T3_9_ManualSortingCalc.vb Detailed Explanation

File Name: T3_9_ManualSortingCalc.vb
Location: ../TeraCalc3_LogisticsEquipmentSpaceCalc/
Lines: 148 lines
Purpose: Layout calculation for manual sorting areas

Overview

This file is a Visual Basic form class that performs layout calculations for a manual sorting area. It calculates the required space and the number of equipment (roll cages and pallets) needed for a manual sorting operation.

Features: A design tool for manual sorting operations without automated sorting machines.

Class Structure

Class Name: ManualSortingCalcF (Manual Sorting Calculation Form)
Inherits: Form

Core Functional Areas

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

SorterCalc_Load Event (Lines 6-11)

Purpose: Initialization processing upon form loading
Processing Details:

Displays copyright information and validity period.
Calls the Area Calculation method.

Private Sub SorterCalc_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
  CopyrightL.Text = Company & " Copyright:" & Copyright 
  ValidityPeriodL.Text = "Validity Period:" & TrialVersionExpirationDate 
  AreaCalc() ' Execute layout calculation 
End Sub 

RecalculateBt_Click Event (Lines 13-23)

Purpose: Click event for the recalculate button
Processing Details:

Re-executes the Area Calculation method.
Toggles the background color of GroupBox3 (visual indication of calculation status).
LightYellow ⇔ PowderBlue

Other Screen Operation Events

Event Name	Processing Details	Line No
CoverPb_Click	Navigate to "Deviation ETB" tab	25-27
ManualSortingCalcBt_Click	Navigate to "Deviation ETB" tab	29-31
CloseBt_Click	Close the form	32-34

2. Layout Calculation (#Region "Layout Calculation")

Sequence of Calculation Methods
AreaCalc() → RequiredRollCages() + RequiredPallets()

AreaCalc() Method (Lines 55-116)

Calculates the layout and required area for the manual sorting area.

Step 1: Roll Cage Specification Selection (Lines 57-58)

When Roll Cage 1 (Small) is selected:

Roll Cage Width = 850mm Roll Cage Depth = 660mm Roll Cage Height = 1750mm

When Roll Cage 2 (Large) is selected:

Roll Cage Width = 1100mm Roll Cage Depth = 800mm Roll Cage Height = 1750mm

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: Roll Cage Placement Calculation (Lines 60-69)

Basic Parameters

Variable Name	Description
Roll Cage Clearance	Gap between roll cages
Roll Cage Columns	Number of horizontal rows of roll cages
Roll Cage Bays	Number of vertical lines of roll cages

Formulas

Roll Cage Count = Roll Cage Columns × Roll Cage Bays

Roll Cage Single Row W1 = Roll Cage Depth + Roll Cage Clearance

Roll Cage Double Row W3 = Roll Cage Depth × 2 + Roll Cage Clearance

Step 3: Required Width Calculation (Lines 71-84)

Important Calculation Logic: Placement pattern when the number of roll cage columns is even.

If Roll Cage Columns = Int(Roll Cage Columns / 2) * 2 Then
	' If the number of columns is even
	Roll Cage Single Row Sets = 2
	Roll Cage Double Row Sets = (Roll Cage Columns - Roll Cage Single Row Sets) / 2
	Sorting Aisle Count = Int(Roll Cage Columns / 2 + 0.999)
End If
				

Layout Pattern:
Single rows of roll cages at both ends, double rows in the center.
Example: For 6 columns → [Single][Double][Double][Single] + 3 Aisles

Formulas for Required Width

W1 Total = (Roll Cage Depth + Roll Cage Clearance) × Roll Cage Single Row Sets

W2 Total = Sorting Aisle Width W2 × Sorting Aisle Count

W3 Total = (Roll Cage Depth + Roll Cage Clearance + Roll Cage Depth) × Roll Cage Double Row Sets

Manual Sorting Area Width W = (W1 Total + W2 Total + W3 Total) / 1000 *Convert mm to m

Step 4: Required Length Calculation (Lines 87-88)

Manual Sorting Length L1 = (Roll Cage Width × Roll Cage Bays + Roll Cage Clearance × (Roll Cage Bays - 1)) / 1000

Calculates the length of vertically aligned roll cages. The length increases with the number of bays.

Step 5: PL (Pallet) Staging Area Calculation (Lines 92-106)

Basic Pallet Dimensions

Variable Name	Description
PLW	Pallet Width
PLD	Pallet Depth
PLH	Pallet Height
PLh1	Pallet Base Height (Fixed at 150mm)

Calculation of PL Placement Count

PL Columns = Int(Manual Sorting Area Width W / ((PLD + PL Clearance) / 1000))

Calculates the number of PL columns that fit within the width of the manual sorting area.

PL Staging L3 = ((PLW + PL Clearance) × PL Bays) / 1000

PL Count = PL Bays × PL Columns

Step 6: Final Required Length and Area (Lines 109-112)

Required Length = Manual Sorting Length L1 + Auxiliary Aisle L2 + PL Staging L3

Required Area = Manual Sorting Area Width W × Required Length *Unit: m²

Step 7: Sub-Calculation Calls (Lines 114-115)

RequiredRollCages()  ' Calculate the necessary number of roll cages
RequiredPallets()    ' Calculate the necessary number of pallets
				

RequiredRollCages() Method (Lines 117-127)

Calculates the required number of roll cages based on shipping volume.

Roll Cage Load Volume Calculation (Lines 118-121)

For Roll Cage 1 (Small):

Roll Cage Load Volume = 0.85 × 0.66 × 1.6 = 0.8976 m³

For Roll Cage 2 (Large):

Roll Cage Load Volume = 1.1 × 0.8 × 1.6 = 1.408 m³

Note: Height is calculated at 1.6m, lower than the actual size (accounting for practical loading height).

Loadable Volume Calculation (Lines 123-124)

Roll Cage Load Rate = Input Value / 100

Roll Cage Loadable Volume = Roll Cage Load Volume × Roll Cage Load Rate

Required Count Calculation (Lines 125-126)

Required Roll Cages_Daily = 146 / (Roll Cage Load Volume × Roll Cage Load Rate)

Required Roll Cages_Batch = 49 / (Roll Cage Load Volume × Roll Cage Load Rate)

Meaning of Fixed Values:

146 = Daily shipping volume (m³)
49 = Batch shipping volume (m³)

*These values can be adjusted according to business requirements.

RequiredPallets() Method (Lines 129-138)

Calculates the required number of pallets based on shipping volume.

PL Load Volume Calculation (Lines 130-132)

PL Load Volume = (PLW × PLD × (PLH - 150)) / 1000³

Calculation Points:

Calculated using the effective height, which is PLH (Total height) minus 150mm (pallet base height).
The result is rounded to the first decimal place.

PLLoadVolumeTb.Text = CStr(Int((PL Load Volume + 0.5) * 10) / 10)

Rounding mechanism: Adds 0.5 to convert to an integer, then divides by 10.

Loadable Volume Calculation (Lines 134-135)

PL Load Rate = Input Value / 100

PL Loadable Volume = PL Load Volume × PL Load Rate

Required PL Count Calculation (Lines 136-137)

Required PLs_Daily = 146 / (PL Load Volume × PL Load Rate)

Required PLs_Batch = 49 / (PL Load Volume × PL Load Rate)

Meaning of Fixed Values:

146 m³ = Daily shipping volume
49 m³ = Batch shipping volume

*Uses the same base values as the roll cage calculations.

Calculation Flowchart

[Form Load]
		↓
┌──────────────────────┐
│ AreaCalc()            │
├──────────────────────┤
│ 1. Roll Cage Spec Sel │
│    - Small or Large   │
│                       │
│ 2. Roll Cage Placement│
│    - Columns, Bays    │
│    - Single/Double row│
│                       │
│ 3. Req Width Calc     │
│    W = W1 Total +     │
│        W2 Tot + W3 Tot│
│                       │
│ 4. Req Length Calc    │
│    L = ManualSortLen L1│
│                       │
│ 5. PL Staging Calc    │
│    - PL Cols Calc     │
│    - PL Staging L3    │
│                       │
│ 6. Final Area Calc    │
│    Req Length = L1+L2 │
│                 +L3   │
│    Req Area = W × L   │
└────┬─────────────┘
		↓
┌──────────────────────┐
│ RequiredRollCages()   │
├──────────────────────┤
│ - Load Vol Calc       │
│ - Loadable Vol        │
│ - Req Count_Daily     │
│ - Req Count_Batch     │
└──────────────────────┘
		↓
┌──────────────────────┐
│ RequiredPallets()     │
├──────────────────────┤
│ - Load Vol Calc       │
│ - Loadable Vol        │
│ - Req PLs_Daily       │
│ - Req PLs_Batch       │
└──────────────────────┘
		↓
	[Display Complete]

Layout Configuration Image

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│       Manual Sorting Layout           │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                       │
│  [Roll Cage] [Aisle] [Roll Cage] [Aisle]│
│  [Single]            [Double]         │
│    │                 │  │             │
│    │                 │  │             │
│    │                 │  │             │
│    ↓                 ↓  ↓             │
│  Bays              Bays               │
│                                       │
│  ←───── Manual Sort Length L1 ───→    │
│                                       │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│          [Auxiliary Aisle L2]         │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│     [PL] [PL] [PL] ...                │
│     [PL] [PL] [PL] ...                │
│                                       │
│  ←───── PL Staging L3 ───────────→    │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
	   ↑
  Sorting Area Width W

Distinctive Design Features

Feature	Details
Flexible Layout Optimization	Automatically assigns single/double rows based on columns. Automatically calculates the number of aisles.
Dual Equipment Support	Manages both roll cages and pallets (PL). Calculates requirements for each.
Volume-Based Calculation	Automatically calculates required equipment daily/per batch. Practical calculations considering load rates.
Built-in Standard Specs	Pre-sets dimensions for 2 common roll cage types. Usable simply by selection.

Use Case Scenarios

1. Logistics Center Design Phase

Pre-calculates the space required for manual sorting areas and reflects it in the building layout.

2. Equipment Ordering Plan

Calculates the required number of roll cages and pallets based on shipping volumes to order appropriate quantities.

3. Layout Modification Studies

Recalculates by changing columns and bays to verify space-efficient configurations.

4. Peak Season Planning

Anticipates the additional equipment and space needed when shipping volumes increase.

Calculation Result Example

Setting Example

Roll Cage: Large (1100×800mm)
Roll Cage Columns: 6 columns
Roll Cage Bays: 4 bays
Roll Cage Clearance: 200mm
Sorting Aisle Width: 1200mm
Auxiliary Aisle: 1000mm
PL: 1100×1100×1500mm
PL Bays: 3 bays

Calculation Results

Roll Cage Count: 24 units (6 columns × 4 bays)
Manual Sorting Area Width W: Approx. 7.6m
Required Length: Approx. 9.5m
Required Area: Approx. 72m²
Placeable PL Columns: Approx. 6 columns
PL Placement Count: 18 units (6 columns × 3 bays)

Summary

This code is a design tool dedicated to manual sorting areas. It is suitable for planning logistics centers without automated sorters or small-scale sorting areas.

Main Advantages:

Automatically calculates complex placement patterns.
Back-calculates required equipment from shipping volume.
Easily optimizes space efficiency.
Responds quickly to design changes.
Provides foundational data for cost estimation.

Application Areas:

EC Logistics Centers
Wholesale Logistics Hubs
3PL (Third-Party Logistics) Facilities
Small-scale Sorting Centers