2023.1.116.1 Processing Unit

1 Overview
2 Where to find
3 Feature Layout
4 How to use

Overview

The Processing Unit is used to let the user simulate a complex process in a simple manner. Replacing processes that add little value to emulate. The processing unit is a black box that has a configurable input and output. Which includes a configurable timer as well as the option to change the output to a different game object.

Where to find

The feature can be found in the Assets Library (Prespective > Menu > Industrial Assets > Assets Library). The Processing Unit can be found in the Module > Action Units category.

Feature Layout

The image below shows the inspector of the Process Unit.

Default inspector

Inspector for preset product

Visualization
Hide cue gizmos	Hides the cue gizmos. This feature is currently disabled.
Configuration
In staging mode	Uses the staging unit as a staging cabinet in a robot sequence. This feature is currently disabled.
In direction	The side of the Processing Unit that is defined as the input.
Length path inwards	The length of the spline that is used as the input. Defines how long the path to the actual processing is.
Out direction	The side of the Processing Unit that is defined as the output.
Length path outwards	The length of the spline that is used as the output. Defines how long the path from processing to the end is.
Assembly
Process time	The time the Processing Unit emulates processing. This is the time between that it is stopped inside the Processing Unit and that it starts moving again to outside the Processing Unit.
Moving in time	Time it takes to go from the start of the input spline to the start of the processing. This time is used to adjust the speed that the actor has on the input spline.
Moving out time	Time it takes to go from the processing to the end of the output spline. This time is used to adjust the speed that the actor has on the output spline.
Product type	The type of product that is outputted. The Custom option let’s the user decide what to change the outputted product to. Other options are predefined shapes such as a Cube, Sphere and Cylinder.
Show Preview	Shows a preview of the product that is outputted above the Processing Unit.
	If Product Type is set to Custom
Custom Object	The game object that will be spawned after processing.
Thickness	The new thickness after the processing. As the object changes the thickness also needs to be redefined.
	If Product Type is set to Cube, Sphere or Cylinder
Dimensions	The dimensions of the object, defining the width, height and depth of the object.
Color	The color of the generated object.

How to use

Open the Asset Library by first opening the Prespective menu by going to Prespective > Menu. Then open the Asset library by going to Industrial Assets > Asset Library.
Download and import the latest version of the Processing Unity By going to the Modules >Action Units category and clicking the Processing Unit.
Drag the Processing Unit inside the scene.
Go to the Modules > Conveyors category and import the Detailed Conveyor.
Drag the Detailed Conveyor inside the scene. And snap the Detailed Conveyor to the Processing Unit.
Go to the Action Cues category and drag the Spawner into the scene. Next snap it on the conveyor.
Configure the Spawner to select an product part to spawn. How to configure the Spawner can be found in the Spawner documentation.
The Process Unit will now let product parts wait and move them along when the time to Process time is up.
Unsnap the Conveyors. In the next step the directions of the Processing Unitwill be changed. As this can cause issues with snapping the conveyors need to be unsnapped first.
Change the In direction to BACK and the out direction to FRONT.
Change the Length path inwards to 2. Change the Length path outwards to 2.
Re-snap the conveyors and you’ll see that the conveyors now snap further away from the Processing Unit.
Change the Moving in time to 1, change the Process time to 2 and change the Moving out time to 3.

This will result in the product part taking 1 second to traverse the input. Then wait for 2 seconds in processing. And then take 3 seconds to move out of the Unit processor.
Create a game object and select it in the Processing Unit Custom Object field. Now any product parts that are processed will be transformed into the specified object.

When creating a custom object, make sure the pivot of the object is at the bottom of the mesh. So that the product lays on top of the conveyor, this is necessary because the actor’s pivot is exactly set on the spline.

If the Custom Object in not set while using the Custom option, the Processor will leave the product part unchanged and act as a Timer.
Change the Product Type to Sphere. The processed product part will now be turned into a sphere.