Components

This section outlines the components used to configure esCollate and the relationships between them.

The configuration of esCollate can be achieved in different ways to accommodate the varying needs of customers and specific situations.  For example both bulk import of items via CSV files and editing of individual items via the Administration application is possible in many situations.

This document provides an overview of the ways in which each item can be configured and the key points that should be considered.  

Lines and Line Routes

Lines are managed directly within the Administration application.  The Lines area is accessed from the Main Menu.  The Lines window provides access to Line Routes and Manual Activity Data.  The Line Routes provides access to Products and Line Areas.

Each Line can have multiple Line Routes.  Only one Line Route is necessary in the situation where all Products follow the same path down a Line and the same data is collected for each Product.  Multiple Line Routes are required when different Products take different paths down a Line and as a consequence data from different Line Areas are required for reporting.  If there are multiple paths down a Line that do not influence what data is collected then it is not necessary to configure multiple Line Routes.

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Line Areas

Line Areas are managed directly within the Administration application from the Line Areas window.

Line Areas are used to segment a Line Route into parts.  Line Areas can then be used to:

Line Areas are configured by selecting a sequence of items of Equipment and defining the Rate Equipment and the Count Equipment for the Line Area.

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Custom Data

Custom Data is managed directly within the Administration application.

The Custom Data facility allows the definition of data entry forms that are specific to each Line and each Activity type.  The data entry forms are accessed from the Factory Client Production Schedule screen.

At least one Group is required as all Data Items are required to belong to a Group.  When entering Custom Data in the Factory Client application the User is presented with a two tier selection.  The first tier allows the User to select from the Groups and the second tier allows the User to select a Data Item belonging to that Group.

If only one Group has been configured then only the second tier is presented to the User.

Data Items can be configured to store data that is specific to each Line Area, that is the same Data Item could have a different value entered for each Line Area.  Data Items can also be configured to store data that is common to all Line Areas, that is if a value is entered in one Line Area it will be propagated to all Line Areas.

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Equipment and Sensors

Sensors are managed directly within the Administration application, whereas Equipment can be managed directly or imported via a CSV file.

The Equipment for a Line are the individual items that comprise the Line.  For example the items of Equipment for a Line could include an unscrambler, orienter, filler, labeller, check weigher, carton erector, case packer and palletiser.

Each item of Equipment can have one or more Sensors assigned to it.  Sensors can be of type Rate, Count, Analogue, Reject, Custom or Manual Down Time.  Rate Sensors are used when the rate of production and Down Time are required and Count sensors are used when just the production count is required.  It is possible to configure both a Rate Sensor and a Count Sensor that collect data from the same physical sensor.

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Products and Production Details

Products can be managed directly within the Administration Application or imported via a CSV file.

There are two ways in which Products can be entered, they are:

A Product definition contains the basic information such as the Name and Product Code.  However the majority of the Product information is specific to the items of Equipment that the Product is associated with, for example the Design Rate and the Packaging Factor.  The Production Details definitions store the details that are specific to each Product – Equipment combination.

Production Details can be managed directly within the Administration Application or imported via a CSV file from the Production Details form.

Production Details are required for each Product – Equipment combination.  However this does not mean that Production Details need to be entered for each Product – Equipment combination.  It is possible to enter default values for the Line and Equipment that will be used for any Products associated with the Equipment and its related Line.

The default Production Details entered for a Line are:

The default Production Details entered for an item of Equipment are:

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Shifts and Shift Patterns

Shifts and Shift Patterns are managed directly within the Administration application.

A Shift  definition has a Name, Start Time and Finish Time.  A Shift is required to be defined for each part of the day that is worked, for example Day, Afternoon and Night.

A Shift Pattern is used to define the Shifts worked for each day of the week.  Shift Patterns are assigned to Lines using the Production Scheduler application.  A different Shift Pattern can be assigned to each Line.  Additionally Shift Patterns are applicable to a Line for specific periods.  It is possible to apply different Shift Patterns at different times of the year to reflect seasonal changes to Shifts worked.

The Shift Pattern assigned to a Line affects the Available periods within the Production Scheduler application and the Factory Client application for scheduling Activities.  Any periods not covered by a Shift will be displayed as Unavailable.

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Activities and Activity Groups

Activities and Activity Groups are managed directly within the Administration application.

An Activity is an operation performed on the Line, for example Production, Change Over, Clean or Scheduled Maintenance.  As many Activity types as necessary can be configured to model the manufacturing operations undertaken.  Each Activity must have an OEE category of Production, Planned Shutdown or Down Time.  Activities must belong to an Activity Group.

Typically there are two Activity Groups configured, they are Production and Non Production.  This fits neatly with the OEE model.  However, additional Activity Groups can be configured if required.  Each Activity Group must be given a type of Production or Non Production.

Careful consideration should be given to the OEE categories assigned to Activities to ensure that the OEE calculations are correct.

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Event Definitions

Event Definitions can be managed directly within the Administration Application from the Down Time Events form or imported via a CSV file from the Event Assignment form accessed from the Line Areas form.

Event Definitions are used to assign reasons to Down Time Events in the Factory Client application.  Each Event Definition must have an OEE category assigned.  The OEE category can be one of Production, Planned Shutdown or Down Time.

Event Definitions entered via the Down Time Events form will require assignment to a Line Area before they are available within the Factory Client application.

Event Definitions can be hierarchically organised to support a 'drill down' style of data entry in the Factory Client application.

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Documents

The Documents configuration is imported via a CSV file from the Documents form.

The Factory Client application can display User generated PDF documents from the Production Schedule form.  The documents can be specific to a Line, Activity or Product or they can apply to all Activities or Products as required.

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