Combine

The Combine statement accumulates and consolidates a specified quantity of Entities into another Entity, optionally with a different name. Unlike the Group statement, combined Entities lose their identities and Attributes, and cannot be ungrouped later. Use Combine when several Entities need to be consolidated, such as when eight spark plugs are put into a box.

Syntax

Combine <expression> {As <new entity name>}

Examples

Combine Var1

Combine 3 As EntQ

Combine Var1 as Ent(Attr1)

Parameters

<expression>

The number of Entities to combine. Negative values generate an error message. If this expression evaluates to zero, it is ignored. If it evaluates to one, then no Entities are actually combined, but the Entity that encountered the combine statement is renamed (when the As option has been specified).

This expression is evaluated every time an Entity encounters the Combine statement, so the amount of Entities to be combined can vary as the simulation progresses. If an Entity arrives that changes this expression to a number lower than the number of Entities already waiting to be combined, all waiting Entities are combined, including the Entity that just arrived.

(As <new entity name>)

The resulting Entity optional name. When left off, the new Entity has the same name as the last combined Entity or the output Entity name.

When specifying Combine <expression> AS <new entity name> in the Operation Logic, there must be another operating block at the same Location. In this case, the incoming Entity at the new operating block is the new Entity name specified in the Combine statement.

Example

The following example depicts an Assembly Table combining 10 Cupcake Entities into a Box Entity.

Combine(10) As Box

Combine Example 1

Combine Example 2

Both Entities should be defined in the Entities tab, and the new Box Entity should have a Flow path defined.

Combine Example 3

Combine Example 4

Remarks

The Combine function passes cost on to new Entities but not statistical information. ProModel counts combined Entities as exits.