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Operational Data

Overview​

Machines produce vast amounts of data. Often times, that data lacks context. What operation was the machine performing? Was the machine being setup or was it running production? What rate should parts be produced at? How long should it take for a changeover?

In MachineMetrics, that context comes in the form of Activities.

  • Activities are distinct periods of time where that work is performed.
  • Operations describe the work being done. The production standards that end up on an Activity Set start on an Operation.
  • Activity Sets are collections of Activities with specific standards that should be met when performing work on a piece of manufacturing equipment.
  • Activity Modes break the kind of work being performed that exhibit unique behavior within the product.
  • Activity Types allow for modes to be broken down further for reporting and process improvement through custom workflow automation.

Activity​

Activities are discrete periods of time that specific work is performed on a piece of equipment. They connect a start and end time to specific goals for a machine: the part being produced (optionally including workorder information and other data points) as well as the production and setup standards.

ActivitySet (Production Runs)​

Each Activity is a distinct span of time, but they can be rolled up into a complete effort using Activity Sets. Activity Sets allow for work to be paused and resumed on a piece of equipment, or a transition from setup to production, while maintaining each Activity as step toward a greater goal. An Activity Set is the data model backing a Production Run.

ActivityType​

Throughout the lifespan of an Activity Set, multiple types of Activities can be performed. Activity Types are broken down into distinct modes that are uniquely supported by MachineMetrics and result in differing behavior within the user experience. The two modes that are supported by MachineMetrics at launch are Setup and Production. Activity Types allow for these modes to be broken down into differently labeled types. For example, the setup mode can be broken down into customer definable stages like Teardown, Tooling, and First Piece Inspection. Combined with Workflows, Activities can be used to notify key stakeholders in a process to take action when certain activities are started or work is projected to fail in achieving a goal.

Annotation​

Operators, automated processes, and other members of the organization may use the MachineMetrics Operator Dashboard or Timeline in product to identify periods of downtime, label it, and provide additional context through comments. A Annotation is the data model backing a Categorized Downtime.

AnnotationType​

When a downtime is categorized, the Annotation that is created is assigned a specific Annotation Type. While default Annotation Types are provided, they can be customized to meet the needs of the business.

Company​

All data is isolated within a Company. The Machines, Annotation Types, Activity Types, Operators, and other data is scoped to this level. Information like the name, address, and timezone are available on a Company.

Machine​

A Machine is at the heart of it all. All business-related operational data stems from the Machine. Annotations represent categorized periods of time when the Machine was idle. Activities capture slices of time where the Machine was performing a particular Operation. Operator Runs represent when a specific Operator was responsible for a given Machine’s productivity. This operational data can be driven by human input, but is also often driven by diagnostic data reported directly from the Machine itself. The most relevant machine data comes in the form of States, Part Counts, and Alarms.

Operation​

Production standards are applied from the Operation selected when starting the first Activity in an Activity Set. This snapshot will not change when standards in the Job Template are updated so an accurate history of the standards as they existed in the moment the work was performed is maintained.

OperatorRun​

Operator Runs identify periods of time when a particular operator is responsible for a given Machine’s productivity.

Operator​

The Operator is the front line worker responsible for a Machine’s productivity. Operators can Log In and Log Out via the Operator Dashboard through a few quick taps.

PartCountCorrection​

MachineMetrics identifies when parts are produced by gathering part counter data from the machine. As the part counter increments, the delta represents the number of parts that were produced. There are situations where the behavior of the counter on the machine doesn’t accurately reflect the true number of parts that were produced. Part Count Corrections are used to account for that. The Part Count sum over a given time span should be combined with the Part Count Correction over that same time span to accurately determine the total true parts accounted for.

Reject​

When a part is determined to be defective, it may be Rejected via the Operator Dashboard or through the Quality functionality within MachineMetrics. Rejects come in two types: Scrap and Non-Conform. Further, each Reject is assigned a Reject Reason.

RejectReason​

When a part is rejected, the Reject that is created is assigned a specific Reject Reason. While default Reject Reasons are provided, they can be customized to meet the needs of the business.