Work Instructions 

Use

Work instructions represent the result of control instructions sent to a machine operator, the content of which is displayed as text on the screen. They are instructions for the machine operator describing how and in which sequence a product is manufactured.

Work instructions are designed for processing on the screen. The machine operator enters, confirms, reports, or completes data interactively. Work instructions thus facilitate communication between the SAP system and the machine operator on production lines that are operated manually (either fully or partially).

Integration

Work instructions in shop floor control correspond to the browser-based PI sheets in the process industries.

For more information on the use of work instructions, refer to the PP-PI documentation in the SAP Library under Browser-Based PI Sheet.

There are the following differences:

●      You can only use XSteps process instructions - not characteristics-based process instructions - for work instructions.

●      There is nothing corresponding to phases in work instructions. No functions that relate to phases are supported.

Prerequisites

Work instructions are created from control instructions generated from XSteps in the production order or routing.

Features

Work instructions are displayed as XStep process instructions in the SAP system. The machine operator can process the work instructions interactively. That is, the former is provided with instructions for his or her work at the production line and enters data that is then processed further in the SAP system.

You can store the following content and functions in work instructions with the aid of XStep process instructions:

●      Outputs

You can output information with data types such as long texts, numerical values, and images in work instructions.

For more information, see XStep: Outputs.

●      Inputs

Using input fields, you can request production-relevant data that the machine operator is to enter in the work instructions. (Values and signatures can be entered in the work instructions, for example.)

For more information, see XStep: Inputs.

Depending upon the data type, you can also define the following functions for input fields:

○       Default value

See: XStep: Default Values in Input Fields

○       Input validation

See: XStep: Input Validation in Input Fields

○       Error handling

●      Control functions

With the aid of control functions, you can enter confirmations and perform calculations for example. The following functions can be defined in work instructions:

○       Calculations

See: XStep Calculations

○       Manufacturing Data Access (e.g. read or write OPC data)

See: XStep: Manufacturing Data Access

○       Automatic entry of date and time

See: XStep Automatic Entry

○       Tables

See: XStep Tables

○       Function calls

See: XStep: Dynamic Function Calls

○       Process messages

See: Process Messages

○       Commands (e.g. for locking or unlocking elements)

See: XStep: Functions That Can Be Executed Automatically