Online Documentation: Getting Started

Configuration of a simple Flow for Routing

Before you can start using travelers and start tracking parts the system has to be configured. To start we will create a simple flow consisting of 2 steps.

The configuration of the system takes place on the Configuration Desktop. (NOTE: All Icons and forms on this desktop are blue, this color convention is used to make clear that you are defining the system; you are creating a blue-print for flows, parts, steps etc.)

We will configure the system by taking the following 4 steps:

1. Create a Part Definition

   NOTE: It's NOT possible to track parts without Part Definitions. So first a Part Definition has to be created.
   For the initial implementation we only define the Name, Part Number, and Revision attributes for the Part Definition. The other attributes of a Part Definition are explained in the Configuration Manual

2. Create two Step Definitions
3. Create a Flow Definition
4. Connect the two Step Definitions to the Flow Definition

Step 1: Create a Part Definition

Any Part Record that exists within the system needs to be connected to a Part Definition. So our first action will be to Create a Part Definition with the following attributes

• Name: Widget
• Part Number: W01 (Note: this is not a serial number)
• Revision: A

For now these are all the attributes we define. Leave all other input fields unchanged. (Read the Configuration Manual if you want to learn more)

Follow the steps in the following figure:

Take the following steps to create a Part Definition:

1. Click the Configuration Tab to display the Configuation Desktop
2. Click the Part Definition Listbox
3. Click the 'New Part Defintion' Icon. This will open the Part Definition Dialog
4. Fill out the First 3 fields on the General Tab
5. Move the Part Defintion from Pending to Active by pressing the 'Next' Icon (It is only to select Active Part Definitions in the other configuration dialogs)

After the Part Definition is moved to the active state, the following can be seen:

Step 2: Create two Step Definitions

To create a Flow Definition (a Flow Definition can be seen as a template for Travelers), you first have to create the Step Definitions that represent the actual operations needed to create the product.

We will create two Step Definitions with the following attributes:

• Name: 'Step 1' and 'Step 2'
• Operation Number: 'S1' and 'S2'
• Revision: 'A' and 'A'

The following figure shows step by step how 'Step 1' can be created.

Take the following steps to create a Step Definitions:

1. Click the Configuration Tab to display the Configuation Desktop
2. Click the Step Definition Listbox
3. Click the 'New Step Defintion' Icon. This will open the Step Definition Dialog
4. Fill out the fields on the General Tab as described above
5. Move the Step Defintion from Pending to Active by pressing the 'Next' Icon (It is only possible to select Active Step Definitions when you add the Step Definition to the a Flow Definition)

After repeating the same procedure for the second step the Step Definition Listbox will show the following:

Using these 2 Step Definitions and the Part Definition, we will now create the Flow Definition.

Step 3: Create a Flow Definition

We will create a Flow Definition with the following attributes:

• Name: Make Widgets
• Flow Number: F1
• Revision: A

  Revision of the Flow Definition. Note: The Revision + Flow Number have to be unique.

• Close Form?: Unchecked

  This checkmark determines if the Traveler dialog closes after it finishes a step. For this example we do not check this checkmark. That makes testing the Travelers easier (That way you do not have to open the traveler each time you finished a step).

• Flow Create Parts: Checked

  Determines if the Flow Definition Grabs or Creates Parts. For this example we will configure the Flow to create the parts.

• Part State During Flow: WIP (Work In Process)

  This determines the State of the Parts on the Travelers (that is based on this Flow Definition) that are still active. For this example we will select WIP from the pulldown.

• Part State at End of Flow: FGI (Finished Goods Inventory)

  This determines the State of the Parts on the Travelers when the Traveler finished its last Step (The state of the Traveler will be 'Closed').

The following figure shows step by step on how to create the Flow Definition.

Take the following steps to create a Flow Definitions:

1. Click the Configuration Tab to display the Configuation Desktop
2. Click the Flow Definition Listbox
3. Click the 'New Flow Defintion' Icon. This will open the Form Definition Dialog
4. Fill out the fields on the General Tab as described above
5. Click the 'Flow Steps' Tab to add the Step Definitions (this is explained in the next step, shown below)
6. Move the Flow Defintion from Pending to Active by pressing the 'Next' Icon (It is only possible to select Active Flow Definitions to create a new Traveler)

Step 4: Adding the Step Definitions to the Flow Definition

After defining the information on the General Tab, you have to Add the Steps to the Flow Definition. The step by step sequence to add steps is shown in the following figure:

The following figure shows the Flow Steps dialog after the two steps are added to the Flow Definition.

After you have added the 2 steps you can press the 'Next' button in the upper right corner. This will move the Flow Definition from the Pending to the Active State.

Congratulations, you finished a Simple Configuration

This is a very basic example. Click the following link to start using this Flow to move Parts.

Start creating Parts and Travelers

You can start extending this configuration by clicking one of the following links.

• How to define Input Output constraints.
• Define configurable data entries.

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