Configure a Network model

You can create Network models only with a valid Spiral Network license.

For more information about checking for installed licenses, see the Configure your Licenses topic. Contact AVEVA support (spiral.support@aveva.com) for information about obtaining new licenses.

After creating a Network model, you have to set up the actual network by adding nodes, transport links, supplies, demands and so on. The following steps show you how to do so.

1. Add locations

   

   Locations are places where network activities occur. By adding locations with their coordinates, you can view network activities in the Map window.

   Location are not added in the Network environment, but in the Model Explorer. To open the Model Explorer from the Network environment, click the Explorer button in the Windows group of the Home ribbon tab.

   In the Model Explorer, go to the Locations page in the Reference Data tab, and click on Add Location in the Locations group of the Home ribbon tab. A new location is added to the grid. Customize the location by changing its name, specifying latitude and longitude and filling any other fields you deem necessary.

2. Add nodes

   

   Nodes are sites where specific types of operations occur. Each node must be associated with a location. A location can host multiple nodes. To add nodes, go to the Nodes page and click the buttons in the Nodes group of the Home ribbon tab. Nodes can be one of four types:

   • Supply: places which supply material, such as jetties for crude, or external suppliers for imports.

   • Demand: places where material is sold, such as a city market or an airport.

   • Plant: places where material is processed. You add plant models when creating the Network model, and will associate plant models with plant nodes in the next step.

   • Terminal: places where blending or holding operations occur before dispatch to other nodes.

     When you add a node, a new row in the grid appears. You can then change its name and select the location to which it is associated.

3. Add plants

   

   If any of the nodes are manufacturing plants, they should have plant models associated with them. You have added plant cases when creating the Network model. You now must now associate these cases with the plant nodes created in the previous step.

   Go to the Plants page and click Add Plant in the Plants group of the Home ribbon tab. A new row appears in the grid. You can then select the plant node from the drop-down menu in the Node column, and the plant case from the Model (Case) column.

4. Add transports

   

   Once you have defined all your nodes, you need to define how material is transported from one node to another. You do so by defining Transport Modes, Transport Links and Shipments, all from the Transports page.

   You can also organize your transport links into groups defined in the Transport Link Groups tab.

5. Add terminal inventories

   

   Terminals are nodes where you can store materials. To do so, you have to define terminal inventories. Go to the Terminals page and open the Terminal Inventories tab. Click Add Inventory in the Inventories group of the Home ribbon tab.

   A new row appears in the grid. You can then associate the new inventory to a terminal node and to a traded material. You can also define various constraints and costs related to the inventory.

   In addition you can organize your inventories into groups defined in the Terminal Inventory Groups tab.

6. Add terminal operations

   

   In your Network model, materials arrive at terminal nodes, leave terminal nodes and can be blended at terminal nodes. You need to define all these terminal operations and specify their costs. You do so in the Terminal Operations tab of the Terminals page. Click Add Operation in the Operations group of the Home ribbon tab. A new row appears in the grid, and you can then specify the details of the operation.

7. Add supplies

   

   Supplies are materials available to your network. Supplies become available at supply nodes and can then be transported elsewhere, processed and sold.

   You define supplies from the Supplies page. Click Add Supply in the Supplies group of the Home ribbon tab. A new row appears in the grid. You can then associate the supply to a node and define other properties such as prices and constraints.

   In addition you can organize your supplies into groups defined in the Supply Groups tab.

8. Add demands

   

   Demands are products sold from your network. Each demand must be associated to a demand node.

   You define demands from the Demands page. Click Add Demand in the Demands group of the Home ribbon tab. A new row appears in the grid. You can then associate the demand to a node and define other properties such as prices and constraints.

   In addition you can organize your demands into groups defined in the Demand Groups tab.