Load Configuration 3D Pattern

This page is accessed via Operational Planning > Power Data > Load Configuration > Load Configuration 3D Pattern.

The Load Configuration 3D Pattern page allows you to create your own patterns for rectangular items (cuboids) and cylindrical items (cylinders) for optimal loading of equipment. There is a large performance impact to run many scenarios for optimally loading equipment. This pattern approach allows you to group items together to form patterns or walls and load them as a unit or group. Then OTM can repeat these patterns to fill the whole container without exceeding the items available. The advantage of packing groups of equipment is improved performance. Note that 3D patterns are also known as user-defined patterns.

To do this, you add multiple items (packaged items, transport handling units (THUs), or a combination), and define a relationship for each item to the previous item added. When entering Item 1, you can select a starting point. When entering item 2, you can specify the location in relation to the first item; either top, right, left, front or back.

The patterns are not specific to any equipment. OTM will check for feasibility when running load optimization.

You can specify a generic packaged item or THU with no dimensions on it. In that case, you input dimensions of the item manually, on the fly. This allows you to define different dimensions in the pattern for the same generic packaged item or THU and OTM would still match the pattern if the input (or ship units) has the matching dimensions. For example, rolls of steel or paper could be slightly different sizes.

User-defined patterns/3D patterns can also be created from shipments (with View Load Configuration) or from Container Optimization.

When the load configuration - container optimization parameter USE MULTI-OBJECTIVE VALUE FUNCTION is set to True, the knapsack MIP formulation can enable pattern based packing to optimize multi-different objectives, namely, weight, volume and load length.

Tolerances

Not all like items are exactly the same size, such as rolls of steel or paper or boxes. If there are two items that are very similar in shape and size, one pattern can be used to pack either of the items rather than having to create two patterns that are very similar. There are parameters to define tolerances that are allowed for the dimensions to be considered similar: The tolerances are defined as percentages (0-100). The default for each is zero, meaning no tolerance. Hundred (percent) means any dimension, smaller or equal in size, can match the pattern item dimension.

To make sure there are no overlaps, tolerances are applied only on one direction. That is, items with dimensions more than what is defined for a pattern item are not considered a match. Only items with dimensions equal to or less than the pattern item dimensions (within the tolerances defined) are considered as a match. For example, if the length for pattern item is 30 cm and the tolerance is 10%, all the items with length from 27cm to 30cm are considered as matched items. OTM will not consider 30-33cm lengths to be a match so that there will not be any overlap so start with the larger items in the pattern. However, this approach can still lead to small gaps between item placements.

The logic configuration container optimization parameters are:

• USER DEFINED PATTERN HEIGHT TOLERANCE PERCENT
• USER DEFINED PATTERN LENGTH TOLERANCE PERCENT
• USER DEFINED PATTERN WIDTH TOLERANCE PERCENT

Editing Existing Sequences

With multiple sequences, you can edit or delete any of the sequences. However, for sequences following the edited sequence, positions of items are not re-adjusted if the edit is done on an item that is not the last one. You will need to revise those manually.

Note: The logic configuration container optimization parameter USE PATTERNS IN 3D must be true, and the SPLIT OPTION parameter must be set to "1.Favor Splitting", for load configuration 3D patterns to be used. The dimensions are saved in the User-defined Pattern table 'LOAD_CNFG_3D_PATTERN_D'.

1. Enter an ID for this pattern in the Load Configuration 3D Pattern ID field.
2. Optionally, enter a Load Configuration 3D Pattern Name.
3. If you want this to be active right away, select the Active check box.
4. Select the Domain Name for this pattern.
5. The Pattern Type field is for information only and is currently not used regardless of your selection.

6. Enter Wireframe Details.  Wireframe details allow you to select any equipment group to view the equipment group dimensions or enter the dimensions manually. When opening a New screen, the default values for the wireframe are (L,W,H) = (16.40 FT, 8.98 FT, 10 FT). These are hard-coded. User-defined patterns are not associated with any specific equipment group so selected wire frame dimensions/equipment group are not persisted into the database. These details are lost once you save a pattern.

   1. Enter an Equipment Group ID. This information is saved to the database but is for information only as saved.
      OR
   2. Enter the Unit Length, Width and/or Height. This information is not saved to the database.
   3. Click Refresh to update the dimensions on the 3D image of the equipment.
7. Click New to enter sequences. The Load Configuration 3D Pattern Detail page opens.

   Note: If entering a generic item (item with no dimensions), you can enter the dimensions on the fly and specify if the item is cylindrical. If cylindrical, the Diameter field is made mandatory, the Length and Width fields are populated with the diameter value, and the Length and Width fields become read-only. 

   Note: You cannot use dunnage if the equipment has obstructions.

   1. For each Sequence, enter either a Package Item ID or a Transport Handling Unit ID. The dimensions of the package item/transport handling unit are used in the pattern and auto-populate. If using a packaged item, ensure the ship unit you intend to match with the packaged item has the same dimensions. If using a transport handling unit, it should be 'In' not 'On' ('On meaning the ship unit is placed on top of the transport handling unit - so dimensions usually do not match.)
   2. Enter the Orientation for the item or transport handling unit.
   3. The Pattern Start Point field allows you to select the starting point. For example, for a coil of steel cable, you may want to place the coil in the center of the equipment.
   4. If this is not the first sequence, in the Previous Item field, select an item to define the relationship with.
   5. For other than the first item, enter the placement in the Relation with Previous Item field to identify the placement of each item in the pattern.
   6. Select the Dunnage check box if you want to add materials to support and protect cargo in a ship or truck. Dunnage is not an actual item. It will display in the Load Configuration 3D Pattern, in gray, and you can print that out to see where dunnage should be added. Dunnage dimensions are often added manually but dimensions can be added the same way as the regular items, either manually defined in the pattern itself or from the packaged item or THU.
   7. Click Save for each sequence added. After clicking save for sequences:

   • Note: If you edit other than the last sequence, you may need to revise subsequent ones.

     • You return to the Load Configuration 3D Pattern page where the details are displayed in a grid. The grid shows the sequence, either the packaged item or transport handling unit, if there is dunnage, if the item is a cylinder, orientation and position of the item in the equipment.
     • You can edit any of the sequences. Click edit next to the item, and you return to the Details page. You see the X,Y, and Z coordinates populated. You can change these by entering new values manually. If the Previous Item and/or Relation with Previous Item fields are populated and the values for the X,Y,Z fields are changed, then the entered X,Y,Z values are ignored and the item is placed as per the Relation with Previous Item field.
8. You can use the fields Move each Item By (X, Y, Z) to move all the items as a group.
9. After sequences are added, click Finished.