1. Since we have 4 tellers, we will use a rectangular node to draw this service area.
2. Draw another rectangular node as displayed in the image below. Name the node tellerPlaces and in its properties switch the Visible control to no.

   

3. Create 4 attractors inside the node to specify tellers in the same manner as you have done before.
4. You will see attractors appear in the  tellerPlacesnode with the even offset, but facing the wrong direction. Select all attractors by clicking each one while holding Shift key and go to the  Properties view. In the section Position and size, change the Orientation parameter to 180.0.

   

5. Click the tellers block in the flowchart and go to its  Properties view.
6. Select the  tellerPlaces in the Home location (nodes) parameter by clicking .

   

You can run the model now and observe how some customers are getting serviced at the ATM and some go to see tellers.

It is time to add teller 3D objects to our model. We will create a new resource type to animate tellers.

Create a new resource type

1. Open the  Process Modeling Library palette.
2. Drag the  Resource Type element into the graphical editor.

   

3. The New agent wizard will open on the Creating new agent step. Enter Teller as the Agent type name and leave the Create the agent type "from scratch" selected. Press Next.

   

4. In the next step select 3D as the animation type and select Office worker from the list of the 3D figures.

   

5. Click Finish. The new  Teller diagram will open. You can find the Office worker 3D figure in the axis origin. Switch back to the  Main diagram.

Configure flowchart to use the new resource type

1. On the  Main diagram, select the block tellers in the graphical editor.
2. In its properties, specify  Teller as the New resource unit.

   

3. Run the model and observe customers and tellers.

Add tables for the tellers

1. Open the  3D Objects palette.
2. Drag four Table 3D figures from the Office section of this palette onto the  tellerPlaces in the graphical editor. In the displayed Auto scale 3D object dialog box click the Yes button.
3. Place the tables over attractors since attractors are the places where the tellers stand.

   

4. You can see that their orientation is wrong. Select all tables by clicking them while holding the Shift key and go to the  Properties view.
5. In the section Position, change the parameter Rotation to -90.0 degrees.
6. If necessary, rearrange all eight attractors and four tables so that they are reasonably lined up.

   

Now you can run the model and observe in 3D how some customers go to the ATM and other get service at the tellers tables.

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