Grouping Resources with Resource Types

In the system, you can group resources by resource type. A resource type is a category of equipment, such as saw, hammer, or hand tool. For example, in the system you can group the individual resources BANDSAW1, BANDSAW2, and TABLESAW1 under the resource type SAWS. You can group miscellaneous hand tools under the resource type HANDTOOLS. You create resource types in Resource Type Maintenance (see Resource Type Maintenance).

You can associate resources with resource types in either Resource Maintenance or in Resource Type Maintenance.

If necessary, you can associate a single resource with more than one resource type. For example, if your floor has a 5-axis milling machine primarily used for milling, but that can also be used as a drill, assign the MILL5WAY resource record to both the MILL and the DRILL resource types.

Process Flow Versus Discrete Flow

When a resource is a discrete flow resource, the same operator must start and complete SFC numbers at the resource. When a resource is a process flow resource, the system allows different operators to start and complete the same SFC number at the resource.

For example, you may want to classify the resource OVEN as a process flow resource so that one operator can put boards into the oven near the end of first shift, and another operator can remove the boards after the start of second shift.

With the Process Resource checkbox in Resource Maintenance, you can specify whether a resource is a discrete flow resource (deselected) or a process flow resource (selected).

Tracking Resource Time

The system has the capability to accumulate totals for the number of hours that a machine (resource) is used for work. The Track Resource Time system rule in the Production Tracking section on the System Rule Maintenance screen controls how the system tracks resource time.

When you set the status of a resource to Productive in Resource Maintenance, the system logs the time for the resource, in minutes, as utilized machine time. The system uses this value to determine the utilization percent for a resource. For more information, see Production Tracking Rules.

Time-Based Genealogy

You can use a resource for time-based genealogy. If you interface one or more production assembly machines with the system, you can define a resource for use in time-based genealogy. For more information, see Time-Based Genealogy.

Changing Equipment Status

You can change the status of a resource or all resources in a work center (see Change Equipment Status).

Using Activity Hooks with Resources

You can use activity hooks in the system to automatically perform repetitious routine tasks. For example, you can use an activity hook to automatically create SFC numbers at the first machine on an assembly line. For more information, see Hook Point Activity.

System Rules

You can override several system rules at the resource level. For more information, see System Rule Maintenance.

SAP ME ERP Integration

If you use the SAPMEINT component, see Transfer of Work Center to Resource/Work Center and Integration of Equipment.