XSteps for Routing and Production Order Locate this document in the navigation structure

 

Technical Data

Technical name of business function

LOG_PP_XS_RTG_PO

Type of business function

Enterprise Business Function

Technical usage

Central applications

Available as of

SAP ERP 6.0 Enhancement Package 3

ECC application component

Shop Floor Control

Directly dependent business function that you must additionally activate

Not relevant

This business function enables you to use execution steps (XSteps) that you previously used only in production planning for process industries in discrete manufacturing as well. Execution steps are modules that you can use to describe the individual steps in production.

In production plants in discrete industries (parts manufacturing and assembly industries) it is very often necessary to achieve a timely and close exchange of manufacturing-relevant data between an ERP system and the independent level of the manufacturing process (machines, individuals, manufacturing control station, machine control computer, etc.)

For a production order to be executed at this level and controlled, settled, and also changed in the ERP system, data such as product data, input materials, standard manufacturing and setup times, setting parameters, recipe data, and target quantities must be passed on by the planning level in the ERP system and data such as the quantities actually produced, actual manufacturing times, scrap quantities, and possibly much more data reported to the ERP system as promptly as possible.

The use of Execution Steps supports the individuals involved at the manufacturing level through the following:

  • Transfer of any freely definable parameters to any recipients at the manufacturing level (see above).

  • Generation of a variable, browser-based set of work instructions for the direct guidance of the machine operator

  • In the direct execution or derivation of confirmations from the work instructions or from process control computers with variable process messages

  • In the sending of these process messages to predefined message recipients, including the direct automatic posting of the confirmation data (actual time, material confirmation, warehouse receipt, status update, etc.) in a production order.

  • Over and above the options named, manufacturing-accompanying quality checks, the creation of a batch, and the determination of the batch or product characteristics can be carried out during production and goods movements posted in inventory management.

With the scope of functions of the Execution Steps, the user of production orders is offered an option of coupling the ERP system with the manufacturing level that is far superior to the previously known and extensively used interface PP-PDC (KK2).

Integration

The Execution Steps were originally developed for production planning in the process industries. There the terms control recipe and PI sheet are used. These terms correspond to the terms control instructions and work instructions in discrete manufacturing.

Prerequisites

You have installed the following components as of the named version:

Type of component

Component

Needed for the following functions only

Software component

EA-APPL

Technical component or business content, e.g. Portal Content

Not relevant

You make the necessary settings to be able to work with Execution Steps in manufacturing in Customizing under   Production   Basic Data   Execution Steps   and under   Production   Shop Floor Control   Integration   Process Integration  .

Features

Execution Steps facilitate the flexible and dynamic execution of the production process. This comprises:

  • Lower work and maintenance effort through reusable methods and parameters

  • Flexibility and speed as a result of dynamic, event-controlled electronic work instructions

  • Creation of a work environment adapted to the worker (e.g. machine operator) for fast and easy access to different applications and services

  • Monitorying of data exchange between an ERP system and the manufacturing level

When using Execution Steps, proceed as follows:

  • With the standard XSteps repository, you can create standard XSteps to describe individual worksteps.

  • In the routing, you can copy the standard XSteps from the repository or reference them.

  • When a production order is created, the standard XSteps are automatically adopted by the routing so as to generate electronic work instructions. With the electronic work instruction, the worker can execute, confirm, and document the individual worksteps in production.

  • In the production order, the standard XSteps from the repository can also be directly copied or referenced.