Process Model Setup

This section describes the development of a new process model, and the details that must be considered. This includes information about how to start a simulation and how to interpret its results.

Notice that the IPSE Documentation provides all information on a general basis and is not related to any particular library. It only explains the commands and facilities available in IPSE.

To obtain more specific information about how to set up process models when you are using a specific model library refer to the documentation of that library.

Setting up a Process Scheme

Units

To set up the scheme of a process, you first select the appropriate icons from the icon bar and place them in the project window. Select an icon in the icon bar and move the mouse inside a project window. The respective unit icon is displayed as the cursor. Then, you place the icon with a click of the mouse in your project window. To cancel the selection, you either click again on the icon button or you press the Esc key.

After you have placed the icon inside the project window, the icon becomes the graphic representation of a new unit. In the following the term unit will be used for inserted unit icons.

To change the position of a unit:

  1. Activate the unit by clicking on it or by selecting the unit name in the object manager.

  2. Drag it to the new position within the project window.

To rotate a unit:

  1. Activate the unit by clicking on it or by selecting the unit name in the object manager.

  2. From the menu bar select Objects  Rotate or press Ctrl+R. This rotates the unit into the next valid position. Units are typically rotated in steps of 90° in counterclockwise direction.

Notice that once you have attached a connection to a unit, you can not rotate this unit any longer.

Connections

After you have placed the units appropriately in your project window, you must draw the connections between them. Usually the points, where a connection can be attached to a unit, are marked in the unit icons. These points are called terminal.

To draw a connection:

  1. Click on the terminal where you want to attach a connection. IPSE automatically generates the appropriate type of connection.

  2. Draw the connection by clicking on the points of the connection.

  3. Stop drawing a connection by clicking on a compatible terminal.

IPSE automatically attempts to adjust the connection orthogonally.

To abort drawing a connection:

  1. Press Esc.

When you change the position of a unit, IPSE moves all attached connections with it. All connections remain attached to the unit that is moved. In this way the logic of the process scheme is not affected if you move a unit.

Existing connections can be changed and disconnected from units. You can move a connection to another place in the project scheme, changing its geometry without disconnecting it from the units.

To move a connection:

  1. Click on the segment of the connection that you want to move.

  2. Drag it to the new position.

  3. Release the primary mouse button.

Adjacent segments are changed, so that the connection remains intact and orthogonally adjusted.

Segments that are attached directly to a unit cannot be moved on their own. In this case, it is necessary to move the unit. By doing so, the connection segments will be moved with the unit automatically.

It is also possible to detach a connection from a unit.

To detach a connection from a unit:

  1. From the menu bar select Objects  Free Connection

The cursor becomes scissors-shaped. If you then click on the connector of a unit, the connection is detached from the unit and is attached to the cursor. By double clicking in an unused area of the page, you position the connection segment with a free end. You can also activate this command by pressing Ctrl+F.

Alternatively, you can click on another connector to make a new connection with the just detached segment. To reconnect the open end of a connection, click on the free end icon of the segment and draw the connection as usual. While the connection is attached to the cursor, you can remove its last segment by pressing the Backspace key.

Additionally to viewing or hiding the result cross of a connection, as explained in section Basic Operations you can also rotate the orientation of a result cross.

To rotate the result cross of a connection:

  1. Activate the connection by clicking on it or by selecting the connection name in the object manager.

  2. From the menu bar select Objects  Rotate or press Ctrl+R. This rotates the result cross into the next valid position.

Global Objects

Some units or connections reference global objects. Unlike units and connections, global objects do not have a graphical representation.

image
Figure 1. Dialog for creating new global objects
To create a new global object:

  1. Select Objects  New Global Oject. IPSE opens the dialog shown in Figure 1.

  2. Select a type from the list of available globals.

  3. Enter a name for the new global object.

  4. Click OK.

You can also create a global object directly from inside the data input window of a referring object.