T3_A_InspectionPackingSpace.vb Detailed Explanation

File Name: T3_A_InspectionPackingSpace.vb
Location: ../TeraCalc3_LogisticsEquipmentSpaceCalc/
Lines: 173 lines
Purpose: Layout calculation for inspection and packing work spaces

Overview

This file is a Visual Basic form class that performs layout calculations for inspection and packing work spaces. It calculates the required space for inspection and packing areas using workbenches and roll cages across two different configurations.

Two Calculation Methods:
  • Inspection Packing Calc 1: Two-sided placement configuration centered on the workbench (multi-set deployment).
  • Inspection Packing Calc 2: Straight-line placement configuration based on conveyors.

Class Structure

Class Name: InspectionPackingSpaceF (Inspection Packing Space Form)
Inherits: Form

Core Functional Areas

1. Screen Operations (#Region "Screen Operations")

SorterCalc_Load Event (Lines 4-11)

Purpose: Initialization processing upon form loading
Process Details:
  • Displays copyright information and validity period.
  • Executes InspectionPackingCalc1().
  • Executes InspectionPackingCalc2().
Private Sub SorterCalc_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load CopyrightL.Text = Company & " Copyright:" & Copyright ValidityPeriodL.Text = "Validity Period:" & TrialVersionExpirationDate InspectionPackingCalc1() ' Calc Method 1 InspectionPackingCalc2() ' Calc Method 2 End Sub

Other Screen Operation Events

Event Name Process Details Line No
InspectionPackingCalc1Bt_Click Calls InspectionPackingCalc1() method 12-14
InspectionPackingCalc2Tb_Click Calls InspectionPackingCalc2() method 16-18
CoverPb_Click Navigates to "InspectionPackingCalc1Tp" tab 20-22
CloseBt_Click Closes the form 23-25

Inspection Packing Calc 1 - Two-Sided Placement Type

InspectionPackingCalc1() Method (Lines 32-121)

Calculation for a method placing roll cages on both sides centered around a workbench.

Step 1: Roll Cage Specification Selection (Lines 34-35)

Roll Cage Type Width (mm) Depth (mm) Height (mm)
Roll Cage 1 (Small) 850 660 1750
Roll Cage 2 (Large) 1100 800 1750

Step 2: Basic Parameter Settings (Lines 37-54)

Variable Name Description
Clearance Safety gap between roll cages and equipment
Work Aisle Width Width of the aisle where workers pass
Workbench D Depth of the workbench
Workbench W Width of the workbench
Synchronized display of the same values across multiple text boxes (for display in different areas of the drawing).

Step 3: Dimensions Calculation for 1 Set (Lines 56-64)

Calculation of Set Length (Vertical Direction)
Set Length = Clearance + Roll Cage Depth + Work Aisle Width + Workbench D + Work Aisle Width + Roll Cage Depth + Clearance
Calculation of Set Width (Horizontal Direction)
Set Width = Clearance + Roll Cage Depth + Work Aisle Width + Workbench W + Work Aisle Width + Roll Cage Depth + Clearance
Calculation of Set Area
Set Area = (Set Length × Set Width) / 1000² *Convert mm² to m²
Layout Image for 1 Set: 
┌─────────────────────┐
│  [Clearance]          │
│  [Roll Cage Depth]    │
│  [Work Aisle Width]   │
│  ┌─────────┐          │
│  │Workbench│          │ ← Set Length
│  └─────────┘          │
│  [Work Aisle Width]   │
│  [Roll Cage Depth]    │
│  [Clearance]          │
└─────────────────────┘
		↑
	Set Width

Step 4: Required Number of Sets Calculation (Lines 66-70)

Required Sets = Int(Peak Inspection Bulk Count / Hourly Processing Capacity + 0.999)
Meaning of the Calculation:
  • Peak Inspection Bulk Count: Number of items inspected during peak times
  • Hourly Processing Capacity: Items processed per hour per set
  • + 0.999: Rounding up process (rounding up decimals)

Step 5: Determination of Set Placement Pattern (Lines 72-100)

Important Design Concept: Different placements are used for the front, middle, and end depending on the number of sets.
Pattern 1: When Sets = 1 (Lines 81-85)
Front Set Count = 1 : Front Set Dim Total = Set Width Middle Set Count = 0 : Middle Set Dim Total = 0 End Set Count = 0 : End Set Dim Total = 0
Since there is only 1 set, it completes with just the front set.
Pattern 2: When Sets = 2 (Lines 87-91)
Front Set Count = 1 : Front Set Dim Total = Set Width Middle Set Count = 0 : Middle Set Dim Total = 0 End Set Count = 1 : End Set Dim Total = Set Width - 100
Attention: The End set is reduced by 100mm (due to shared clearance).
Pattern 3: When Sets ≥ 3 (Lines 93-97)
Front Set Count = 1 : Front Set Dim Total = Set Width Middle Set Count = Required Sets - 2 Middle Set Dim Total = Middle Set Count × (Set Width - 100) End Set Count = 1 : End Set Dim Total = Set Width - 100
Space Efficiency: Reduces by 100mm by sharing the clearance between sets.
Visual Image of Set Placement (For 5 Sets): 
[Front Set]─┐
            │100mm Reduced
[Middle Set1]┤
            │100mm Reduced
[Middle Set2]┤
            │100mm Reduced
[Middle Set3]┤
            │100mm Reduced
[End Set]───┘

Step 6: Total Set Width Calculation (Lines 101-102)

Total Set Width = Front Set Dim Total + Middle Set Dim Total + End Set Dim Total

Step 7: Total Set Length and Final Area Calculation (Lines 104-112)

Total Set Length Calculation
Total Set Length = Set Length + Auxiliary Aisle Width × 2
Auxiliary aisles added to both ends (for maintenance and I/O).
Required Area Calculation
Required Area = (Total Set Length × Total Set Width) / 1000²
Required Area = Int(Required Area × 10 + 0.5) / 10 *Round to 1 decimal place

Step 8: Visual Feedback (Lines 114-120)

If CalcStart_Chk2 = 0 Then GroupBox3.BackColor = Color.LightYellow CalcStart_Chk2 = 1 Else GroupBox3.BackColor = Color.PowderBlue CalcStart_Chk2 = 0 End If
Toggles background color upon recalculation to visually indicate execution.

Inspection Packing Calc 2 - Conveyor Placement Type

InspectionPackingCalc2() Method (Lines 126-169)

Calculation for a straight-line placement configuration based on a conveyor.

Step 1: Roll Cage Specification Selection (Lines 127-132)

If RollCage3Rb.Checked = True Then RollCageWidth = 850 : RollCageDepth = 660 : RollCageHeight = 1750 If RollCage4Rb.Checked = True Then RollCageWidth = 1100 : RollCageDepth = 800 : RollCageHeight = 1750
Roll cage selection independent from Calc 1 (RollCage3Rb, RollCage4Rb).

Step 2: Required Width Calculation (Lines 134-143)

Element Description
Clearance C1 Safety gap from walls or equipment
Conveyor Width Width of the transport conveyor
Workbench Width Width of the inspection/packing workbench
Work Aisle Aisle width for workers
Roll Cage Depth Roll cage depth at the finished goods staging area
Auxiliary Aisle 1 Auxiliary aisle width on the opposite side
Required Width = Clearance C1 + Conveyor Width + Workbench Width + Work Aisle + Roll Cage Depth + Auxiliary Aisle 1
Width Direction Layout Image: 
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ [Clearance C1]                 │
│ [Conveyor Width] ← Transport     │
│ [Workbench Width] ← Insp/Pack    │
│ [Work Aisle]   ← Worker passage  │
│ [Roll Cage]    ← Finished goods  │
│ [Aux Aisle 1]  ← Maintenance     │
└──────────────────────────────┘
				↑
			Required Width

Step 3: Required Length Calculation (Lines 145-149)

Required Length = Conveyor Length + Auxiliary Aisle 2
The length of the work area is determined according to the length of the conveyor.

Step 4: Required Space Calculation (Lines 151-153)

Required Space = (Required Width × Required Length) / 1000² *Convert mm² to m²

Step 5: Aligned Roll Cages Count Calculation (Lines 155-158)

Roll Cage Placement Pitch
Aligned Roll Cage Pitch = Roll Cage Width + 100
Secures 100mm clearance between roll cages.
Placeable Roll Cage Count
Aligned Roll Cages Count = Int(Required Length / Aligned Roll Cage Pitch × 10 + 0.5) / 10
Calculates how many roll cages can be placed along the conveyor.
Rounded to the first decimal place.

Step 6: Visual Feedback (Lines 160-166)

If CalcStart_Chk2 = 0 Then GroupBox2.BackColor = Color.LightYellow CalcStart_Chk2 = 1 Else GroupBox2.BackColor = Color.PowderBlue CalcStart_Chk2 = 0 End If

Comparison of the Two Calculation Methods

Item Inspection Packing Calc 1 (Two-Sided) Inspection Packing Calc 2 (Conveyor Line)
Layout Roll cages on both sides centered around workbench Straight line: Conveyor → Workbench → Roll Cage
Multiple Sets ○ (Auto-calculated by processing capacity) × (Single line)
Space Efficiency Clearance shared between sets Simple straight-line layout
Applicable Case High volume processing, multiple workers Medium scale, conveyor line
Calculation Complexity High (Branches for Front/Middle/End) Low (Simple addition)
Roll Cage Count Calc × (Set-based) ○ (Calculates placeable count)

Calculation Flowchart

[Form Load] ↓ ┌──────────────────────────────┐ │ InspectionPackingCalc1() │ ├──────────────────────────────┤ │ 1. Roll Cage Spec Selection │ │ 2. Basic Parameter Setting │ │ 3. Dimension Calc for 1 Set │ │ - Set Length │ │ - Set Width │ │ - Set Area │ │ 4. Req Sets Calculation │ │ = Peak Insp Count / Cap. │ │ 5. Set Placement Pattern Det │ │ - Sets=1: Front Only │ │ - Sets=2: Front + End │ │ - Sets≥3: Front+Mid+End │ │ 6. Total Set Width Calc │ │ 7. Tot Set Len & Req Area Calc│ └──────────────────────────────┘ ↓ ┌──────────────────────────────┐ │ InspectionPackingCalc2() │ ├──────────────────────────────┤ │ 1. Roll Cage Spec Selection │ │ 2. Required Width Calc │ │ = Clearance + Conv Width │ │ + Workbench W + Aisle │ │ + Roll Cage + Aux Aisle │ │ 3. Required Length Calc │ │ = Conveyor Len + Aux Aisle│ │ 4. Required Space Calc │ │ = Req Width × Req Length │ │ 5. Aligned Roll Cage Cnt Calc│ │ = Req Length / (CageW+100)│ └──────────────────────────────┘ ↓ [Screen Display Complete]

Distinctive Design Features

Feature Details
Offers Two Calculation Methods Optimal method can be selected according to the work style
Two-sided placement vs. Conveyor placement
Scalable Design Automatically calculates the number of sets based on processing capacity
Easy planning for peak seasons
Space Efficiency Reduces 100mm by sharing clearance between sets
Contributes to cost reduction
Standard Equipment Support Dimensions for 2 common roll cage types are pre-set
Usable simply by selection
Flexible Placement Patterns Different logic when the number of sets is 1/2/3+
Automatically determines the optimal layout

Use Case Scenarios

1. Inspection Area Design in an EC Logistics Center

Using Method 1 (Two-Sided Placement Type)
Peak inspection count: 1000 items/hr, Hourly processing capacity: 300 items/hr
→ Required sets: 4 sets → Auto-calculation of area

2. Shipping Inspection Line in Manufacturing

Using Method 2 (Conveyor Placement Type)
Conveyor length: 10m, Workbench width: 800mm
→ Calculates required space and placeable roll cage count

3. Planning for Seasonal Fluctuations

Comparing multiple patterns using Method 1
Normal season: 2 sets, Peak season: 5 sets
→ Pre-calculates required area for each to plan a flexible layout

4. Efficiency Study for Existing Facilities

Comparative Study of Both Methods
Quantitatively determining which method is more efficient for the current space

Calculation Result Examples

Example of Inspection Packing Calc 1

Settings

  • Roll Cage: Large (1100×800mm)
  • Clearance: 100mm
  • Work Aisle Width: 1000mm
  • Workbench: 600×1500mm
  • Peak Inspection Count: 1200 items/hr
  • Hourly Processing Capacity: 300 items/hr
  • Auxiliary Aisle Width: 1000mm

Calculation Results

  • 1 Set Length: 3560mm
  • 1 Set Width: 4100mm
  • Required Sets: 4 sets
  • Front Set: 1 set (4100mm)
  • Middle Sets: 2 sets (8000mm)
  • End Set: 1 set (4000mm)
  • Total Set Width: 16,100mm
  • Total Set Length: 5,560mm (Including 1000mm auxiliary aisles on both sides)
  • Required Area: Approx. 89.5 m²

Example of Inspection Packing Calc 2

Settings

  • Roll Cage: Small (850×660mm)
  • Clearance C1: 200mm
  • Conveyor Width: 600mm
  • Workbench Width: 800mm
  • Work Aisle: 1000mm
  • Auxiliary Aisle 1: 1000mm
  • Conveyor Length: 10,000mm
  • Auxiliary Aisle 2: 1000mm

Calculation Results

  • Required Width: 4,260mm
  • Required Length: 11,000mm
  • Required Space: Approx. 46.9 m²
  • Aligned Roll Cage Count: Approx. 11.6 units

Summary

This code is a design tool dedicated to inspection and packing work areas. It supports two different work configurations, providing calculation methods optimized for each.

Main Advantages:

  • Selection of the optimal method according to the work configuration.
  • Automatic set count calculation based on processing capacity.
  • Intelligent placement for space efficiency.
  • Easy planning for peak and normal seasons.
  • Automatic calculation of the number of placed equipment.

Application Areas:

  • EC Logistics Centers
  • Shipping inspection areas in manufacturing
  • Wholesale logistics hubs
  • Inspection and packing areas in 3PL facilities
  • Returns processing centers

Design Philosophy:

  • Shortens design time by automating complex placement logic.
  • Reduces waste by sharing space between sets.
  • Realistic design back-calculated from peak processing capacity.
  • Clarifies calculation execution with visual feedback.