Model the Production Line
How you model a production line in the Production Model will be dependent upon the following factors:
- Type of Line (single machine, simple contiguous process, parallel processes, shared cells across lines, complex sub-lines, primary cells, cell groups within cell groups)
- Line Downtime Determination (When is the line considered to be down? All cells, any cells, particular cell)
- How production is scheduled (if parts of a line are scheduled separately from each other, then they may be considered two separate lines)
- Interface to cell (if a cell has no real-time accessible interface, its state and output may be combined with an adjacent cell)
The importance of modelling the line correctly based on the above factors will drive the usability and usefulness of any production data or metrics generated. If a production line of many cells is modeled simply as a single cell, then features provided by the OEE module such as downtime detection methods, cell cycle time, aggregation of machine states by cell, and visual aspects of the OEE components such as the OEE Time chart will all be diminished. Forcing management to schedule production runs on multiple lines that they did not do prior to the OEE implementation, as well as only allowing a single scheduled run on a a set of cells where traditionally multiple schedules existed are signs that the model may not be correct.
In modelling the Line, you will create a Production Model in the Designer that:
- Defines your Enterprises Sites, Areas, Lines and Cells
- Sets up Downtime Detection Methods to define how line downtime is determined
- Connects states and counts from the equipment PLC interface to the production model