Assembly Planner

2013 Proplanner

Assembly Planner

Table of Contents
Introduction

Support

System Requirements

Special Characters to Avoid

Navigation in Assembly Planner

Top Menu
...................................................................................................................................
Bar
7
Navigation
...................................................................................................................................
Pane
9
Typical
...................................................................................................................................
User Interface
10
Searching
...................................................................................................................................
In Assembly Planner
14
Basic Searching
.......................................................................................................................................................... 14
Wildcards ......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Advanced Find
.......................................................................................................................................................... 16

Customize
...................................................................................................................................
View
21
Custom ize View
..........................................................................................................................................................
Enabled List
24

Advanced
...................................................................................................................................
Sort and Filter
26

Tools Menu

30

Work Schedule
...................................................................................................................................
Maintenance
31
View Series
...................................................................................................................................
Info
32
Routing
...................................................................................................................................
Notes Library
33
Delete...................................................................................................................................
Unused Process
34
Consumption
...................................................................................................................................
Workbench
35
Add Parent
...................................................................................................................................
Components as Models
41
Change
...................................................................................................................................
Password
42
Refresh
...................................................................................................................................
Templates
43
Options
................................................................................................................................... 44
General Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 44
Tim e Estim ation
..........................................................................................................................................................
Tab
45
Sequencing Tab
.......................................................................................................................................................... 50
Line Balancing..........................................................................................................................................................
Tab
52
PFEP Tab
.......................................................................................................................................................... 54
Change Order..........................................................................................................................................................
Tab
56
Ergonom ics Tab
.......................................................................................................................................................... 58

Library

59

Editing...................................................................................................................................
the Process
60
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II

Global vs. Local

..........................................................................................................................................................
Properties
62
Check Out and
..........................................................................................................................................................
Check In
63
Routing Editor.......................................................................................................................................................... 67
Routing Search
.........................................................................................................................................................
Control
67
Routing Search
.........................................................................................................................................................
List
68
Routing Header
......................................................................................................................................................... 69
Routing Editor
.........................................................................................................................................................
Tabs
71
Operation List ......................................................................................................................................... 72
Custom Fields ......................................................................................................................................... 73
Time
......................................................................................................................................... 73
Graph
......................................................................................................................................... 73
Documents
......................................................................................................................................... 78
Line Balancing Scenarios
......................................................................................................................................... 78
History
......................................................................................................................................... 79
Routing Editor
.........................................................................................................................................................
Reports
80
Operation Editor
.......................................................................................................................................................... 82
Operation Search
.........................................................................................................................................................
Control
82
Operation Search
.........................................................................................................................................................
List
83
Operation Header
......................................................................................................................................................... 83
Operation Editor
.........................................................................................................................................................
Tabs
84
Activity List
......................................................................................................................................... 85
Custom Fields ......................................................................................................................................... 85
Time
......................................................................................................................................... 86
Documents
......................................................................................................................................... 86
Ergonomics
......................................................................................................................................... 86
Where Used
......................................................................................................................................... 88
History
......................................................................................................................................... 88
Operation Editor
.........................................................................................................................................................
Reports
89
Activity Editor.......................................................................................................................................................... 90
Activity Search
.........................................................................................................................................................
Control
90
Activity Search
.........................................................................................................................................................
List
90
Activity Header
......................................................................................................................................................... 91
Activity Editor
.........................................................................................................................................................
Tabs
92
Properties
......................................................................................................................................... 92
Custom Fields ......................................................................................................................................... 93
Media
......................................................................................................................................... 94
Image Editor
................................................................................................................................... 94
Time
......................................................................................................................................... 94
Ergonomics w ithin
...................................................................................................................................
Time
97
EMMURI
................................................................................................................................... 100
Work Step
......................................................................................................................................... 104
Resource
......................................................................................................................................... 105
Consumption ......................................................................................................................................... 106
Model Option Mapping
......................................................................................................................................... 108
Documents
......................................................................................................................................... 108
Where Used ......................................................................................................................................... 110
History
......................................................................................................................................... 110
Activity Editor
.........................................................................................................................................................
Reports
111

Paint...................................................................................................................................
Codes
114
MUDA
...................................................................................................................................
Analysis
119
Component
...................................................................................................................................
Editor
122
Com ponent ..........................................................................................................................................................
Search Control
122
Com ponent Search
..........................................................................................................................................................
List
123
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III

Assembly Planner
Com ponent Header
.......................................................................................................................................................... 124
Com ponent Editor
..........................................................................................................................................................
Tabs
125
Properties......................................................................................................................................................... 125
Custom Fields
......................................................................................................................................................... 125
BOM
......................................................................................................................................................... 126
Where Used
......................................................................................................................................................... 129
Documents
......................................................................................................................................................... 130
History ......................................................................................................................................................... 130
Revision Controls
..........................................................................................................................................................
and Rules
130
BOM Com parison
.......................................................................................................................................................... 131
Com ponent Editor
..........................................................................................................................................................
Reports
132

Resources
................................................................................................................................... 135
Resource Editor
.......................................................................................................................................................... 136
Resource.........................................................................................................................................................
Search Control
137
Resource.........................................................................................................................................................
Search List
137
Resource.........................................................................................................................................................
Header
138
Resource.........................................................................................................................................................
Editor Tabs
138
Resource Editor
..........................................................................................................................................................
Reports
139

Plant...................................................................................................................................
Editor
140
Models
...................................................................................................................................
and Options
143
Model Editor.......................................................................................................................................................... 143
Option Editor.......................................................................................................................................................... 146
Mapping Models
..........................................................................................................................................................
and Options to Activities
148
Automatic.........................................................................................................................................................
Model Option Mapping
149
Autobuild Model-Option
.........................................................................................................................................
Mapping by Orders
149
Autobuild Model-Option
.........................................................................................................................................
Mapping by BOM
151
Autobuild Model.........................................................................................................................................
Mapping by Parent Component
152
Manual Model
.........................................................................................................................................................
Option Mapping
153
Mapping via the.........................................................................................................................................
Routing
154
Mapping via the.........................................................................................................................................
Activity
156

Engineering
...................................................................................................................................
Change Management
162
ECR Editor .......................................................................................................................................................... 165
Assigning.........................................................................................................................................................
an ECR
166
Deleting an
.........................................................................................................................................................
ECR
166
ECR Status
......................................................................................................................................................... 167
ECO Editor .......................................................................................................................................................... 168
Loading ECOs
.........................................................................................................................................................
from Vault
169
ECO Status
......................................................................................................................................................... 171
Processing
.........................................................................................................................................................
ECO Changes
172
Different Types
.........................................................................................................................................................
of Changes in ECO
172
Add Item
......................................................................................................................................... 172
Time-out Item ......................................................................................................................................... 173
Quantity Change......................................................................................................................................... 173
Revision Change
......................................................................................................................................... 174
Quantity and Revision
.........................................................................................................................................
Changes in same ECO
174
ECO Editor
.........................................................................................................................................................
Reports
176
Administrator
.........................................................................................................................................................
Functions
179
MCO Editor .......................................................................................................................................................... 180
MCO Status
......................................................................................................................................................... 181
MCO Editor
.........................................................................................................................................................
Reports
182

Generating
...................................................................................................................................
Work Instructions
183
Work Instruction
..........................................................................................................................................................
Filter
183
SOP and SOS.......................................................................................................................................................... 185
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SOP/SOS.........................................................................................................................................................
Custom Field Requirements
187
Authoring.........................................................................................................................................................
the SOS
188
SOS Header ......................................................................................................................................... 190
SOS Body
......................................................................................................................................... 191
Authoring.........................................................................................................................................................
the SOP
194
SOP Header ......................................................................................................................................... 195
SOP Body
......................................................................................................................................... 196
SOP Footer
......................................................................................................................................... 197
View ing and
.........................................................................................................................................................
Printing the SOP and SOS
197
Publishing.........................................................................................................................................................
the SOP and SOS
198
SWAS and SWS
.......................................................................................................................................................... 198
SWAS/SWS
.........................................................................................................................................................
Custom Field Requirements
199
Authoring.........................................................................................................................................................
the SWAS
200
SWAS Header ......................................................................................................................................... 201
SWAS Body ......................................................................................................................................... 202
SWAS Footer ......................................................................................................................................... 203
Authoring.........................................................................................................................................................
the SWS
204
SWS Header ......................................................................................................................................... 205
SWS Body
......................................................................................................................................... 206
SWS Footer
......................................................................................................................................... 207
View ing and
.........................................................................................................................................................
Printing the SWAS and SWS
208
Process Work
..........................................................................................................................................................
Instruction Report
208
Process WI
.........................................................................................................................................................
Custom Field Requirements
209
Authoring.........................................................................................................................................................
the Process WI
209
View ing and
.........................................................................................................................................................
Printing the Process WI
210
Standard Shop
..........................................................................................................................................................
Floor View er Form at
211
Custom Field
.........................................................................................................................................................
Requirements
211
Authoring.........................................................................................................................................................
the SFV Work Instruction
212
Publishing.........................................................................................................................................................
to the Standard SFV
214
Job Detail Sheet
.......................................................................................................................................................... 214
Job Detail.........................................................................................................................................................
Sheet Custom Field Requirements
214
Authoring.........................................................................................................................................................
the Job Detail Reports
214
View ing and
.........................................................................................................................................................
Printing the Job Detail Sheets
216
Job Breakdow
..........................................................................................................................................................
n Sheet
218
Job Breakdow
.........................................................................................................................................................
n Sheet Custom Field Requirements
218
Authoring.........................................................................................................................................................
the Printed Job Breakdow n Sheets
219
Authoring.........................................................................................................................................................
the Shop Floor View er Job Breakdow n Sheets
221
View ing and
.........................................................................................................................................................
Printing the Job Breakdow n Sheets
223

Modules

226

Line ...................................................................................................................................
Balancing
227
Steps Before..........................................................................................................................................................
Creating a Scenario
227
Grouping .........................................................................................................................................................
and Inspection
229
Work Zones
......................................................................................................................................................... 230
Cross Station
.........................................................................................................................................................
and Shared Operators
231
Net Take Rate
......................................................................................................................................................... 232
Creating a New
..........................................................................................................................................................
Scenario
237
Scenario .........................................................................................................................................................
Details Window
237
Order Details
.........................................................................................................................................................
Window
238
Routing Details
.........................................................................................................................................................
Window
240
Task Details
.........................................................................................................................................................
Window
241
Station Details
.........................................................................................................................................................
Window
242
Opening Existing
..........................................................................................................................................................
Scenarios
244
Scenario File.......................................................................................................................................................... 244
2013 Proplanner

IV

Assembly Planner
Unassigned
.........................................................................................................................................................
List
245
Line Balance
.........................................................................................................................................................
Graph
247
Line Balance
.........................................................................................................................................................
Task Spreadsheet
249
Task List
......................................................................................................................................... 249
Task Model Data......................................................................................................................................... 251
Resources
......................................................................................................................................... 252
Ergonomics
......................................................................................................................................... 252
Right-click Menu......................................................................................................................................... 253
Toolbar
.......................................................................................................................................................... 254
Edit Menu .......................................................................................................................................................... 258
Reports
.......................................................................................................................................................... 260
Actions
.......................................................................................................................................................... 263
Default Balance
......................................................................................................................................................... 263
Remove Assignments,
.........................................................................................................................................................
Stations, and Operators
268
Apply Scenario
......................................................................................................................................................... 268

Time...................................................................................................................................
Study
269
Study Details.......................................................................................................................................................... 270
Right Click Menus
.......................................................................................................................................................... 270
Tasks Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 272
Observed Tim
..........................................................................................................................................................
e
275
Video Observation
.........................................................................................................................................................
Method
277
Multiple Operators
......................................................................................................................................... 279
Ignoring Time ......................................................................................................................................... 279
Breakpoint Adjustment
......................................................................................................................................... 279
Changing ID of Observation
......................................................................................................................................... 281
Required Observations
.........................................................................................................................................
Calculation
281
Stopw atch
.........................................................................................................................................................
Observation Method
282
Pasting Existing
.........................................................................................................................................................
Time Study Data
282
Manually Entering
.........................................................................................................................................................
Existing Time Study Data
283
Video File.........................................................................................................................................................
Formats
284
Post-Observation
..........................................................................................................................................................
Analysis Tools
285
VA/NVA/SVA
.........................................................................................................................................................
Analysis
285
Compare .........................................................................................................................................................
Tw o Videos
286
Task Image
......................................................................................................................................................... 286
Observed Tim
..........................................................................................................................................................
e Tab Details
286
Calculated Tim
..........................................................................................................................................................
e Tab
290
Calculated.........................................................................................................................................................
VA/NVA/SVA Analysis
294
Calculated.........................................................................................................................................................
Study Video Mode
295
Predetermined
.........................................................................................................................................................
Time Systems
296
MODAPTS
......................................................................................................................................... 300
MOST
......................................................................................................................................... 301
MTM-1
......................................................................................................................................... 305
MTM-UAS
......................................................................................................................................... 306
MTM-B
......................................................................................................................................... 307
Estim ated Tim
..........................................................................................................................................................
e Tab
308
Ergonom ics ..........................................................................................................................................................
Tim e Study
310
Standard .........................................................................................................................................................
vs Empow ered
314
OCRA Ergonomics
......................................................................................................................................................... 315
Reports
.......................................................................................................................................................... 318
Actions
.......................................................................................................................................................... 326

Sequence
...................................................................................................................................
Planner
328
New Study Wizard
.......................................................................................................................................................... 328
Menus in Sequence
..........................................................................................................................................................
Planner
330
File menu......................................................................................................................................................... 330
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Edit Menu......................................................................................................................................................... 331

Looking at a ..........................................................................................................................................................
Study
335
Sequencing Orders
.......................................................................................................................................................... 341
Sequence Planner
..........................................................................................................................................................
Reports
343

Work...................................................................................................................................
Instruction
344
Creating and..........................................................................................................................................................
Editing Work Instructions
344
Preview ing Work
..........................................................................................................................................................
Instructions
348
Approving Work
..........................................................................................................................................................
Instructions
348
Instructions
.........................................................................................................................................................
for Administrator
348
Instructions
.........................................................................................................................................................
for Engineers
349
Instructions
.........................................................................................................................................................
for Approvers
353

Ergonomics
................................................................................................................................... 355
PFMEA
................................................................................................................................... 356
PFMEA Header
.......................................................................................................................................................... 358
PFMEA Editing
..........................................................................................................................................................
View s
358
Tree View......................................................................................................................................................... 359
Sheet View
......................................................................................................................................................... 362
PFMEA Reports
.......................................................................................................................................................... 365

Control
...................................................................................................................................
Plan
366
Control Plan ..........................................................................................................................................................
Reports
369

Cost Estimation
................................................................................................................................... 370

PFEP

371

Work...................................................................................................................................
Schedule Maintenance
373
Containers
................................................................................................................................... 375
Containers Tab
.......................................................................................................................................................... 375
Container Classes
..........................................................................................................................................................
Tab
377
Container Types
..........................................................................................................................................................
Tab
378
Carts Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 379
Cart Types Tab
.......................................................................................................................................................... 380
Groups
.......................................................................................................................................................... 380

Locations
................................................................................................................................... 382
Locations Tab
.......................................................................................................................................................... 382
Racks Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 383
Route
.......................................................................................................................................................... 384

Supply
...................................................................................................................................
Systems
385
Replenishm ent
..........................................................................................................................................................
System s Tab
385
Output Methods
..........................................................................................................................................................
Tab
386

Vendor
...................................................................................................................................
Management
388
Part Plans
................................................................................................................................... 389
Kanban Part Plan
..........................................................................................................................................................
Fields
389
Kitting Part Plan
..........................................................................................................................................................
Fields
393

Kanban
...................................................................................................................................
Reports
395
Kitting
...................................................................................................................................
Report Dashboard
397
PFEP...................................................................................................................................
Mobile Application
399
Log in and Hom
..........................................................................................................................................................
e Screen
399
Kanban Scans
.......................................................................................................................................................... 400
Transit Scans
.......................................................................................................................................................... 402
Hold/Release..........................................................................................................................................................
Scans
405
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VII

Assembly Planner
Superm arket..........................................................................................................................................................
Picklist
406

Data Management

410

Import
...................................................................................................................................
Data
411
Im port
Im port
Im port
Im port
Im port
Im port
Im port
Im port

Item .......................................................................................................................................................... 413

BOM .......................................................................................................................................................... 414
Resource
.......................................................................................................................................................... 417
Consum
..........................................................................................................................................................
ption
418
ProcessResource
.......................................................................................................................................................... 419
Process
.......................................................................................................................................................... 421
ProcessStructure
.......................................................................................................................................................... 422
Worksteps
.......................................................................................................................................................... 423

Export
...................................................................................................................................
Data
424
List Management
................................................................................................................................... 426
Order...................................................................................................................................
Data Management
428
Order List Managem
..........................................................................................................................................................
ent
428
Build List Managem
..........................................................................................................................................................
ent
430
File Form at for
..........................................................................................................................................................
Order Im ports
431

Publishing
................................................................................................................................... 432
Process Publishing
.......................................................................................................................................................... 432
MAPICS Publishing
.......................................................................................................................................................... 433
Scenario Publishing
.......................................................................................................................................................... 434
Thin Client Adm
..........................................................................................................................................................
inistration
435
PFEP Publishing
.......................................................................................................................................................... 435
Sequence Study
..........................................................................................................................................................
Publishing
437
Change Request
..........................................................................................................................................................
Managem ent
437

Mass...................................................................................................................................
Update
438
Header Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 439
Selection Tab
.......................................................................................................................................................... 440
Change Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 445
Results Tab .......................................................................................................................................................... 449
Fields in Header
..........................................................................................................................................................
Inform ation Updates
449
Fields Available
..........................................................................................................................................................
in Search Tool
451

Advanced
...................................................................................................................................
Tools
454
Consum ption
..........................................................................................................................................................
Tools Tab
454
Item Tools Tab
.......................................................................................................................................................... 455
CWS Mass Update
..........................................................................................................................................................
Tab
456

Admin Tools

457

Users................................................................................................................................... 458
Roles................................................................................................................................... 461
Custom
...................................................................................................................................
Fields Manager
464
Template
...................................................................................................................................
Manager
468
Adding/Editing
..........................................................................................................................................................
Tim e Standard Codes
468
Loading Tim e
..........................................................................................................................................................
Standard Tem plates
471

Auto ...................................................................................................................................
Numbering
473

Shop Floor Viewer

474

Template
...................................................................................................................................
Features
477
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Contents

VIII

Build...................................................................................................................................
List
481
All Options
................................................................................................................................... 482
Program
...................................................................................................................................
Sign On
483
Change
...................................................................................................................................
Request
484
Orders
................................................................................................................................... 485
Part Query
................................................................................................................................... 486
Kitting
...................................................................................................................................
Dashboard
487
Reports
................................................................................................................................... 488
Administration
................................................................................................................................... 490
Document
...................................................................................................................................
Viewer
492

Standard Fields

493

Quick Start Tutorials

499

Add a...................................................................................................................................
Plant
500
Add a...................................................................................................................................
User (Admin Tools)
502
Import
...................................................................................................................................
Templates (Admin Tools)
504
Create
...................................................................................................................................
Custom Fields (Admin Tools)
507
Create
...................................................................................................................................
Lists for Custom Fields
510
Associate
...................................................................................................................................
Lists with Custom Fields (Admin Tools)
512
Import
...................................................................................................................................
a Bill of Materials
515
Import
...................................................................................................................................
Items
517
Add an
...................................................................................................................................
Assembly
519
Add an
...................................................................................................................................
Item
520
Add a...................................................................................................................................
Routing
523
Add Operations
...................................................................................................................................
to a Routing
525
Add Activities
...................................................................................................................................
to Operations
527
Create
...................................................................................................................................
the Precedence Graph
529
Import
...................................................................................................................................
Resources
533
Associate
...................................................................................................................................
Resources with Workstations
534
Associate
...................................................................................................................................
Resources with Activities
536
Consumption
...................................................................................................................................
(Associate Components with Activities)
539
Create
...................................................................................................................................
a Line Balance Scenario
541
Perform
...................................................................................................................................
an Automatic Line Balance
547
Create
...................................................................................................................................
a Sequence Planner Study
551

Advanced Tutorials

554

Line ...................................................................................................................................
Balance
555

Glossary

575

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VIII

IX

Assembly Planner

2013 Proplanner

Introduction

Introduction
Overview of Assembly Planner
Assembly Planner is a powerful tool that helps keep your process plan up-to-date. Since you can relate
process steps to parts, resources, and plant locations, you can do many process engineering tasks within one
system. After you have set up the database using Assembly Planner's Library 59 , the Modules 226 in Assembly
Planner make time studies, line balancing, work instructions, ergonomic analysis, and PFMEAs easier and
less time consuming.
The goal of Assembly Planner is to make life easier for people working in production facilities, especially those
responsible for planning production processes and performing time studies, doing line balancing, creating work
instructions, performing ergonomics assessments, and PFMEAs. Performing these tasks in Assembly Planner
is simple after you understand the basics of how the program works, and do the legwork of entering in initial
data.
In a GlobalSpec Event video, Dave Sly, President of Proplanner, gives an Overview of Assembly Planner
(depending on your internet connection speed the video may take a few minutes to download, or visit http://
www.proplanner.com/index.cfm?nodeID=25056 and select the Overview Video).

Assembly Planner's Structure

The basic structure of Assembly Planner is simple. First, process information is entered into a database. Then
you are able to use the modules to speed up tasks like line balancing, work instruction authoring, evaluation of
failure modes (PFMEAs) and assessing ergonomics.

There are three process levels in Assembly Planner: routing, operation, and activity. The routing is the high-level
process, and is usually mapped to the final assembly or a top level parent. The operations make up the
intermediate level, grouping or categorizing work by operators or work at a station. The main purpose of
operations is to maintain a level that sums up work by operator or station, which is required for interfacing with
several MRP systems. The activities focus on individual task-level steps, defined as the smallest amount of
moveable work. Activities are a key feature in Assembly Planner. Information such as the time the activity
takes, the safety equipment required, and the tools required can be associated to an activity. If the activity is
used in more than one instance in the manufacturing process, the activity only needs to be updated once and
the update will automatically be populated to all corresponding associations in Assembly Planner. This allows
manufactures to move from a local optimum engineering approach to holistic engineering where manufacturing
2013 Proplanner

process information is updated and shared across the entire organization.

The holistic engineering approach made possible by Assembly Planner allows users to obtain immediate
benefits. These benefits correlate to a direct dollar savings. This dollar savings propagates from results which
range from a reduction in re-creating lost data to a reduction in time to introduce new model or volume mix
changes. Further benefits are shown in the Overview of Assembly Planner video.

2013 Proplanner

Support

Support
For technical support:
Submit a request at proplanner.kayako.com 432
Contact Proplanner via phone at 515-296-3236

2013 Proplanner

System Requirements
Server (Database and Application can reside on the same server, or on different servers)
Software Requirements:
Windows Server 2008 Standard (or) Higher (if multi-client deployment)
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard edition or Microsoft SQL Express 2008 R2
IIS 7.0 or higher
.NET Framework 4.0 Full version on the server.
Integration Services
Reporting Services
Hardware Requirements:
Intel Dual Core Processor or higher.
8GB of RAM (minimum). 16 GB (recommended) - For future expansion, reporting, etc.
20 to 30GB of Disk Space per site (assuming each site will use a lot of pictures & videos).
Client Machine
.NET framework 3.5 SP1 (will be upgrading to 4.0 in the future).
Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher
Shop Floor Viewer
Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher

2013 Proplanner

Special Characters to Avoid

Special Characters to Avoid

Assembly Planner's data is housed within a SQL Server database, which reserves special characters for certain
functions. When creating IDs in Assembly Planner, you should avoid the following characters:
,
=

(
)
[
]
%
!

(Comma)
(Equal to sign)
(single quotation mark)
(double quotation mark)
(Opening parenthesis)
(Closing parenthesis)
(Opening square bracket)
(Closing square bracket)
(percent character)
(Exclamation character)

2013 Proplanner

Navigation in Assembly Planner

Assembly Planner has been designed to be user-friendly, and knowing a few things about the user interface will
help the user learn how to use it quickly.

2013 Proplanner

Navigation in Assembly Planner

5.1

Top Menu Bar

The menu bar at the top of Assembly Planner will always appear.

Assem bly Planner Menu Bar

Although some of the options will change within each top menu depending on which Editor or Module you are
using, below is a general explanation of what each top menu will contain.

File
The File Menu contains basic program commands that allow the user to open and close files, save, export,
print, and exit the program.

Edit
The Edit Menu contains functions that allow the user to edit and manipulate data. The Line Balancing and
Sequence Planner modules, for example, contain additional functions that allow users to edit scenario or study
details.

Tools
The Tools menu contains tools that can be used to apply settings to the entire application. For example, the
password can be changed, preferences can be set, or the production work schedule can be updated from the
tools menu. More information about each tool can be found in the Tools Menu 30 section of this manual.

Reports
Assembly Planner comes with many reports that summarize data or results. Depending on what editor or
module you have selected, the Reports menu will change. Please see individual editor and module sections in
this manual for details on corresponding reports.
Note: Not all reports may appear in or be pertinent to your version of Assembly Planner.

Actions

2013 Proplanner

The Actions menu contains a list of actions users can take using the data within the module or editor they are
working on. An example of an action is to run a default balance in Line Balancing or apply results from a study
performed in Sequence Planner to the existing data.

Help
The Help Menu contains the Contents, from which the user accesses this help manual, and the About page,
which has license information about Assembly Planner.

Back
The back button can be used to return to a previous selection in Assembly Planner if you use the internal links
in the data to navigate from one entity or module to another. If you open a routing, then double click on an
operation in the Operation List to open it, then click the Back button, you will be taken back to the routing you
originally had open. Similarly, if you open a component, and double click on a child item in its BOM tab, a
parent item or process in its Where Used tab, you can use the Back button to return.
However, if you use the left navigation pane buttons to switch from editor to editor or module to module, (from a
routing to an operation), for example, the back button will not take you back to the original module.

Forward
The forward button can be used to return to a previous selection in Assembly Planner if you use the internal
links in the data to navigate from one entity or module to another. If you open a routing, then double click on an
operation in the Operation List to open it, then click the Back button, you will be taken back to the routing you
originally had open. At that point, you can click on the Forward button to go back to the Operation.
However, if you use the left navigation pane buttons to switch from editor to editor or module to module, (from a
routing to an operation), for example, the forward button will not take you back to a previous module.

Save
The blue disc icon can be used to save changes in the data.

Cut
The Cut icon is not currently enabled.

Copy
The Copy icon is not currently enabled.

Paste
The Paste icon is not currently enabled.

Toggle Sidebar
The white square icon can be used to hide or show the left navigation pane

Help
The blue question mark icon can be used to open the User Help manual.

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5.2

Navigation Pane

Navigation throughout Assembly Planner is driven by the use of the Navigation Pane at the left edge of the
screen. It contains five important menus: Library, Modules, PFEP, Data Mgmt, and Admin Tools. When a menu
is expanded (by clicking on the menu button), the icons in the menu each represent an editor that is opened
with a single click. The figure below shows all five menus, with the Library menu expanded to show the editors it
contains.
Note that the Admin Tools menu is only visib le to administrators.

The left Navigation Pane can be hidden with a click of a button. To remove it from the view, click the "Toggles
Sidebar" button in the top icon menu.

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5.3

Typical User Interface

One basic user interface is common throughout the library, even though each portion has slight differences.
There is a search control and search list, a header containing summary information, and a worksheet-like area
with several tabs. Below is a screenshot of the Routing Editor with the areas labeled.

Routing Editor User Interface w ith Search Control, Header, and Worksheet Areas labeled

Auto Hide for Lists

Notice that at the top of the search control there is a button that looks like a push pin . This is the Auto Hide
function, which appears in many of Assembly Planner's editors and modules. Auto Hide gives the option to
display or hide certain lists.
When the Auto Hide button's push pin is vertical, it means the information is 'pinned down' to the screen and will
be displayed. Clicking on the button releases that area of the screen to automatically hide when it is not in use
(i.e., when the mouse is not hovering over it).

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When Auto Hide is on, a horizontal push pin is displayed

and that portion of the screen will hide in a tab
near the navigation pane. Click on the tab to display the information again.

The Routing List is 'Hidden' in the tab.

Hiding the Header

Many other features, especially headers, can be hidden as well. Click on the hide button
The entire header area will be collapsed into the title bar. Click on the expand button
again.

Hide the Header inform ation using the Hide Button

The Header w ill collapse

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to display the data

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Split Screen Worksheets

Assembly Planner has a split screen feature that allows multiple areas of a worksheet to be viewed at one
time.
When the mouse is hovered at the far left side of the horizontal scroll bar, the icon will change to a black bar
with horizontal cross-arrows (
). Clicking and holding the left mouse button will cause a dark vertical line to
appear on the worksheet. If the mouse is dragged to the right, a split screen will be created when the mouse
button is released.

Selecting the split screen feature by clicking and dragging the area to the far left side of the horizontal scroll bar

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13

When the mouse button is released, the screen will be split. Each portion of the screen has its own horizontal
scroll bar. This helps if a particular field needs to be displayed while work is done in columns far to the right of
the worksheet.

Split Screen Routing w orksheet

To remove the split screen, simply grab the split bar and drag it all the way to the left of the screen. It will
disappear and you will again only see one spreadsheet.

Rem oving the split screen by clicking and dragging the split screen bar to the far left of the w orksheet

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5.4

Searching In Assembly Planner

In order to find the Components, Resources, Routings, Operations, and Activities that are created in Assembly
Planner, a database search tool is used. The search tool is meant to be very simple and easy to use, but
remember; when using large databases, searching can take some time.

5.4.1

Basic Searching

Searching for Components and Resources is very simple in Assembly Planner.

Once the Component

or Resource
editor is selected, the search tool automatically
appears. By entering the part number and clicking on the quick find button (or hitting enter), a quick search is
completed. In addition to entering the part number, there are a number of Wildcards 15 to help broaden the
search if the exact part number is not known.

There are also advanced search options. The first of these is the modified items search. In Assembly Planner
terminology an item and a component are synonymous. The 'my modified items' function allows the user to
search only for items that they have modified in the past. To do this, the search criteria must be entered, then
the arrow to the right of the search buttons must be clicked
be selected.

and then the 'my modified items' option can

Selecting this will show a dynamic list of parts. If you were the last one to check out and edit an item, it will
show up in this list. As soon as someone else checks out the item, it will no longer appear in your list.

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In the case of the Routing

, Operations
, and Activities
editors; the modified
items option is not present. However, there is an extra option to choose a specific routing (required for operation
searches) or operation to search from if in the Operation or Activity editors. Also, a Plant must be selected or a
search will not run.
The advanced find button allows for more specific searches and is explained in the Advanced Find
5.4.1.1

16

section.

Wildcards

In order to create broader searches, the wildcard characters are used. The following table describes the
wildcards that can be used in the quick search field.

Basic Wildcards
symbo meaning
l
% any
character
_ any one
character
[] ranges
^

not

effect

exampl
search returns
e
used to search for any combination
% all strings
of numbers or letters
used as a blank space to fill one
5_3 any string starting with 5 and ending
number or letter
with 3 with one character between
returns any letters or numbers
[1-9] or all strings with first character of 1-9 or all
within a range
[abz] strings beginning with a, b, or z
returns anything not containing
c[^135] all strings starting with c without 1,3, or
following numbers or letters
5 as the second character

While the [] and ^ are possible, they are not used often as they are more difficult to use accurately. The most
common uses of the wildcards are described in the table below.

Common Searches
symbo
returns
l
% all strings
1% or all strings beginning with 1 or 123
123%
%1 or all strings ending with 1 or 123
%123
1%3 all strings starting with 1 and ending with
3 separated by unlimited characters
123_ all strings beginning with 123 followed by
only one more character
_123 all strings ending with 123 preceded by
only one character
1_3 all strings starting with 1 and ending with
3 separated by 1 character
Wildcards are a useful tool, using the Advanced Find
complicated.

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common use
used in smaller databases to search all
used mainly to search for 'families' of parts, allows as
many characters before the specified 'family'
used mainly to search for 'families' of parts, allows as
many characters after the specified 'family'
searches a broad range of parts with specific 'family'
and variation
used to find specific parts, possibly with different
variations
used to find specific parts without knowledge of
family
used for specific searches
16

tool is often a good idea if the search is more

16

5.4.2

Advanced Find

Advanced Find 1
The advanced find control described in this section pertains to searches for Components 122 and Resources 135 .
The advanced find control for Routings, Operations and Activities is described below in the Advanced Find 2
section. The advanced find control for Components and Resources gives you more options to specify which
criteria to search than is available in the standard search. You are also allowed to search multiple criteria at
once.

Advanced Find Button location in Assem bly Planner User Interface

Clicking on the Advanced Find icon

will bring up a new search window:

Advanced Find Search Window referenced from

Com ponent or Resource Libraries

The Property drop-down allows the user to choose to which properties in the database the control will search
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17

through. Things like ID numbers, Descriptions, or any custom fields set for the entity are available.
The Condition drop-down allows the user to select how Assembly Planner compares a given resource's property
with the user-entered value. Possible conditions are equal to (=), LIKE, NOT LIKE, less than (<), less than or
equal to (<=), greater than (>), and greater than or equal to (>=).
After the property, condition, and value are entered, they are made a part of the search when the user clicks
"Add". The advanced search allows users to search using multiple criteria. An advanced find with resources is
used as an example: first the criteria Description LIKE 'Fix' were added, and then Revision > A was also added.
Clicking "Ok" performs the search. The results will appear behind this window, in the normal search control.

Advanced Find Search Window Exam ple

Note: If searching for a text value, it is best to use the LIKE condition, instead of the = condition.
Note: Click ing the Clear button will clear all criteria listed - you cannot clear one search criteria at a time.

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Advanced Find 2
The Advanced Find tool for Routings 67 , Operations 82 , and Activities 90 is slightly different than the Advanced
Find used in other parts of the library. This Advanced Find is similar to the search tool provided with Mass
Update 440 .
Clicking on the Advanced Find icon
will bring up a new search window. This window has a customized
search table in it; the criteria in the window below were added by the user. When opening the Advanced Find
control in the Activity Library, you will also see the option to enter a Routing, Plant, and Operation in which to
search.

Routing Advanced Find Search Control w ith ID and Description criteria added

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The first time the Advanced Find is used, the search Criteria will be blank.

Activity Advanced Find Search Form

Right-click in the criteria window and select Customize Criteria, or go to Tools>Customize Criteria.
Highlight a field from the list on the left and click "Add" to move it to the Selected Fields list on the right. To
remove a field from the criteria, select it on the right and click "Remove." Notice that when the field is added to
the Selected Fields, it turns grey in the Available Fields window. If a field is removed from the Selected Fields
window, it turns black again in the Available Fields window. When you click OK, you will be returned to the
original window to enter specific values.

Advanced Search Avaliable and Selected Fields Custom ize Criteria Window

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To actually perform a search, enter values in as many or as few of the search criteria cells as you wish only
those with entries will be utilized when searching through the database. The percent sign (%) is a Wildcard 15
character which can be used in text-based fields.

Populating the Advanced Find Control w ith Values

Notice that for fields with specific options for values (drop-downs, checkboxes, etc) they are automatically
populated into the table to avoid errors.
If parameters are entered only in global activity property fields (e.g. Description, Activity ID), only global activity
entries will be returned.
If parameters are entered only in local activity property fields (e.g. Op Seq No) or a combination of Global and
Local Activity Property Fields 62 , only local entries will be returned.
Clicking the "Search" button will execute the search. The processes meeting the specified criteria will be
displayed in the Search List behind this window.
If there are searches you commonly perform, you can Save the set of criteria and values. The ID you define for
the search will then be added to the Template drop-down menu so that you can come back to it at any time.

Tem plate dropdow n displaying "Routing Search by Plant" Advanced Search tem plate
defined by user

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5.5

21

Customize View

You can modify the set-up of the columns in the sheet view of most of the modules and tabs. A complete list of
where this applies can be found in Customize View Enabled List 24 . To get to the Customize View control,
right-click in the sheet that is going to be modified and select 'Customize View.'

Right Click Select

You may choose which fields are displayed or hidden, as well as rearrange the order of the fields. On the left
are the fields that have been removed from the sheet, while on the right there are the fields that are present in
the sheet.
Shown below, the DrawingNumber field has been selected and the Add button will be clicked.

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Custom ize View Interface

The DrawingNumber field is now present in the bottom of the right side.

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Field Added

Next, using the

arrow the DrawingNumber field can be moved to and location in the sheet. The top of the
list in this view corresponds to the spot furthest to the left in the sheet, with each spot down coming further to
the right. It has been moved to the second position.

Moving a Field

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You can also create views that are commonly used. These store what should be hidden or visible so the view
does not have to be customized more than needed. Simply click the Add button below the Current View drop
down.

Adding a View

In the following screen, name your view and hit OK. It should now appear in the Current View drop-down.

Click "OK" to Add

With this view active, meaning it is the name in the Current View dropdown, all changes to the view will be
saved when OK is clicked at the bottom. Next time the view is needed, setting it to the Current View will change
the hidden/visible fields to the last time the current view was saved.

5.5.1

Customize View Enabled List

List of controls that use this Customize View Control.

BOM Control
Import Module (All Sheets)
Activity List
Operation List Control
BOM Mass Editor
Activity Model/Option Mapping (Models and Options)
Activity Consumption Mapping
ECO BOM/Item Control
Models Module (Model and Rule sheets)
Item Properties Form (BOM and Item Modules)
Order Management Module
Custom Field Control
Standard MURI Operation Level Ergonomics
Item Balance Control
Activity Resource Control
Options Module (all sheets)
Station List Control
Work Schedule Form (all tabs)
Container Module (all tabs)
Locations Module (all tabs)
Methods Module (all tabs)
Part Plans Module
Suppliers Module (all tabs)
Time Estimation Module Calculated Time Task Sheet
Time Estimation Module Estimated Time
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Time Estimation Module Task Summary (all sheets)

EM MURI Operation Level Ergonomics
ECO Header Control
Time Estimation Module Observed Time (all sheets)
Activity Observed Time (all sheets)

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5.6

Advanced Sort and Filter

Most spreadsheet views within Assembly Planner offer a basic sort and filter feature for each column in the
spreadsheet. You can choose to sort and display rows in the spreadsheet in ascending or descending order
based on the column you are sorting. Do this by clicking on the up and down arrows in the column header. You
can also filter row data by clicking on the funnel icon in any column header and selecting an entry to view all
occurrences of that entry.
Note that you can switch back and forth between editors and your filtering should remain on those spreadsheets
that you filtered. However, if you refresh or reopen a process, the filtering will be cleared and you will see all
entries.

In addition, the Routing Editor, Operation Editor, and Activity Consumption tab have advanced sort and filter
features. The Line Balancing task list also has the advanced filter capability. To access these features, rightclick anywhere on the spreadsheet and select the desired menu option (Advanced Sort, Clear Sorting,
Advanced Filter, or Clear Filters).

Note: You can use the basic and advanced features at the same time. For example, if you set a basic sort on a
column, when you open the Advanced Sort window, you will see the basic sort item already in the list.

Worksheet Displaying Right Click Menu w ith Advanced Sort and Filter
Options

To use the Advanced Sort, right-click and select Advanced Sort, then select a field name in the Sort By Dropdown. The field names are displayed in the same order in which they appear in your spreadsheet. Then select a
Direction - either Ascending or Descending. Click on 'Add.' You can add or remove as many Sorting criteria as
you wish.
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If you select the 'Persist Sorting' checkbox, your sorting criteria will still apply when you switch to other
spreadsheets. (If you are setting sorting options in the Routing Editor, you can switch back and forth between
routings and your settings will remain. If you are setting sorting options in the Consumption tab, you can switch
between activities and your consumption sorting settings will remain.) Note: These settings are session-based,
so when you close and re-open the application, they will be cleared.

To clear your sorting, you can either open the Advanced Sort control and click the "Remove All" button, or you
can right-click on the spreadsheet and select Clear Sorting. All entries in the spreadsheet will now reappear.

Advanced Sort Menu Displaying Selected "Sort By:" Criteria for the Routing w orksheet

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To use the Advanced Filter, right-click and select Advanced Filter, then select the column name you wish to
filter. The list of column names shows the order in which your columns appear in the spreadsheet (and whether
they are visible or hidden). If you would like to filter by a hidden column, you must first exit out of the Advanced
Filter window and edit your Customize View 21 settings.

Advanced Filter Window

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Once you have selected the column name, you can add a filter for that column. Select the appropriate criterion
from the filter drop-down menu and click Add. The following images show the menu you will see for each field
type. If you are adding multiple filters for the same column, make sure to use the OR and AND radio buttons to
indicate the relationship between filters. As with Persist Sorting, the Persist Filters checkbox indicates whether
you want your filters to remain even as you switch back and forth between spreadsheets. Note: These settings
are session-based, so when you close and re-open the application, they will be cleared.

Advanced Filter - Alphanum eric Field

Advanced Filter - Num eric Field

Advanced Filter - Checkbox Field

Advanced Filter - Date/Tim e Field

To clear the filtering, you can use the clear or remove buttons in the Advanced Filter window, or you can rightclick on the spreadsheet and select Clear Filters.

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Tools Menu
The Tools menu in Assembly Planner gives the user options like Work Schedule Maintenance, View Series
Info, Delete Unused Process, Consumption Workbench, Change Password, Setting up Preferences(Options),
etc. The following sections detail each.

Tools Menu in Assem bly Planner

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Tools Menu

6.1

31

Work Schedule Maintenance

The work schedule for a plant can be updated with the Work Schedule Maintenance tool. To begin updates,
select the Plant ID and Work Schedule Type that needs to be updated from the drop-down menus. If only
interested in one date, make sure the box next to Single Date is checked and select the date. If interested in a
range of dates, make sure the Single Date box is unchecked and select the beginning and end dates. Then
click Search to display the current schedule. Changes can then be made and saved to the shift schedule or
break schedule. This tab is used to more closely manage the Default Work Schedule that is created in the
PFEP 54 tab under Options.

Work Schedule Maintenance Editor

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6.2

View Series Info

As items, processes, resources, etc. are changed within a manufacturing environment, the timing and transition
of these entities is crucial. Within Assembly Planner, there are two ways to manage this timing: Effective From
and Effective To Dates or Series. Before implementation of the Assembly Planner system, your Proplanner
representative will discuss with you whether using effective from and to dates or series fits your business
processes best.
If you use Effective From and Effective To Dates, you will not use this View Series Info tool. If you do use
Series, which is a concept of the product series tied to a certain start date, your Proplanner Representative
will need to assist you in setting up these series details. Once they are established, any user can go to
Tools>View Series Info to get a read-only report that displays which series are tied to certain dates.

Read-only report displaing dates associated w ith

SeriesIDs

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Tools Menu

6.3

Routing Notes Library

Enter topic text here.

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34

6.4

Delete Unused Process

This tool allows you to delete activities or operations that are not being used or referenced in Assembly Planner.
Within the tool, the user can choose to delete unused operations, unused activities, or both.

Delete Unused Processes Interface

Note: Only administrators can use this function. Administrators may also delete routings, but must do so
manually through the routing's right-click menu.

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6.5

35

Consumption Workbench

Consumption Workbench is a tool for users to compare the MBOM and process consumption, and change the
process consumption accordingly. Go to Tools >>> Consumption Workbench to launch the tool.
Note: The users should NOT be editing the effective dates in the consumption sheet outside of a BOM
change. This will affect the comparison with the consumption. The dates in the consumption sheet
should be the same as that in the MBOM.
Step 1: In the Input Selections tab, select the routings and assemblies you want compare. When selecting
the routings, you may also specify the operations you want to consider in the comparison. The routings or
operations need to be checked out before running the consumption workbench.

Step 1: Input Selections Tab displaying exam ple of selected routing and assem by

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Step 2: Go to the Input Filter tab, configure the preference setting for MBOM & Consumption comparison.
Show All: Consider all the records in comparison
Filter by As of Date: Consider currently active and future records in comparison
MBOM Changes: Compare EBOM and MBOM
Consumption: Compare MBOM and process consumption
Full BOM: Consider the whole BOM structure in comparison
Single Level: Consider only the direct children of the parent in comparison
Filter Consumption By BOM Parents: Parent-Child combination will be considered in comparison
Ignore Parent Items: Items will be considered in comparison with or without a parent
Ignore Revision: Revision difference will be ignored in comparison
Change Type: Specify what type of change the user wants to consider in comparison

Step 2: Input Filter Tab allow ing user to edit the preference setting for MBOM & Consum ption com parison

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37

Step 3: After setting the values in the Input Filter, click OK. The screen that comes up next has three sections
The first section (on the left) contains folders for parts being Added, Deleted, and Changed (Quantity, Effective
Date, or OpSeqNo)
The second section (top-right) contains the processes: Routing, Operations, and Activities
the third section (bottom-right) contains the consumption sheet for the selected activity

Steps 3-5: Consum ption Workbench allow ing com parison betw een process and consum ption

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Step 4: The folders need to be handled in the same order as they appear in the screen, i.e., first handle the Add
folder, then the Delete folder, and finally the Change folder.

Add: The selection criteria is Parent ID Child ID Child Revision combination, i.e., if there is a part under the
parent of the revision that is not being consumed under any activity under the routing, it will show up under this
folder. Specifically,
(1) Find the activity under the routing where the part needs to be consumed. If the user wants to add a new
activity to consume this part, close the workbench, add the activity under the routing, and then restart the
workbench.
(2) Click on the activity and the consumption of this activity will be shown below the process sheet in the
consumption sheet.
(3) Drag the part from the Add folder and drop it in the consumption sheet.
(4) A part can be consumed in its entire BOM quantity under one activity or across multiple activities. Please
note that the quantities must match up.
(5) Once the Add change is done, click the Update Change List icon on the top, this will refresh the list of
parts under the Add folder.
(6) Users need to handle all the parts under Add folder before they go to the Delete folder

Delete: The selection criteria is Parent ID Child ID Child Revision, i.e., if there is a consumption record for a
part under this parent, but this part no longer exists in the MBOM, it will show up under this Delete folder.
(1) Right-click on each deleted part and click on the Show Parent Processes option.
(2) The routing tree at the top will now show the activities that are consuming this part. Click on the activity and
the consumption sheet for the activity will be shown at the bottom.
(3) The user now needs to delete the row of this part from the consumption sheet. Once the deletion is
handled, click the Update Change List icon to refresh the Delete folder.

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39

Change: The selection criteria is Parent ID Child ID Child Revision From Date To Date Quantity
OpSeqNo, i.e., for a MBOM record, if there is no record matching it in the consumption, it will show up under
this folder. Under this folder, users should look at
A. Qty, Effective From, Effective To, OpSeqNo as well as
B. Prev. Qty, Prev. Effective From, Prev. Effective To, Prev. OpSeqNo
Any data in A (B) is being picked up from the MBOM (consumption). Following are all the cases:
(1) Quantity Change in MBOM if, under this folder, you see a pair of records (the same Parent Child
Revision combination from MBOM consumption, respectively) with the same OpSeqNo & Prev. (Previous)
OpSeqNo, but different Qty & Prev. Qty. The Effective From/To and Prev. Effective From/To may or may not
be different. To handle the quantity change,
A. Right-click the record and click on Show Parent Processes option, all the activities consuming this
part will be shown under the routing tree.
B. For each activity shown in the routing tree, delete this part from the consumption.
C. Drag the MBOM record of this part (with the new Qty) from the Change folder, and drop it under the
consumption of an activity or multiple activities. Then change the quantity in consumption (if user drops
the MBOM record to multiple activities) accordingly to make sure they match the quantity in the
MBOM. For example, if a user drags a MBOM record with quantity 2 and drops it to two activities, the
user also needs to change the quantity in the consumption of both activities from 2 to 1.
D. Click the Update Change List to refresh the Change folder.
(2) Data Change in the MBOM if, under this folder, you see a pair of records (the same Parent Child
Revision combination from MBOM and consumption, respectively) with the same data except dates. To
handle the change,
A. Right-click the record with Prev. date (i.e., the record from consumption), all the activities consuming
this part will be shown under the routing tree.
B. Right-click and delete this record from the activity consumption, then drag the corresponding MBOM
record from the Change folder and drop it in consumption.

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C. Click the Update Change List to refresh the Change folder.
(3) OpSeqNo Change in the MBOM if, under this folder, you see a pair of records (the same Parent Child
Revision combination from MBOM and consumption, respectively) with different OpSeqNo and Prev.
OpSeqNo. The other data may or may not be different. To handle the OpSeqNo change,
A. Right-click the record with Prev. OpSeqNo (i.e. the record from consumption), all the activities
consuming this part will be shown under the routing tree.
B. Delete this record from consumption of all these activities.
C. Drag the MBOM record (with the new OpSeqNo) from the Change folder and drop it in the consumption
of one or multiple activities. Change the quantity if necessary to make sure the consumption quantity
matches the MBOM quantity.
D. Click the Update Change List to refresh the Change folder.

Step 5: If all three folders are empty, the process consumption matches the MBOM.

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6.6

41

Add Parent Components as Models

This feature can add many models to the Model Editor at once. If items and BOMs have been added to the
Component Editor, the users can identify which item IDs represent and match product model IDs, and add
these IDs to the Model Editor 143 automatically, instead of one by one. To do this:
1. Add/import items and/or BOMs to Assembly Planner.
2. Search for, open, and check out an Item whose ID matches a Model ID (typically used in product order files).
3. Open the Custom Fields tab of the Item and check the box in the 'Is Parent Component' field.
4. Save your changes and check in the Item.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for all parent items that represent models.
6. Go to the Tools menu and select Add Parent Components as Models.
7. Go to the Model Editor to verify that all Model IDs have been added properly.

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6.7

Change Password

Each user can change his or her password by going to the Tools Menu and clicking Change Password. The
user will be prompted to enter the current password, then enter and re-enter the new password. Clicking OK will
make the change; the user will be prompted to restart the application so the change can take effect.

Change Passw ord User Interface

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6.8

43

Refresh Templates

Administrators are allowed to load new report templates for all users to access. However, if an administrator
uploads a new template, users will not automatically see or have access to those new templates. The Refresh
Templates tool allows non-administrator users to update their local template cache for any new template added
to the system. Since users do not always know when new templates are added, they should get in the habit of
going to Tools>Refresh Templates each day they open the application.

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6.9

Options

Preferences set in the Options menu affect various features and calculations in the database.
Note that the application must be restarted for the changes made in any of the Options tabs to tak e effect.

6.9.1

General Tab

Your default preferences for Work Instruction 344 images can be set in the General tab.

Options Menu displaying General Tab used to set w ork instruction im age
preferences

Work Instruction Image Style

Export Delimiter sets the delimiter that will be used when exporting documents to other programs.
Precedence Graph identifies default fields that labels will be pulled from when creating a precedence graph.
Image Size deals with the automatic size at which work instruction pictures are inserted to a work instruction
template. Modifications can be made to the width and height, and the size unit can be changed.
Border Width allows the size of the border around the picture to be changed.
Vertical Spacing changes the vertical spacing between different pictures.
Horizontal Spacing changes the horizontal spacing between different pictures.

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DPI allows the default resolution of the picture in the work instruction to be changed.
Image Extraction Cell Ranges creates default ranges of cells in an excel sheet that an image can be pulled
from (as a screenshot). Must be listed as start cell (top left corner of image), end cell (bottom right corner of
image). These defaults are used when extracting an image for the Documents 108 tab of an Activity, Operation,
or Routing.
Quantity Precision sets the number of decimal places that will be shown and used by the interfaces and
calculations throughout the program.

6.9.2

Time Estimation Tab

Your default preferences for Time Estimation 269 can be set in this window. Time studies are most affected by
the preferences set here. The Time Standard Rank, however, also affects the Line Balance module and any
report that rolls up times.

Options Menu displaying Tim e Estim ation Tab used to set preferences for the
Tim e Estim ation Module

Time Std Rank: The time standard rank sets the precedence for which order various types of task times are
used (for generating Reports, for example). You are allowed to associate three different types of times to
tasks: observed times, calculated times, and estimated times. Some tasks may have all three of these
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recorded while other tasks only have one time. The time standard rank lets you specify your preferences.
If you were to choose Calculated-Estimated-Observed as your ranking, Assembly Planner would look first for a
calculated time for a task. If there is a calculated time associated, that is the time that will be used. If there is
not a calculated time, Assembly Planner moves to the second standard on the list and looks for an Estimated
time. Assembly Planner works in this way for any ranking. It looks first for your first choice ranking, and if that
is not available, it moves to the second choice, and finally to the third. This happens on a task-by-task basis,
so if Assembly Planner is rolling up (adding up) several tasks to find an operation time, it is possible that
some calculated times will be added to some estimated times and some observed times, depending on how
the individual tasks have times associated.
Est Time Allowance: The estimated time allowance is a percent allowance added to all estimated times
entered by the user. If the allowance is set to 10.0, for example, an activity with a time of 30 seconds would
have a 3 second allowance added.
Calc Time Allowance: The calculated time allowance is a percent allowance added to all calculated times
associated with an activity.
Default Calc. Time Standard allows you to set a default system for predetermined time studies. Assembly
Planner provides several popular systems.
MTM1 is the Methods-Time Measurement system
MTMB is a derivative of MTM1 that is designed for longer, less repetitive processes.
MTMUAS was designed for batch production. It was created based on MTM1.
MODAPTS is popular in industries like healthcare and automotive.
BMOST contains Basic assembly, as well as General, Tooling, Equipment, and Crane elements.
STDS is a company-specific standard.
Default Time Unit: Default Time Unit specifies the unit that will be used throughout Assembly Planner.
Choices include Minutes, Hours, Days, TMUs (Time Measurement Units1 TMU=0.00001 hour=0.036
seconds), MUs (Measurement Units1 MU=0.1 TMU), MOD (MODAPTS Time Units1 MOD=0.129
seconds) or TWTMIN (Task Weighted Time in minutes). Note: Set this preference before starting a new time
study. If you change this setting and open an existing study, the time unit for that study will not change.
Default conversion between time units:

TO CONVERT
FROM:
Microseconds
Seconds
Minutes
Hours
Days
TMUs
MUs
MODs
TWTMINs

TO
MICROSECONDS,
MULTIPLY BY
1.0000
1000000.0000
60000000.0000
3600000000.0000
86400000000.0000
36000.0000
3600.0000
129032.2580
70796460.1770

TO
SECONDS,
MULTIPLY BY
0.000001
1.00000
60.00000
3600.00000
86400.00000
0.03600
0.00360
0.12903
70.79646

TO
MINUTES,
MULTIPLY BY
1.66667E-08
0.01667
1.00000
60.00000
1440.00000
0.00060
0.00006
0.00215
1.17994

Use Default Time Unit for Calc Time: If "Use Default Time for Calc Time" is set to "True" (checkbox is
checked), Assembly Planner will display calculated times in the default time unit instead of TMUs.
Use Percent for VA/NVA/SVA: When set to the default of "False" (Checkbox unchecked), the user will enter

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time values in the VA/NVA/SVA columns. When set to "True", the user can enter percentage values to
represent the portion of the task that is VA/NVA/SVA.
Replace Calc. Time Descriptions: This sets the user's preference for how existing rows in calculated time
studies are updated when the standard templates are updated. If the time standard templates are modified and
this is setting is set to "True", then all elements of existing calculated time studies will be updated when the
element code in the template is changed, including the description. If the setting is "False", and the element
in the template is modified, then the time for that element will be updated in any existing time studies, but the
descriptions in the time studies will not be updated--the old descriptions will remain.
Time Precision: Time Precision specifies the number of places after the decimal point in times. For example, if
Time Precision is set to three and the time units are seconds, an activity's time could be displayed as 32.256
seconds.
Seconds/TMU: This sets the conversion factor for 1 unit (TMU) to seconds. The default is 1 TMU = 0.036
seconds.
Seconds/MOD: This sets the conversion factor for 1 unit (MOD) to seconds. The default is 1 MOD = 0.129
seconds.
Observed Time Study - Time Study Unit: Time Study Unit specifies the unit that will be used for observed
time studies. (can be different from Default Time Unit).
Observed Time Study - Study Type: Study Type allows the user to choose which observed time method to
default to for use in the study.
Video 277 studies are performed via a pre-recorded digital video. If you do not have a video or prefer not to
use this method, you can choose a Real Time study.
Real Time 282 studies provide an integrated spreadsheet and stopwatch. The elements of the task can
be entered in the spreadsheet prior to performing the time study. Perform the time study by observing
when the elements occur and using the play, pause, and stop controls to capture times.
Observed Time Study - Labor Rating: The Labor Rating is the default performance rating given when a new
operator is created. This rating affects the normal time calculation in observed time studies.
Observed Time Study - Prompt For Rating when Adding Observations: If this box is checked, a window
will appear after every observation prompting the user to adjust the performance rating for that observation.
Observed Time Study - Import Activities for New Study: If this box is checked, an "Import Activities" rightclick menu option will appear in the Tasks Table 272 of a study allowing the user to add activities to the study
that already exist in the Assembly Planner database.
Observed Time Study - Allowances: (PF&D allowances) are used in Observed Time studies. The following
four settings populate the default values shown in the Observed Time > Settings Tab.
Personal
Special
Basic Fatigue
Variable Fatigue
PPL Allowance: You can choose to enable or disable this allowance. If the PPL allowance is enabled, you can
define the default allowance to be applied to tasks. The default value represents a percentage that will be
applied and added to each activity's time for which an observed time study is performed, to allow for cleaning
of a work station or area.
Note: This allowance is only used in the Observed Time Study tool within the Activity Time tab.
Tool Change Allowance: You can choose to enable or disable this allowance. If the tool change allowance is

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enabled, you can define the default allowance to be applied to tasks. The default value represents a
percentage that will be applied and added to each activity's time for which an observed time study is
performed, to allow a worker time to change tools between each task.
Note: This allowance is only used in the Observed Time Study tool within the Activity Time tab
Edit MUDA Classifications: Assembly Planner allows you to not only define tasks as value-added, non valueadded, or semi value-added (or a combination thereof), but also allows you to define specific categories within
each of those. Default VA/NVA/SVA category sets are provided in Assembly Planner, but you can edit and
add to these categories by selecting the Edit MUDA Classifications button.
Select the category you wish to edit, then enter/edit the Category names and colors associated to each
category. You can break down each category further by entering a list of Details. In the example below, There
are six different types of work that would be categorized into Waiting, which is defined as non value-added.
If you only wish to define categories, and not the details within each category, a default detail will be set to
match each category you have set.

Edit MUDA Classifications Window to Edit VA/NVA/SVA Categories and Details

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Edit Allowance Codes: To edit the allowance codes for Observed Time studies, click on the "Edit Allowance
Codes" button. In Assembly Planner, you can set personal, fatigue, and special allowances for all tasks in a
study, but you can also assign allowances to individual tasks. This may apply in cases of heavy lifting or
moving, for example. There are default values set, but you can edit allowance codes and their values to fit your
needs.
Simply edit the spreadsheet and click OK. You will be warned that you will need to restart the application for
the changes to take effect.

Edit Allow ance Codes Window to set default

allow ances that can be applied to individual tasks

Edit Man/Machine Colors: You can edit the colors that represent each type of task in the Man/Machine
Utilization Report. You can get to the window shown below by clicking on the Edit Man/Machine Colors button.
Then select the colors that you wish to be displayed for each task type.

Edit Man/Machine Colors Window

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6.9.3

Sequencing Tab

This set of preferences is used to set the defaults in the Sequence Planner 328 module.

Options Menu displaying Sequencing Tab used to set schedule

preferences

Order Date Type

This allows users to specify whether the order dates provided are the dates that the orders need to be finished
(the Offline Date) or the dates the orders need to begin production (the Start Date).

Schedule Type
The schedule type allows users to specify how orders will be handled in Sequence Planner.
If the schedule type is Automatic, the orders will be assigned to the order date specified in the Order File 428 .
The length of the work day in the Automatic schedule type is determined by the number of orders for that day.
If the schedule type is Manual, the user will set up a start time, end time, and break times for the day, and
orders will be fit into the day. An order will not necessarily be processed on its order date; it may be pulled
ahead or pushed back as needed to fill each work day.

Alerts
This feature allows users to quickly notice if a unit is over a specified percentage of Takt time. Based on the
user-specified values, Sequence Planner colors cells in the sheet view of the main window. The warning flags
are yellow, and the alarm flags are red.

Number of units in Time Line View

This refers to the chart section of the main window. The user is allowed to change the default number of units
appearing before and after the current unit. If the user would like to always see two units before and three units
after the current unit, changing the setting here will tell Sequence Planner to display two units before and three
after every time Sequence Planner is started. If changes are made to this default setting, the user will need to
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restart the application for the change to take effect. Note that the user can always make changes to the numb er of
units viewed in the main window of Sequence Planner. Changes made in the main window do not affect the default and
will need to b e reset every time the user returns to the module.

Default Work Schedule

This menu allows the user to specify what the work schedule looks like. A checked box corresponds to a day of
the week that is not worked in Weekly Off Days. Clicking on Shifts/Breaks opens a new window where
scheduled downtime can be input. The start and end times are entered under the selected tab to add shifts and
breaks.

Shifts/Breaks w indow for input of scheduled dow ntim e

Clicking on the Holidays tab opens a new window that allows the addition of holidays. Once in the new window,
clicking the Add button opens a new window where a date can be selected, and a description if necessary. Edit
and Delete can also be used on existing holidays.

Holidays w indow for input of scheduled holidays

Once added, close saves the changes. Clicking OK saves all changes made within the tab, however, some
changes may only take effect upon restarting of the application. A window will alert the user if that is the case.

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6.9.4

Line Balancing Tab

The following screen is used to set up the default values that will be used in the Line Balancing 227 module. The
values set here are defaults and can be altered during the creation of the balance.

Options Menu displaying Line Balancing Tab used to set default line
balancing preferences

Line Rate sets the default for the amount of times per shift the routing must be completed.
Efficiency Rating sets the default for the efficiency of operators when running a line balance.
No. of Iterations sets the default for the number of iterations the algorithm will run to obtain a solution. Note
that more iterations can create more accuracy, but takes more time to run.
Shift Duration sets the default length of each shift.
TAKT Time sets the default ideal Takt time.
Random Number Seed sets the default for which seed will be used during the line balance.
No. of Stations per page sets the default for how many stations will be viewed per page (when the "Enable
Paging in Graph" box is checked).

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Enable Paging in Graph allows you to page through the line balance graph with one or more stations per
page, instead of seeing all stations at once. You can page through using the arrows you see at the bottom right
of the image below or you can select a specific station from the "Select Station" drop-down in the spreadsheet
area.

Line Balance w ith Paging enabled

Show Legend in Graph changes whether or not the line balancing graph legend is displayed automatically or
not. If the box is checked, the legend will automatically appear when you create a balance. If the box is
unchecked, the legend will be hidden unless you use the graph menu to turn the legend on.
Map Operations by Operator: If this setting is checked, when a line balance scenario is applied, an operation
will be created for every operator in the balance. (Instead of multiple activities in one operation being assigned to
multiple operators, each operation will have activities assigned to one operator).
Show Worst Operator in Station Chart when checked, only the operator with the most work time will be
shown in the station chart and not the average time.

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6.9.5

PFEP Tab

This tab only applies to the optional PFEP 371 (Plan For Every Part) module. PFEP is not included in the standard
version of Assemb ly Planner.

Options Menu displaying PFEP Tab used to set default PFEP

preferences

Dimension Unit sets the default dimension unit used in PFEP.

Weight Unit sets the default weight unit used in PFEP.
Order Horizon

Reports
The default time values used to set flags in PFEP reports are entered in this screen. This section contains the
threshold for 'Best' and 'Worst' values for the given status; the intermediate is inferred from these two values.
The Idle Time is the time after a Kanban has been 'Delivered' until it is 'Requested' again.
The Cycle Time is the time between a Kanban being 'Requested' and being 'Delivered'.
The Hold Time is the time between a Kanban being scanned into 'Hold' and then scanned as
'Released'.
The Release Time is the time between a Kanban being scanned as 'Released' from hold and being
scanned as 'Delivered', corresponding to the time the Kanban was in the 'Release' state.
The Requested Time is the time between a Kanban being Requested and the Kanban state being
changed to either 'Hold' or 'Delivered', corresponding to the time the Kanban was actually in the
'Requested' state.

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Default Work Schedule

The times displayed in reports excluded any scheduled breaks and down days. This means, for example, if a
Kanban ID is requested fifteen minutes before a thirty minute break, and is delivered 10 minutes after the break,
the cycle time will be twenty-five, rather than fifty-five.
The default schedule for PFEP is created here.
Exceptions to this work schedule are managed in Tools > Work Schedule Maintenance

373 .

Shifts/Breaks
All three shifts must all begin and end within the same 24-hour period. The third shift cannot start after
midnightin Assembly Planner, a 12:00 am to 6:00 am shift would need to be defined as 'Shift 1'.

Work Schedule Editor displaying PFEP Shifts Tab

Up to 12 breaks during a 24-hour period are accommodated. The breaks should be entered sequentially; they
will automatically be assigned to the appropriate shift.

Work Schedule Editor displaying PFEP Breaks Tab

Holidays
Click 'Add' to enter the date and description of a holiday. These holidays are not specific to a year; any holidays
for which the date changes from year to year (e.g. Thanksgiving, Memorial Day) will need to be modified each
year, or handled in Tools > Work Schedule Maintenance 373 .

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6.9.6

Change Order Tab

This tab corresponds to the Engineering Change 162 Libraries. The preferences allow the user to control how
change orders are sorted when searches are run. The user can set the field and the order for MCOs and ECOs.
The options for the MCO Sort Field are:
ID
Due Date
Assigned To
ECRID

The options for the ECO Sort Field are:

ID
Import Date
Origination Date
MCOs and ECOs can be sorted in Ascending (ASC) order or Descending (DESC) order.

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Options Menu displaying Change Order Tab for setting MCO and
ECO sort preferences

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58

6.9.7

Ergonomics Tab

This tab corresponds to the MURI Analysis Tools 310 .

This tab allows the user to alter the weighted values for the various 'Motion Types' used within the ergonomics
tools. The only editable column in the spreadsheet is the 'Weight' column. This is used to define a multiplier to
the different levels of severity of each motion type. The default values are provided by Proplanner, but these
weights can be altered by the user.

Options Menu displaying the Ergonom ics Tab for setting Ergonom ic
Study preferences

The user can also set the time standard rank for ergonomics in this tab. The user can specify whether the
software first looks to observed or calculated ergonomic data when generating reports. The Time Standard Rank
can be changed by clicking one time standard and using the arrows on the right to move it up or down the list.
The default 'Dominant Arm Factor' and 'Idle Time Coefficient' can also be set for use throughout Assembly
Planner.
Dominant Arm Factor indicates the percentage of work that will be performed by the dominant arm, as that is
what is accounted for when doing an ergonomic study. For example, if the Dominant Arm Factor was .75 as
shown above, and the worker did 100 total actions, only 75 of them would count against the ergonomic score.
Idle Time Coefficient is used to set a universal utilization rating within the ergonomics studies. If it is set to .8
as it is above, the worker is said to be working at a utilization of 80%. For example, if a worker performs 100
actions in the 8 minutes he is observed, but he has 2 minutes of rest due to the coefficient, the frequency would
actually end up being 10 actions per minute.
There are two types of Ergonomic systems that can be used with Assembly Planner (Standard and
Empowered), these are explained in greater detail in the Ergonomics Time Study 310 and Standard vs
Empowered 314 sections of the Time Estimation Module.

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Library
The library is where most of the data will be entered, edited, and tracked. The library is home to the following
editors: component, routing, operation, activity, resource, plant, model, and option. The component data, routing
data, operation data, and activity data are all plant-dependent. For those using the optional change
management system, editors for the ECR, ECO, and MCO are also in the library.

Navigation Pane highlighting Assem bly Planner Libraries

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7.1

Editing the Process

The Component Editor deals with the parts that are assembled to create a finished good. The Process Editors
deal with the tasks that occur to assemble the finished good out of the components. There are three Process
Editors: the Routing Editor, the Operation Editor, and the Activity Editor.

How Assembly Planner Looks at Processes

In Assembly Planner, a process can have up to three levels. The highest (most finished) level is a routing.
Routings are usually mapped one-to-one with a product or with an assembly line. The second level is the
operation, which is typically the sum of work performed at a workstation, or for a subassembly. Individual
tasks performed at the workstation are the third level, activities. The tree below represents the process
structure.

In a GlobalSpec Event video, Dave Sly, President of Proplanner, gives an Overview of How Assembly Planner
Looks at Processes (depending on your internet connection speed the video may take a few minutes to
download, or visit http://www.proplanner.com/index.cfm?nodeID=25056 and select the Overview Video).

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Process Editors
The Routing Editor can be opened with a single-click on the Routing icon on the left panel of Assembly Planner.
The Routing Editor is where routings are created and edited. Operations are also created and can be edited in
the Routing Editor's Operation List Tab (see figure below).
The Operation Editor can be opened either with a single-click on the Operation icon, or with a double-click on
the row header of an operation from the Routing Editor's Operation List. In the latter case, the Operation Editor
will automatically display the Operation that was double-clicked to open it. Operation properties can be edited in
the Operation Editor. The activities that belong under each operation can be created, edited, and/or associated
with the operation in the Operation Editor's Activity List Tab.
The Activity Editor can be open either with a single-click on the Activity icon, or with a double-click on the row
header of an activity from the Operation Editor's Activity List. In the latter case, the Activity Editor will
automatically display the Activity that was double-clicked to open it. Activities can be created and edited in the
Activity Editor.

Assem bly Planner Library Editors w ith Editors, Operation List Tab, and Row Header Call-outs

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7.1.1

Global vs. Local Properties

Assembly Planner supports the reuse of certain entities, like activities, resources, and components. Because
you are able to use, for example, the same activity under multiple routings, the activity exists as a stand-alone
entity in addition to existing as an entity under a routing and an operation. The same is true for the resource and
component entities. Because of this, there are two different types of properties: global and local. Even if you
never re-use entities, you will still deal with both global and local properties.

A global property is one that applies wherever an entity appears (i.e. ID, description, activity time).
A local property is one that may take on different values depending on where it is used or its relationship to its
parent operations (i.e. group ID, parts consumed, sequence number).
A full list of Assembly Planner's standard fields and their properties can be found in the Standard Fields 493
section of this manual.

When performing a basic or advanced search with global properties only, you will see only the global entries.
Furthermore, if you select global entries, you will only be able to update global properties of the activity. If you
search and include some local activity properties, you will see all of the individual local entries that match the
search parameters. Furthermore, if you select local entries, you will only be able to update local properties of
the activity.

The following is an example of the differences you might see in three searches for the same entity. The first is
an example of a global search. The user has searched for an activity ending in "094," but has not defined a
routing nor an operation. The search returns a single activity, and would display its global properties. Wildcards
15 such as the percent sign in the example below can be used to improve search results.

Global Search for an Activity w ith an ID ending in 094

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The second is an example of a local search. The user has searched for the same activity ending in "094," and
this time defined a routing in which to search. This time the search returns two instances of the same activity,
because the activity is performed twice in the routing, and each would display its local properties. (Notice that
the Consumption, and Model-Option Mapping tabs now appear, whereas they do not for the global search - this
is because consumption and model-option mapping are considered local properties).

Local Search in a Routing for an Activity w ith an ID ending in 094

The third is also an example of a local search. The user has searched for the same activity ending in "094," and
this time defined a routing and operation in which to search. This time the search returns one instance of the
activity, because the activity is only performed once in the routing/operation combination. The local properties of
the activity within the operation are displayed in the activity worksheet. (Notice that the Consumption, and
Model-Option Mapping tabs now appear, whereas they do not for the global search - this is because
consumption and model-option mapping are considered local properties).

Local Search in an Operation in a Routing for an Activity w ith an ID ending in 094

7.1.2

Check Out and Check In

What is Check Out/Check In?

Check Out and Check In are features in Assembly Planner that are designed to prevent multiple users from
changing an entity (an item, a routing, an operation, an activity, or a resource.) simultaneously. In order to make
changes to an entity, it must first be checked out; it is not in edit mode until a user checks it out. If a user
checks something out, other users can view the information but will be unable to make changes until it is
checked back in.
For items, changes can be made to current revisions only. Old revisions cannot be checked out. Any time
someone checks an entity out/in, Assembly Planner automatically logs the user name, time, and date of the
check out/in. The record can be found in the History tab of the particular entity.

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How does it work?

When you check an entity out, you are checking out a local copy of the database entry. The entry as it was
when you checked it out (master copy) is saved in the database until you check your new copy back in. When
you check your local copy back in, any modifications you have made are applied in the database, and the
global copy is updated. At this point, other users can see the new copy and can check out the entity to make
more changes. Creating the mastery and local copies allows for an "Undo Check Out", which discards all
changes made.
When an entity is Checked In, a lock symbol will appear next to it in the search controls and the headers.
When an entity is Checked Out to you, you will not see any icon next to it in the search controls or headers.
When an entity is Checked Out to another user, you will see a caution symbol next to it in the search controls
and the headers.

Right click m enu in the search control displaying

Check In and Check Out options

Check Out for Edit: This will check out the selected entity, which means the user can edit the entity's
properties. Only one person at a time can have a given entity checked out, so only one person at a time can
edit that entity.
Check Out All: This will check out the selected entity and any entities contained underneath its structure
which were checked in to the database when Check Out All was selected. This control does not give the user
access to processes under the entity that are checked out by other users. Below is a list of what would be
checked out, and therefore could be edited, if you select this option for particular entities.
Routing: Routing + its Operations + Activities of its Operations
Operation: Operation + its Activities
Item: Item and its child Items
Undo Check Out: A feature that moves the entity back to its state before the check out. This will check the
entity back in, and restore the entity's properties that existed prior to the most recent check out, which cancels
changes made by the user since the entity was checked out. Note: Clicking on the

save icon saves the

changes for the local copy, not to the stored master copy. If the user chooses "Undo Check Out", the stored master
copy will b e reinstated. Any changes made since then will b e lost.

Undo Check Out All: This will check back in the entity and all checked out entities underneath it, and restore
the entities' properties that existed prior to the most recent check out. Note: Clicking on the

save icon saves

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the changes for the local copy, not to the stored master copy. If the user chooses "Undo Check Out", the stored master
copy will b e reinstated. Any changes made since then will b e lost.

Check In: Saves the changes to the database. Once an entity is Checked In, all users will see the new
changes, and the entity can be checked out by another user. Note: Clicking on the

save icon saves the

changes for the local copy. However, the changes are not written to the master copy until it is checked in.

Check In All: This will check in the selected entity and any entities contained underneath its structure that
were checked out to the user, which means that all users will see the new changes, and the entities can be
checked out by another user. This control does not give the user access to processes that are checked out by
other users, and it will not check those processes in.

Checking Out Processes to Edit

Since global properties can be edited without checking out the parent process, several people can work on one
routing at a time. Even if the routing is checked out to some user, another user could check out an operation
and modify the global properties. This is helpful if several manufacturing engineers are assigned to different
portions of the line.
Because of the process structure and dependencies between process levels, there are certain fields that can
and cannot be edited when a process or its parent process is checked out. If you are comfortable with the idea
of Global and Local Properties 62 , the table below gives you an idea of what process level should be checked
out to edit certain properties.
Process Level

What type of property do you want to edit?* What should you check out?

Routing

Any

Routing

Operation

Global

Operation

Local

Parent Routing

Global

Activity

Local

Parent Operation

Activity

*Some fields cannot be edited once created; see the Standard Fields 493 list.

The table below gives further detail, showing which processes must be checked out to edit certain fields in each
process editor.
Editor

Tab

Field You Wish to Edit* Process(es) that Must be Checked Out

or Function You Wish to
Use

Routing Editor

Routing Header

Routing Description

Routing

Operation List

Local Operation
Properties

Routing

Custom Fields

Values

Routing

Time

Rollup

Routing

Update Times

Routing + All Child Operations and

Activities

Predecessors

Routing + All Child Operations and

Graph
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Activities
Documents

Open, Export, Refresh

No checkout necessary

Add/Edit

Routing

Fetch History

No checkout necessary

Open, View

No checkout necessary

Operation Description

Operation

Activity List

Local Activity properties

Operation

Custom Fields

Values

Operation + Parent Routing

Time

Rollup

Operation

Update Times

Operation + All Child Activities

History

Line Balancing
Scenarios
Operation Editor Operation Header

Documents

Import, Check Out, Check Operation

In, Delete
Open, Export, Refresh

No checkout necessary

Motions tab is view only

Operation + All Child Activities

Options tab

No checkout necessary

Where Used

Search

No checkout necessary

History

Add/Edit

Operation

Fetch History

No check out necessary

Activity Header

Activity Description

Activity

Properties

Local activity properties

Activity

Custom Fields

Values

Activity + Parent Operation

Media

Set default video and

image and edit images

Activity

Time

All

Activity

Work Step

All

Activity

Resource

Local resource properties Activity

Consumption

Local item properties

Ergonomics

Activity Editor

Import, Check Out, Check Routing

In, Delete

Model-Option Mapping ModelID and OptionID

Documents

Where Used

Activity + Parent Operation

Activity + Parent Operation

Import, Check Out, Check Activity

In, Delete
Open, Export, Refresh

No checkout necessary

Search

No checkout necessary

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History

Add/Edit

Activity

Fetch History

No checkout necessary

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*Some fields cannot be edited once created; see Standard Fields 493 list.

7.1.3

Routing Editor

Clicking on the Routing button

the Routing Editor.

opens the Routing Editor. The next few sections will explain each part of

Routing Editor displaying the Routing Search List, Routing Header, and List of Operations under that Routing

7.1.3.1

Routing Search Control

To find specific routings, use the Search Feature 14 . First make sure the correct Plant ID is selected from the
Plant ID drop-down. If the Routing ID (or the first few characters of the Routing ID) is known, enter it into the
search text box and hit enter or click the search button
. For a complete list of all routings, enter the %
symbol, which is one of many Wildcards 15 that can be used to enhance searching. Advanced Find 16 ,
accessible through the arrow next to the large binocular icon, provides more specific control over search terms.

Routing Search Control

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7.1.3.2

Routing Search List

The routing list helps navigate through the Routing Editor, showing a tree structure with the routings. It is
arranged as a list of folders containing routings; when the folder is open, clicking on a routing selects it. The
routing list provides easy reference to the routings by displaying the ID, Type, and Description of the routing.
Each routing has a unique ID. Any user-entered description about the routing is shown in the third column. The
fourth column specifies in which plant the routing is used. More detailed information about the selected Routing
Header 69 is shown in the header on the right side of the Assembly Planner user interface.

Routing Search List displaying EngineLine Routing

Right-clicking inside the routing list (in the large white space below the search control) will display the routing
menu. Options on the menu include:
Check Out and Check in Options: Refer to Check Out and Check In

63

for all relevant menu options

Add New: Adds a new routing. Will launch a window where routing information can be entered. Note: A
user must right-click in the white space of the Routing Search List for the Add New function to be
enabled.
Clone Routing: Adds a new routing that is identical to the one that is cloned. There are options to
reference existing activities, or to create new ones with the same properties. Also, whether or not to
copy local properties

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When giving the new routing an ID, you can manually type an ID, or you can use the search control (click
on the ellipses button to the right of the ID box) to search for a component ID. The latter would typically
make sense if you were cloning or creating a machining-based routing. In either case, the ID of the new
routing can match the ID of an existing routing, but the Types must be different.
Delete: Permanently deletes the routing. This will affect your ability to use other data that had been
associated to the routing.
For example:
o A Line Balance scenario using the deleted routing will still exist, but you be unable to successfully

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refresh the data or apply the scenario, generate the the Work Instructions report, or generate the
FMEA report in Line Balancing.
o The Work Instructions associated to the routing will no longer be available in the Work Instructions
module.
o Any PFMEAs that had been associated with the activities under the routing will no longer be
available in the PFMEA module.
o For those using the Shop Floor Viewer portion of the application: Data on the Shop Floor database
will not be affected, but the data will no longer be available to republish or update.

View Model-Option Data: (visible when routing is checked in): Displays how the models and options
are associated with tasks for this particular routing.
Edit Model-Option Data: (visible when routing is checked out): Displays and allows for editing the model
and option associations with tasks for this particular routing. See Mapping Models and Options to
Activities 148 and Mapping via the Routing 154 for more information.
Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by Orders: This is the recommended method for mapping models
and options. For details, please refer to Automatic Model-Option Mapping 149 .
Autobuild Model Mapping by Parent Component: This is a routine only to be used by a limited
number of clients with a specific system setup. See Automatic Model-Option Mapping 149 .
Checked Out Child Processes Report: Reports all the items and processes under the routing that are
currently checked out.
Compare Consumption with BOM: This report compares the parts consumed by the routing with the
parts specified on the BOM. To do this, select the "activity" radio button. Click "Add" and browse for the
BOM parent and select. Then click Run Report.
7.1.3.3

Routing Header

In the header, the Routing ID, Type, and Plant ID are displayed, as well as when and by whom the Routing was
last checked in.
The Description is also shown; if the routing is checked out, the description can be edited.
A user can also filter the operations shown in the Operation List
Operations View portion of the Routing Header.

72

by using the "Filter by As of Date" in the

The 'Is PFMEA Reqd." checkbox can be used as an internal reminder if the PFMEA 356 associated with the
routing should be edited when the routing is edited. If the box is checked, then the user knows to edit the
PFMEA associated with the routing when the routing is edited.

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Routing Header for the Engine Line

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7.1.3.4

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Routing Editor Tabs

The tabs in the Routing Editor display information about: the operations that belong under the routing, custom
fields, information about how time for the routing is determined, a precedence graph, associated documents,
associated line balancing scenarios, and a history. Also, the right-click menu in the tabs area is different than
the menu in the routing list area.

Right-Click Menu in the Routing Editor

In the tabs, we are no longer working specifically with the routing, but with the operations found underneath the
routing. Because of this, the menu is different and deals with options for the operations. To select an operation
left click on the row header of that operation. With the operation highlighted, right-click to access the options
below that can be performed on that operation. A description of the options in the right-click menu is described
below for the Operation Worksheet in the Routing editor.
Cut/Paste: Cuts the selected information. Pasting then places this information into an area selected by
the user. When Paste is called, Assembly Planner will move the information from the Cut location to the
Paste location. When Cutting an entire operation the Cut operation or activity will be re-assigned a new
ID when Pasted.
Copy/Paste: Copy and Paste the operation . Copies the description, operation sequence number, and
work center from the source operation. Pasting creates a new operation with the same details, but with a
new ID.
Copy To: This will Copy the entire operation to the routing you select. All operation properties will be
copied, as well as all of the activities that belong to the activity. Additionally, all activity properties will be
copied.
Insert Operation: Insert a new (Blank) operation row.
Delete Operation: Delete an existing row. If an operation is accidentally deleted, a user can select
Undo Checkout so the delete of the operation is not saved to the database.
Clear Selected Data: Removes the editable data selected by the user.
Check Out/Check in: If the Routing is Checked Out, Operations can be Checked out and Checked in 63
by selecting the Operation in the Operations Worksheet 10 , then right-clicking the row header to display
the Right-Click Menu below. The Check Out and Check In 63 section of this manual gives a detailed
description of the actions performed by each of the functions highlighted on the following screenshot.

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Right Click Menu in the Operations Worksheet highlighting the Check In and Check Out operations

Open: Opens the operation in the Operation Editor 82 .

Where Used: If the operation is referenced under multiple routings, "where used" shows the path to all
those routings.
Advanced Sort and Advanced Filter 26 : Allows the user to organize the data accordingly.
Clear Sorting and Clear Filters: Clears the sorting or filtering set by the user.
Customize View 21 : The operation sheet view can be modified here by choosing which columns to hide
and display. The setting is stored for each user.
7.1.3.4.1 Operation List

The operation list is where operations are created en masse. Operation information can also be edited in this
list, as can process Custom Fields 464 pertaining to the operation. Below is an example of an operation list.
Each of these operations is mapped to a workstation. The operators at each station do several tasks; the tasks
are the activities that make up these operations.

Operation List in Routing Editor

To create operations, select the appropriate routing and enter the information in the spreadsheet. At a minimum
include the OpSeqNo, Description, and Work Center when adding a new operation. The EffectiveToDate and
EffectiveFromDate will be automatically populated when a new operation is created but these dates can be
changed from the default values. The gray fields are not user-editable (Status, ID, Type, etc.), but those that
have no fill color may be edited.

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Copy and paste from programs like Microsoft Excel is available. Make sure the column headings in the
operation list are parallel to the structure in the external program. The structure of the worksheet in Assembly
Planner can be modified by right-clicking and choosing Customize View 21 .
7.1.3.4.2 Custom Fields

Custom fields allow clients to track information beyond the standard fields included in Assembly Planner. The
custom fields tab in the Routing Editor shows the Custom Fields 464 created for routings and displays each
custom fields' value for the selected routing.
7.1.3.4.3 Time

The routing time tab adds up all of the sub-processes to calculate time required to complete the entire routing.
Assembly Planner takes the times that have been estimated, observed, or calculated for activities or operations
and rolls-up a total time for the routing.
A further description of the Time Tab

86

is included under the Operation Editor Tabs section of this manual.

7.1.3.4.4 Graph

Precedence graphs are very important in Assembly Planner. Precedence graphs are used to show
dependencies and define the order in which tasks must be done on the floor. Line balances are based upon
precedence. When defining precedence, the user should distinguish between tasks that must be performed
one after the other (these tasks will appear in series) and groups of tasks that could be performed in any order
(these tasks will appear in parallel).
There are two views: the Graph View shows a diagram with nodes representing the activities, and the Sheet
View shows a spreadsheet listing all of the activities. Making changes in either view will automatically make the
same changes in the other view. For step-by-step instructions to define precedence, see the Create the
Precedence Graph 529 tutorial. For an explanation of additional features within the Graph View, see the following
screenshots and definitions.

Routing Precedence Sheet View

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Routing Precedence Graph View

Graph View Features

The graph view has extra control features. Please review this section to familiarize yourself with the functions of
the improved control.
Precedence Graph Toolbar (Above the Routing Header)

Export to Image
The
this:

icon allows the graph to be exported as a picture. From there, the picture can be saved or printed. To do

After clicking the icon, specify a file name and choose the image file format.

Export Im age Interface

Print Graph
Three controls deal with printing the precedence graph: Print Settings, Print Preview, and Print.

Print Settings
Click on the Print Settings icon shown above. Choose to print the entire graph or print the current display (view
of the graph on the screen). Set the scale for the page; it can be set to any magnitude or the view of the graph
can be fit on one page.
You may also change the print margins or page layout with the Advanced Options.
For users who wish to plot this on a plotter: select the Entire Graph Set Margins and select the paper size
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from Advanced Options.

Precedence Graph Print Settings Window

Print Preview and Print

The print preview displays the graph based on the page settings. Print from the print preview control or click on
the print icon.
If the print preview is showing the graph on multiple pages, and you only want it on one page, check the print
settings. Changing the scale on the print settings can bring the graph into one page. Alternatively change the
zoom level on the graph to fit contents into one page. The clarity of the graph will depend on your print settings
and the complexity of your precedence graph.

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Find Control
The precedence graph find control pulls up a list of activities that match the search criteria. Three search
parameters are available: the activity ID, the activity description, or the activity work zone. You can enter search
terms in any or all of the areas; the more of the parameters used, the narrower the search and the shorter the
results list.
The wildcard % sign can be used, but the rest of the wildcards cannot be. The % wildcard is allowed at both the
beginning and end of the search term, at the end of the search term, or at the beginning of the search term (e.g.
%Get%, Get% and %Get).

Interface to allow users to find

operations in the precedence graph

Clicking on an entry in the list will visually display the selected activity, zooming in to the surrounding area.

Selecting an activity in the find control w ill zoom to that activity in the precedence graph

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The search control was designed for users with large routings. Previously, visually looking at all the nodes in the
graph and finding the correct nodes to connect was time-consuming. With the find control, the user can search
for the predecessor and following tasks and connect the nodes.
To use the find control to connect nodes, find and click on the predecessor in the list. Assembly Planner will
zoom to the correct area.
Click and hold on the graph in the center of the node. Drag the arrow outside of the node and release the click.
Then used the advanced find to search for and select the second activity from the list. Assembly Planner will
zoom to the second activity selected from the search list. Click on the center of the node of the second activity
to set the precedence.

Zoom Controls
You may select Zoom in, Zoom out, Zoom normal, and Zoom extents. Additionally, moving the mouse wheel will
also zoom in and out of the graph.

Edit Mode
To enable Edit Mode a User must Check Out All 63 processes under a routing. In order for edit mode to be
enabled, all processes under the routing must not be Checked Out by other users when the Check Out All is
called .
In Edit Mode, arcs can be drawn and the task nodes can be moved.
To draw arcs, left click and hold on the 'from' node and release the click at the 'to' node.

Draw ing a precedence arc from one

operation to another uisng the edit m ode
in the graph tab

To delete arcs, left click on the arc to be deleted and hit the delete key on the keyboard.
To move nodes, left click on the node to select it. Wait for the move pointer

. Move the node once selected.

Note: You can also draw a crossing window across the nodes and move multiple nodes at a time. The same can b e
done for moving and deleting multiple arcs at a time.

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Pan Mode
Pan mode means that the graph can be moved around (panned). The graph cannot be edited in pan mode; if
you wish to draw or delete arcs, switch to edit mode.

Auto Layout
Auto Layout redraws the graph in an organized manner. A user can use this function while drawing the
precedence graph to refresh the view and display the graph in a more coherent drawing.

Default Precedence
Default Precedence will create a Straight-Line Precedence. The tasks will be ordered one after another as they
appear in the sheet view list.

Check Cycle
This feature provides an easy check for cycles in the graph. Clicking the button will check for circular
precedence and highlight any arcs that cause problems. It will also check the sheet view for any errors that
result in a cycle.
The tool automatically checks for cycles when you attempt to save, and you will not be allowed to save if cycles
exist.

Warning that the precedence graph contains a cycle

7.1.3.4.5 Documents

Any documents that should be associated with a routing may be added in the documents tab. Simply click on
the import button
and browse to the document. Clicking "Open" after selecting the document will add the
selection to the list of documents for the routing. A more in depth discussion of the tools and uses of the
documents tab is provided in the Documents 108 section under the Activity Editor portion of this manual.
7.1.3.4.6 Line Balancing Scenarios

From the Line Balancing Scenarios tab, you may view and open line balancing scenarios that have been
created for the routing you have open.
If you do not see the scenarios created for this routing in this tab, you can go to the Line Balancing module,
open one of your scenarios, and save it. After that, all of the routing's scenarios should appear in this list. The
Operator Count column may be '0' until you edit the Operator Details within the scenario, or make another
change in the balance.
You can click the "Open Scenario" button to be taken directly to the Line Balancing module to view and edit the
scenario.

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You can click the "View Yamazumi" button to be taken directly to a view-only Yamazumi chart for the
scenario.
You can click the "View Reports" button to be taken directly to the Line Balancing Report Manager to generate
available reports.

Line Balancing Scenarios Tab in the Routing Editor displaying Line Balance scenarios associated w ith the Routing
7.1.3.4.7 History

The History Tab has the same basic functions in the all the Process, Component, and Resource Editors in
Assembly Planner. It allows the user to see a list of the activities that have been performed on the specific
operation. These include user and system created messages. These basic functions have been described in
greater detail under the History Tab 110 description in the Activity Editor section of this manual.

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7.1.3.5

Routing Editor Reports

**Reports are highly variable depending on the version and preferences requested by the user. Some
of the reports listed may or may not be present within your report menu**
Process Report: The Routing Process Report summarizes all of the operations found under the routing, and
includes the total time required for the routing (the user needs to roll-up the times in the Routing Editor Time
Tab 73 for this to work correctly), and lists the details of the operations under the routing.

Routing Process Report detailing inform ation of all operations under the selected routing

Process Details Report: Can be filtered by models and options. Shows all activities under the routing with
detailed descriptions of the process, consumption, and resources.
Observed Time Report: This report summarizes the observed time studies performed and saved for all
activities in the selected routing.
Calculated Time Report: This report summarizes the calculated time studies performed and saved for all
activities in the selected routing. You will be prompted to choose one time standard before the report is
generated.
Activity Report: The activity report in the Routing Editor displays all activities under the routing. This report can
be filtered by Model and Option; the user may select whether or not Options, Resources, and Consumption for
the activities are displayed.
Assembly Labor by Work Station: This report sums up the labor time for every consumed parent part in each
work station. If the user selects a routing and runs this report, it will look in the consumption tab of each activity
within that routing to find Parent IDs (parent assemblies). It will sum the activity times that apply to each parent
assembly in each work station. Note: this report is only used by customers that use series rather than
effective dates.
Smart Number Labor By Department: Provides a rolled up labor cost for each option for each department
within a routing.
Model/Option Labor: Provides a rolled up labor time for each model/option combination within a routing.
Custom fields can also be added to be more specific.
Time Change Report: If your system has been set up to create "Snapshots" of time data in the Activity
History tab, this report can compare previous "Snapshots" to the current state. To trigger the creation of a
snapshot, the user should check out the activity and the operation to which it belongs, edit the Estimated time
of an activity, edit the 'Revision' field to manually increase the activity revision level (this field is found in the
Activity Custom Fields tab or in the Operation's Activity List spreadsheet), and check in the operation and
activity. After that, the snapshot data can be found in the bottom Snapshot tab of the Activity History tab and
can be compared to the current data by running the Time Change Report through the Reports menu.
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SOS Report: This report creates a report for each operation under the routing. The report for each operation
includes activity details, including tools and parts descriptions.
SOP Report: This report creates a report for each activity under the routing. The activity reports contain
component, tool, and safety needs, as well as work steps and most of the fields that can be edited in the
Activity Editor 92 .
Checked-out Processes Report: This report can be run from the Routing, Operation, or Activity Editor. It
shows all of the processes that are currently Checked Out by the user. It displays the process ID, Process
Type, Routing Type, and Description of each component and who checked it out.
Workcenter Utilization Report: This report allows for a chart to be created that visually represents the
utilization of the different workstations used within a routing. It shows each station's machine time, labor time,
and setup time (based on standard run and setup times).
Work Instruction Report: Shows a report of all underlying activities' standard work in a detailed work
instruction containing all work steps (SWAS). Can also show all of an operation's activities in a less detailed
work instruction (SWS). Note that the names of the reports may vary.
Standard MURI Report: Pulls the data from the ergonomic tab of the calculated or observed time depending on
the set time standard rank set in the Ergonomics Tab 58 of the Options Menu 44 . This data is presented in bar
graph, pie chart, and spreadsheet form. The standard report only accounts for the standard numbers, excluding
all ergonomics to the right of transport in the spreadsheet (non standard ergonomic scores). This report is
explained further in the Activity Reports 111 section.
Empowered MURI Report: Pulls the data from the ergonomic tab of the calculated or observed time depending
on the set time standard rank set in the Ergonomics Tab 58 under Options Menu 44 . This data is presented in
bar graph, pie chart, and spreadsheet form. The empowered report accounts for all ergonomic scores and
combines them into an OCRA score for the activity. This report is explained further in the Activity Reports 111
section.
Supervisor Labor by Assembly: This report shows a labor report by variant for the selected series, by
supervisor. Assembly Planner finds all places where an assembly is referenced as a parent in any activity
consumption; the time for all of these activities is then summed and reported as the total time required for the
assembly. That is, the report sums up labor for each assembly by supervisor (supervisor is a custom field on
workstation).

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7.1.4

Operation Editor

Clicking on the Operation button

opens the Operation Editor. Operations are at the second level in
Assembly Planner's process structure, and are generally associated one-to-one with a workstation. Remember
that operations are typically created in the Operation List tab of the Routing Editor 67 , and that the Operation
Editor deals with editing operation details and creating activities.
Note: The right-click menu has different options depending on where you click.

Operation Editor displaying the Operation Search List, Operation Header, and List of Activities under that Operation

7.1.4.1

Operation Search Control

To find an operation, you must enter the routing under which the operation is found, make sure the Plant ID is
correct, and enter a search string corresponding to the operation you are searching for. After entering the
correct information hit enter or click the search button
Note that operations are only present within the
routings in which they are created. This means that if the wrong routing is selected, the search results will not
be consistent. The % search string will return all entries, a list of the other valid wildcards can be found in the
Wildcards 15 section of this manual. If you try to perform a search with no plant or no routing selected, you will
receive an error. The search control also has an Advanced Find 16 tool, accessible through the arrow next to
the large binocular icon, that can be used for more specific searches using Global and Local 62 properties.

Opeartion Search Control

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7.1.4.2

83

Operation Search List

The operation list helps you navigate through the Operation Editor. Specifically, the Operation Sequence
Number, Description, Operation ID, and Plant are displayed.
Right-clicking inside the Operation List will display the Operation Menu.
Check Out and Check in Options: Refer to Check Out and Check In

63

for all relevant menu options

Checked Out Child Processes Report: Reports all the items and processes under the operation that are
currently checked out.
Where Used Report: Generates a report to show the use of the operation in other processes (routings).

Operation Search List Right Click Menu

Note: A different menu appears when right-clicking in the Activities Worksheet rather than the Operation Search List.

7.1.4.3

Operation Header

In the header, the Operation ID and Plant ID are displayed, as well as when and by whom the Operation was
last checked in (Modified On/By).
The Description is also shown. If the operation is checked out, the description can be edited.
The Operation Header also gives the user the ability to filter the activities shown below the header by selecting
Show All or Filtering as of a given Effective Date.
The 'Is PFMEA Required" checkbox can be used as an internal reminder signaling a user to update a PFMEA
356 associated with an operation. If the box is checked, then the user knows to edit the PFMEA associated
with the operation when the operation is edited.

Show s the header for operation 00000001

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7.1.4.4

Operation Editor Tabs

The tabs in the Operation Editor display information about: the activities that belong under the operation,
custom fields, time for the operation, associated documents, where the operation is used, and a history. Note
that the right-click menu in the tab s area is different than the menu in the operation list area.

Right-Click Menu in the Operation Editor

In the tabs, we are no longer working specifically with the operation, but with the activities found underneath the
operation. Because of this, the menu is different and deals with options for the activities. To select an activity,
left click on the row header of that activity. With the activity highlighted, right-click to access the options below
that can be performed on that activity. A description of the options in the right-click menu is described below for
the Activity Worksheet in the Operation editor.
Cut/Paste: Cuts the selected information. Pasting then places this information into an area selected by
the user. When Paste is called, Assembly Planner will move the information from the Cut location to the
Paste location. When Cutting an entire activity the Cut activity will be re-assigned a new ID when Pasted.
Copy/Paste: Copy the activity and paste as a new row. It creates a new activity with the all the details of
the previous activity including, time and work zones.
Copy To: This will Copy the activity to another operation. Specify the operation sequence number and
routing ID. All activity properties will be copied, including the consumption, model mapping, and resource
mapping.
Paste as Reference: Pastes an existing activity under the selected operation. Pasting as a reference
means that the activity will have the same ID, time, tools, and consumption. Making a change to the
activity under one operation will affect it under the rest of the operations that reference it. Two different
users would not be able to simultaneously edit an activity and the activity that was pasted as a reference.
Cut + Paste as Reference where the activity is removed from the original routing, will transfer everything ab out
the activity.
Copy + Paste as Reference, transfers everything ab out the activity without deleting it in the original routing.

Add Existing Activity: This option allows an existing activity to be reused. Simply search by ID for an
activity that has already been created and add it to the activity list.
Insert Activity: Insert a new (Blank) activity row.
Delete Activity: Delete an existing row. If an activity is accidentally deleted, a user can select Undo
Checkout so the delete of the activity is not saved to the database.
Check Out and Check in Options: Refer to Check Out and Check In 63 for all relevant menu options
Open: Opens the activity in the Activity Editor 90 .
Advanced Sort and Advanced Filter 26 : Allows the user to organize the data accordingly.
Clear Sorting and Clear Filters: Clears the sorting or filtering set by the user.
Customize View 21 : The activity sheet can be customized by choosing which columns are shown or
hidden. The setting is stored for each user.

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Operation Editor Tabs displaying Right-Click Menu

7.1.4.4.1 Activity List

The activity list is one place activities can be created, displayed and edited. Activities are the individual tasks
that make up the operation. Below is an example of an Activity List for a given Operation.

Activity List in Operation Editor

To create activities, select the appropriate operation and enter the information in the spreadsheet. The gray
fields are not user-editable (Status, ID, Type, etc.), but those that have no fill color may be edited. Notice that
work zones can be assigned to activities via the Work Zone column. Also note that activities can be added to
groups via the Group column.
Copy-and-paste from programs like Microsoft Excel is supported, but make sure the column headings in the
activity list are parallel to the structure in the external program. The structure of the worksheet in Assembly
Planner can be modified by right-clicking and choosing Customize View 21 .
Activities can also be displayed and edited in the Activity Editor
411 .

90

, and can be created through the Import Tool

7.1.4.4.2 Custom Fields

Custom fields allow clients to track information beyond the standard fields included in Assembly Planner. The
custom fields tab in the Operation Editor shows the Custom Fields 464 for operations, and displays each
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custom fields' value for the selected operation. Custom fields for operations usually describe information about
workstations.
7.1.4.4.3 Time

The time an operation requires is determined by summing (or Rolling Up) times for the activities under operation
in the time tab.
The time tab displays the default preference for which times will be used, called the Time Standard Rank 45 .
The activity may have estimated times, calculated times, and/or observed times, and the time standard rank
sets the precedence for the order in which the various types of task times will be used. The default Time
Standard Rank can b e changed in Tools > Options. Assemb ly Planner needs to b e restarted when changes are made
to the default settings.

When the "Update Times in Database" box is checked, the newly rolled up time will replace the time that is
currently in the database for that routing or operation. The times for all the entities under that routing or
operation used to calculate the rolled up time will also be updated in the database if the "Update Times in
Database" box is checked. If the "Update Times in Database" box is not checked the Roll-up can be run but
this updated time will not be written to the database. Running the Roll-up without the checkbox checked allows
users to see what the new Roll-up time would be without overwriting the current Rolled-up time in the database.

Tim e Tab in the Operation Editor

7.1.4.4.4 Documents

Any documents that should be associated with an operation may be added in the documents tab. Simply click
on the import button
and browse to the document. Clicking "Open" after selecting the document will add
the selection to the list of documents for the operation. A more in depth discussion of the tools and uses of the
documents tab is provided in the Documents 108 section under the Activity Editor portion of this manual.
7.1.4.4.5 Ergonomics

You can view an ergonomics analysis within the Ergonomics tab at the Operation level. There are two types of
Ergonomic analyses that can be attached to Assembly Planner: Standard and Empowered. Depending on your
system preferences, you may have the Standard or Empowered MURI analysis or neither. For a description of
the differences, see the Standard vs Empowered 314 section of this manual. Note: A similar interface can be
accessed in the Observed and Calculated controls of the Activity Time tab. At the activity level, ergonomics
study data can be edited, while at the operation level, the data has been rolled-up from the activity level studies
and is view-only.
When the ergonomics tab is selected within the Operation Editor, the activities within the operation
automatically populate the sheet view. The colors specify varying levels of severity - red being a high severity,
green being a low severity. A legend for the ratings is shown in the ergonomics motions tab above the editing
sheet. For a full description on the functionality of the ergonomics tab, see the Ergonomics Time Study 310
section.
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Ergonom ics Motion Tab in the Ergonom ics Tab of the Operations Editor

If the Options tab is chosen (only in the EM analysis type), a filter and display tool is shown. This is used to
select what models and options should be shown in the sheet, as well as change what type of row summary
should be shown (EM or Standard).

Options Tab in the Ergonom ics Tab of the Operations Editor

The user also has the ability to change the weight of the categories. To change the weights of the categories,
first go to Tools > Options and click on the Ergonomics Tab 58 , then enter the desired weights for each level
and category.

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7.1.4.4.6 Where Used

Clicking "Search" shows all of the selected operation's parents. This shows each of the higher-level routings in
which the operation is used.

Where Used Tab show ing that Operation Sequence Num ber 30 is used in the EngineLine Routing
7.1.4.4.7 History

The History Tab has the same basic functions in the all the Process, Component, and Resource Editors in
Assembly Planner. It allows the user to see a list of the activities that have been performed on the specific
operation. These include user and system created messages. These basic functions have been described in
greater detail under the History Tab 110 description in the Activity Editor section of this manual.

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7.1.4.5

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Operation Editor Reports

**Reports are highly variable depending on the version and preferences requested by the user. Some
of the reports listed may or may not be present within your report menu**
Process Report: The Operation process report summarizes all of the activities found under the particular
operation. It includes the total time required for the operation to be completed, and lists details of the Activities
under the routing. An operation must be selected to run this report.
Process Times Report: Shows a breakdown of the VA/NVA/SVA time within the operation, and what category
the process time falls under (packing, machining, etc)
Observed Time Report: This report summarizes the observed time studies performed and saved for all
activities in the selected operation.
Calculated Time Report: This report summarizes the calculated time studies performed and saved for all
activities in the selected routing. You will be prompted to choose one time standard before the report is
generated.
SOS Report: This report creates a report for the operation. The report for each operation includes activity
details, including tools and parts descriptions.
SOP Report: This report creates a report for each activity under the operation. The activity reports contain
component, tool, and safety needs, as well as work steps and most of the fields that can be edited in the
Activity Editor 92 .
Checked-out Processes Report: This report can be run from the Routing, Operation, or Activity Editor. It
shows all of the processes that are currently checked out for edit. It displays the process ID, Process Type,
Routing Type, and Description of each component and who checked it out.
Work Instruction Report: Shows a report of all underlying activity's standard work in a detailed work instruction
containing all work steps (SWAS). Can also show all of an operation's activities in a less detailed work
instruction (SWS). Note that the names of the reports may vary.
Standard MURI Report: Pulls the data from the ergonomic tab of the calculated or observed time depending on
the set time standard rank set in the Ergonomics Tab 58 of the Options Menu 44 . This data is presented in bar
graph, pie chart, and spreadsheet form. The standard report only accounts for the standard numbers, excluding
all ergonomics to the right of transport in the spreadsheet (non standard ergonomic scores). This report is
explained further in the Activity Reports 111 section.
Empowered MURI Report: Pulls the data from the ergonomic tab of the calculated or observed time depending
on the set time standard rank set in the Ergonomics Tab 58 under Options Menu 44 . This data is presented in
bar graph, pie chart, and spreadsheet form. The empowered report accounts for all ergonomic scores and
combines them into an OCRA score for the activity. This report is explained further in the Activity Reports 111
section.

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7.1.5

Activity Editor

Clicking on the Activity button

opens the Activity Editor, or a user can double click on the row header of
an activity in the Activity List 85 of the Operation Editor 82 .

Activitiy Editor displaying the Activity Search List, Activity Header, and Activity Tabs Worksheet

7.1.5.1

Activity Search Control

To find an activity, enter a correct Plant ID and a routing (optional). If the activities under a specific operation
need to be searched, the routing must be entered first as operations only exist within the routings in which they
are created. Enter the search string which can contain any characters including Wildcards 15 . The wildcard %
will return all entries. Advanced Find 16 is also available in order to search for specific Global and Local 62
properties.

Activity Search Control

7.1.5.2

Activity Search List

The activity search list helps a user navigate through the Activity Editor. The list itself shows the activity ID and
description, as well as the plant where the activity occurs.

Right-clicking inside the Activity List will display the Activity Menu.

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Check Out and Check in Options: Refer to Check Out and Check In

63

91

for all relevant menu options.

Add New: Adds a new activity. Will launch a window where activity information can be entered.
Where Used Report: Generates a report to show the use of the activity in other processes (operations/
routings).
Customize View

21

: Customize what is shown about the activity in the search results area.

Activity Search List Right Click Menu

7.1.5.3

Activity Header

The activity header displays information about the activity that is selected in the activity list. The Activity ID, the
plant, when the activity was last modified, and which user last modified it are all displayed, as is the description
of the activity. The description can be edited when the activity is checked out.
The 'Is PFMEA Required" checkbox can be used as an internal reminder if the PFMEA 356 associated with the
activity should be edited when the activity is edited.

Activity Header for Activity 00000094

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7.1.5.4

Activity Editor Tabs

Unlike Routing and Operation editors, the main page of the Activity Editor is not a sheet view, but is a properties
tab. This editor is mainly used to edit the activities, and not to create any new entities, whereas the Routing
Editor can create Operations and the Operations Editor can create Activities. Work steps can be created within
activities (in the Work Step 104 tab), but the work steps are properties of the activity and not another entity.
Each tab is used to edit different properties of the activity. The tabs and corresponding properties are explained
in the sections that follow.

Activity Worksheet Displaying the Multiple Tabs of the Acitivity Editor

7.1.5.4.1 Properties

The Properties tab is used to edit Work Zone, Activity Text, Operator and Group IDs, Effective Dates,
Frequency, and Sequence number. All fields are available for edit when the activity is checked out, however, the
Activity Text button must be clicked to bring up a window for entering the text.

Properties Tab of the Activity Editor

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When the Edit Activity Text Button is clicked, a new window opens. This window has spelling check
capabilities.

Edit Activity Description Window

7.1.5.4.2 Custom Fields

Custom fields allow clients to track information beyond the standard fields included in Assembly Planner. The
custom fields tab in the Activity Editor shows the Custom Fields 464 for activities, and displays each custom
fields' value for the selected activity. Custom fields for Activities often include PPE, Safety, and Quality issues.
Users are able to add and manipulate Custom fields easily to suit their specific needs. The Custom Fields
sheet is a simple sheet of editable fields, check boxes, and drop downs that alter the details of an activity.

Activity Editor Custom Fields Tab

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7.1.5.4.3 Media

The media displays the the video and image that have been defined as the defaults for the activity. Both the
video and the image can be searched for and selected using the browse button. The video can be viewed and
the image can be edited.

Activity Editor Media Tab

7.1.5.4.3.1 Image Editor

Assembly Planner comes with an image editor suited for editing the images associated with activities. The
image editor can be used to create text, arrows, highlights, and measurements to show emphasis or
importance of features in the image.

Im age Editor used to edit im ages associated w ith activities

7.1.5.4.4 Time

The time tab in the Activity Editor is important, since information entered here is used to roll-up operation times
and ultimately routing times. There are three methods that can be used to create a time for an activity. These

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methods are comprised of estimated time, observed time, and calculated time.
For details on how to perform each type of study, go to the Time Study 269 section of the manual.

Estimated Time
Estimated times are estimated based on historical data. The values for estimated times need to be entered, and
a value-add percentage can also be included.

Observed Time
Observed time is based on a classic time study. This time study can be performed by observing the operator or
observing a video of the task being performed. Assembly Planner has a stopwatch tool in the activity Time tab,
which supports both video and stopwatch based time studies and allows users to record the time information as
the study progresses.
The activity is typically broken down into smaller elements when an observed time study is performed. Each
portion of these smaller elements can be broken down further into value-added and non-value added categories.
The tool will sum the value-add and non-value-added portions of the elements up to find the sum of each valueadded type for the activity.
The amount of time that is VA/NVA/SVA for each task can be identified by entering a percent in the cells
provided, or by double clicking the row to enter a MUDA editor. This is further explained in the Post-Observation
Analysis Tools 285 section within Time Study.
You can store and manage multiple observed time studies for an activity. If you wish to modify an existing
study, click the 'Manage Archives' button (shown in the next figure) and click on the Add Current Study button.
Add a Description for the current study and click 'Save.' Then you can make changes to the existing study,
while still maintaining a copy of the original. In the Archive Manager, you can Add and Delete studies, as well
as generate the Observed Time Report 318 by clicking the 'Report' button.

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Calculated Time
The calculated times are based on predetermined time systems like MTM1, BMOST, or MODAPTS. The valueadd percentages are computed automatically based on the time codes entered.
To perform a predetermined time study, select the activity and select the time standard. Enter the correct codes
for the activity. Click "Calculate" and the predetermined time will be associated with the activity. For more
specific instructions on how to use any of the predetermined time systems, please contact the respective
sponsoring organization.
The amount of time that is VA/NVA/SVA for each task can be identified by entering a percent in the cells
provided, or by double clicking the row to enter a MUDA editor. This is further explained in the Calculated VA/
NVA/SVA Analysis 294 section within Time Study.

Ergonomics
Within the Calculated and Observed time sections, an ergonomics mode may be selected to perform an
ergonomics study. This study is performed in the same format that is shown in the Ergonomics 310 section of
the Time Study Module. However, a quick summary is provided on the next page.

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Exam ple Basic Most Study in the Tim e Tab of the Activities Module
7.1.5.4.4.1 Ergonomics w ithin Time

You can complete ergonomics studies within the Activity Editor through the observed and calculated time tabs.
Within each of these time tabs, there is a separate tab attached to the bottom of the sheet called ergonomics.
There are two types of Ergonomic analyses that can be attached to Assembly Planner: Standard and
Empowered. Depending on your system preferences, you may have the Standard or Empowered MURI analysis
or neither. For a description of the differences, see the Standard vs Empowered 314 section.
When the ergonomics tab is selected within the observed time study mode, the elements of the activity (ID,
Description, Frequency, Time, RTT) automatically populate to the ergonomics tab if they were previously
entered in the observed time tab. If the data needs to be changed, they need to take place under the Tasks tab
within the table. See the Time Estimation 269 section for information on completing a time study.
When the ergonomics tab is selected within the calculated time study mode, the elements of the activity (ID,
Description, Operator Instruction, Code/Time, Frequency,Time, and RTT) automatically populate to the
ergonomics tab if they were previously entered in the calculated time tab. Under the ergonomics tab the user
will not be able to edit this data. If the data needs to be changed, they need to take place under the Code
Lookup Tab within the table.

The video imported within the observed time study can be viewed in the calculated time study to complete a
more precise ergonomics analysis (the video is automatically imported to the calculated time study from the
observed time study). Also by clicking on the StartTime or EndTime for a given task while the video is playing
can allow the time to be shown and associated with the task. By doing the the video that is loaded for the
activity will show up under the Video column.

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Ergonom ics Tab in the Tim e Tab of the Activity Editor

The weights of objects, force that must be applied, and steps that must be taken within activities can be added
within the sheet along with any notes. Ratings can be assigned to each category to perform the ergonomic
analysis for each activity. The colors specify varying levels of severity - red being a high severity, green being a
low severity. A legend for the ratings is shown in the ergonomics motions tab above the editing sheet. For a full
description on the functionality of the ergonomics tab, see the Ergonomics Time Study 310 section.
If the Options tab is not available within the Activity Editor as it is in the Operation Editor. However, the check
box for using only the standard score is available for use if only the standard nine metrics need to be used
rather than all seventeen. There is also the option to check the box to hide the score columns within the
Ergonomics.
The user also has the ability to change the weight of the categories. To do so, first go to Tools > Options and
click on the Ergonomics Tab 58 . Enter the desired weights for each level and category.

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Ergonom ics Tab Show ing Scoring

By checking the Group Edit box will allow for changes in the value for the actions that take place for an activity.
Once this box is check, clicking on the number below the picture that resembles the action will automatically
change the value in the table below. The user can also click on the boxes within the given action to manual
change the value given if that is more convenient. Scrolling all the way to the right will show the actions score of
all the actions added up.

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7.1.5.4.4.2 EMMURI

You can complete ergonomics studies within the Activity Editor through the observed and calculated time tabs.
Within each of these time tabs, there is a separate tab attached to the bottom of the sheet called ergonomics.
There are two types of Ergonomic analyses that can be attached to Assembly Planner: Standard and
Empowered. Depending on your system preferences, you may have the Standard or Empowered MURI analysis
or neither. For a description of the differences, see the Standard vs Empowered 314 section.
When the ergonomics tab is selected within the observed time study mode, the elements of the activity (ID,
Description, Frequency, Time, RTT) automatically populate to the ergonomics tab if they were previously
entered in the observed time tab. If the data needs to be changed, they need to take place under the Tasks tab
within the table. See the Time Estimation 269 section for information on completing a time study.
When the ergonomics tab is selected within the calculated time study mode, the elements of the activity (ID,
Description, Operator Instruction, Code/Time, Frequency,Time, and RTT) automatically populate to the
ergonomics tab if they were previously entered in the calculated time tab. Under the ergonomics tab the user
will not be able to edit this data. If the data needs to be changed, they need to take place under the Code
Lookup Tab within the table.

The video imported within the observed time study can be viewed in the calculated time study to complete a
more precise ergonomics analysis (the video is automatically imported to the calculated time study from the
observed time study). In Calculated Time by clicking on the StartTime or EndTime for a given task while the
video is playing can allow the time to be shown and associated with the task. By doing this the video that is
loaded for the activity will show up under the Video column.

Ergonom ics Tab Under the Tim e Tab In Activity

The weights of objects, force that must be applied, and steps that must be taken within activities can be added
within the sheet along with any notes. Ratings can be assigned to each category to perform the ergonomic
analysis for each activity. The colors specify varying levels of severity - red being a high severity, green being a
low severity. A legend for the ratings is shown in the ergonomics motions tab above the editing sheet. For a full
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description on the functionality of the ergonomics tab, see the Ergonomics Time Study 310 section.
If the Options tab is not available within the Activity Editor as it is in the Operation Editor. However, the check
box for using only the standard score is available for use if only the standard nine metrics need to be used
rather than all seventeen. There is also the option to check the box to hide the score columns within the
Ergonomics.

Hide Scoring and Standard Scoring Check Boxes

If the scores are not wanted or needed the Hide Score Columns box can be checked and the table will look like
the picture below with no scores next to the check boxes.

EM MURI With Hidden Scores

The user also has the ability to change the weight of the categories. To do so, first go to Tools > Options and
click on the Ergonomics Tab 58 . Enter the desired weights for each level and category.

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Ergonom ics Tab Show ing Scoring

Groups
Ergonomic scores can be changed manually by clicking on a given score for a specific task. If some tasks are
similar to one another the user can group them and edit a row having every task within that group have the same
data changes the user makes. To add a group, just right click and go to Add To Group.

Group Right Click Menu

Type in the group name or select one that has already been created from the drop down. Once this has been
selected or created the group that is wanted, click OK and the group should show up in the table.

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Add to Group Window

Having the task assigned to a certain group and selecting the group in the Ergonomics Group Drop-down allows
the function of clicking on the number below the picture that resembles the action will automatically change the
value in the table below. The user can also click on the boxes within the given action to manual change the
value given if that is more convenient. Scrolling all the way to the right will show the actions score of all the
actions added up.

Group Drop-dow n

Right Click Menu

The right click menu gives a lot of different functions that can be helpful in creating or editing an EMMURI study.

Group Right Click Menu

The cut, copy, paste, delete, insert rows and remove rows have their normal functionality that would be found in
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a normal spreadsheet.
Load Ergonomics Video Clip:
Reset to Process Video:
Set Evaluation Complete: Sets the evaluation check box to complete without having to scroll to it. Normally
done after completing a study.
Add to Group: Allows to add a group to classify a task or multiple tasks under.
Delete Group: Gives the function to delete and unwanted
Scroll to First Motion: This function will automatically scroll the tasks table and the ergonomics table to the
first motion to be evaluated.
Reset to Baseline: Sets all the ergonomic values to its baseline values that it started at.
Copy Ergonomic Values: Gives the function to copy a complete row of ergonomic values for a given task.
Paste Ergonomic Values: Gives the function to paste a complete row of ergonomic values for a given task to
look exactly like the other task.
7.1.5.4.5 Work Step

Work Steps are the smaller pieces of an activity that do not need to be their own activity due to the relatively
small amounts of time each individual task takes, or because the amount of work cannot be transferred between
stations. For example, picking up a bolt can be a work step but not an activity, an activity would be picking up
the bolt and then securing it to the assembly, which adds value to the final product for the customer. The
breakdown of elements within an acitivity can be added in the Work Step tab along with a description and an
SOP image (the image must be present in the Documents 108 tab) that will show up on reports when the activity
is preformed. Other fields may be added to this section for individual clients depending on the depth of use of
this feature.

The Time column can be used to manually enter a time for each work step (this data may be displayed as part
of a work instruction), or can be automatically populated from the observed time study performed on the same
activity. The recommended work flow to integrate work steps with observed time studies is as follows:
1. Document the work steps in the Work Step tab. Enter a Step No, Description, and any other fields
(excluding Time) that are pertinent to your work.
2. Go to the Actions menu at the top of your screen and select Update Work Steps > Copy Work Steps to
Observed Time. This will copy your work step list into the Tasks table of the Observed Time control within the
activity's Time tab 94 .

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3. Next, open the Observed Time control within the Time tab.
4. Complete the observed time study 275 so that you capture a time for each of your work steps.
5. Go to the Actions menu at the top of your screen and select Update Work Steps > Copy Observed Time
to Work Steps. This will copy your task list and times into the Work Step tab.
*Please note that either Copy function will clear the existing list in the Work Step or Time tab and replace it
with the list from which you are copying.

If, instead of take these steps for one activity at a time, you wish to write your work steps for many or all of your
activities, and perform time studies once finished, you may choose to use the Mass Update feature to copy
work steps from all activities at once. Then once you perform the observed time studies, you could return to the
Mass Update tool to copy the times back to the Work Step tab. For details of the Mass Update 438 procedure,
please visit that section of the manual.

7.1.5.4.6 Resource

Resources can be associated to specific activities. To associate a resource to an activity, click on the activity
in the Activity List. In the Resource tab, click the "Add Resource" button at the bottom. In the pop-up window,
search for and choose the resource to associate and click "Add".

Resource Tab in the Acitivity Editor

Note that resources can also b e mapped to processes (activities) via the ProcessResource Import 419 .

Model-Option Mapping for Resources

There is a 'Models' and an 'Options' column in the Resource Tab, which allows resource-specific model or option
mapping. This means that an activity can still be shared between models if the work content and task time is
common but different product configurations require different resources.
Right-click on the row of the resource you wish to modify and select 'Edit Model-Option Data.' A control similar
to the Model-Option Mapping Tab 108 will appear, allowing models and options to be added and validated before
being added to the resource row.
Note that a b lank in either the Model column or the Option column indicates that the resource applies to all models or
options, respectively.

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7.1.5.4.7 Consumption

The consumption control associates components (parts) with an activity. This has two main benefits. First, as
the activities move from station to station because of line balancing, the components that are needed at a
station are reported with the task assignments. This simplifies rearranging part delivery during rate, volume, or
model mix changes. Second, work instructions also report which components each activity consumes if they
have been associated with the activity.
To associate a component with an activity, parts can be selected from the BOM, from the component library, or
typed in manually. The first step is to enter the Consumption tab within the Activity Editor.

Consum ption Tab in the Activity Editor

To add a part from the BOM, click the "Add From BOM" button at the bottom of the consumption tab. Search
for and select the part(s) from the BOM and associate them with the activity. This search tool uses a tree
structure after finding a parent. Any checked boxes will be added to consumption when OK is clicked.

Select BOM Item s w indow appears after clicking "Add from BOM" - Displaying BOM Tab

The Where Used tab in the Select BOM Items window is used to find parent components for a known child

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item. It is very useful in cases where one part number is known, but what it is used in is not. To use it, search
the known part and everywhere it is used will be shown in the Where Used Tab. This is the opposite of BOM, as
it shows higher level parts rather than lower level parts.

Select BOM Item s w indow appears after clicking "Add from BOM" - Displaying Where Used Tab

By default, parts will appear sequentially according to the order in which they were imported.
To associate a component from the Component Editor, click on the "Add From Library" button. Search for and
select the part(s) from the component list and associate them with the activity. This is a standard Search 14 for
components.

Model-Option Mapping at Consumption Level

There is a 'Model' and an 'Option' column available in the Consumption Tab for consumption-specific model or
option mapping. This means that an activity can still be shared between models if the work content and task
time is common but the consumption is different.
Type in the Models or Options that the consumption applies to as a comma separated list. Note that a blank in
either the Model column or the Option column indicates that the item applies to all models or options,
respectively. The consumption-level model-option mapping is not required.
To illustrate when model-option mapping at the consumption level is helpful, consider a situation where a plant
has five types of optional cooling systems for the one vehicle model they build. For each cooling system, there
are ten components; eight of these components are identical across all options. All ten components are
assembled and installed in the same activity. In this case, we can have one activity in the database. The eight
common parts are entered in the Consumption Tab and both the Model and Option columns are blank. The two
unique parts for each of the five options would also be entered in the Consumption Tab; each part would have
the appropriate entry in the Option column.
This approach allows the one activity to be shared among all options. Without using the Model-Option mapping

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for the consumed parts, the activities would have needed to be duplicated for each option.
7.1.5.4.8 Model Option Mapping

Please see the Mapping Models and Options to Activities 148 section to learn about this topic.
If you do not see the Model-Option Mapping Tab , check the Activity List search parameters to make sure you have
included the routing. Model-Option Mapping is a local property of any activity; it is dependent on the relationship
b etween the activity and parent processes. If you have not included a routing in your search, you are looking at the
glob al copy of the activity, which has no parent relationships. Add the routing as a search parameter, re-select the
activity, and you will see the Model-Option Mapping Tab .
7.1.5.4.9 Documents

Any documents that should be associated with an activity may be added in the documents tab within the
Activity Editor.

Docum ents Tab of the Activity Editor

Documents can be imported by using the import button

to browse to and select the document.

Documents can be exported by using the export button

in the same way.

The refresh button

The delete button
The properties button
modified date, etc).

is used to ensure the most current documents are the ones attached.
is used to delete documents from Assembly Planner.
opens a screen containing the basic information of the document (size, type,

The check out/check in/undo check out buttons can be used to set the status of the document.
When checked out
document is checked back in.
When checked in
If undo checkout is selected

, the document can be opened, edited, and saved with changes once the

, the document can be opened, but changes cannot be made and saved.
, the changes made while checked out are not saved.

Every time a document is checked in, the number under the Version column increases by one automatically to
keep track of how many times the document has been edited.

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Images can be obtained from PowerPoint presentations or Excel spreadsheets that have been imported in the
documents tab. Right-clicking on the desired document brings up a menu with Extract Image at the bottom.

Right-click m enu in the Docum ents Tab w ith

Extract Im age as an option

Once selected, this brings up a new menu to specify what image should be taken. If the image is from an excel
file, a rectangular range of cells must be selected from the Image Extraction defaults previously set in the
General Tab 44 of the Options Menu 44 , or in the form [cell in the top left, cell in the bottom right]. If the file is a
PowerPoint, the number of the slide from which the image should be taken must be provided. Also, a name for
the exported file must be provided.

Im age Extraction Window for Extracting Work Instruction Im ages from

Excel and Pow erPoint docum ents

If successful, the image will show up in the documents tab as a JPG with the name provided in the output
image filename field.
Images that will be displayed with work instructions should be saved as a document in this tab. For a given

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activity in the Work Instruction Module 344 , the insert image function will show only images associated with that
activity.
7.1.5.4.10 Where Used

Clicking "Search" shows all of the parents of the selected activity. This displays of the higher-level processes
(operations) in which the activity is used, and if the tree is expanded, it shows the routings that contain the
operations.

Where Used Tab in the Activity Editor show ing the higher level operations and routings in w hich the
activity is used
7.1.5.4.11 History

Assembly Planner helps keep track of changes that have been made. The system automatically records things
like check in, check out, and revision changes. Checking the box in front of 'Show System Generated
Messages' then clicking 'Fetch History' will retrieve and display Assembly Planner records. System generated
messages cannot be edited by the user.

History Show ing User Added History "Item Check In: Custom Field values m odified"

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Users can also add/edit history in addition to the system generated messages. For example, instead of seeing
a message that simply says "Item Checked In", a message could be added to say "Item Checked In. Custom
Field values modified." This provides a more specific history in addition to the system generated history. In order
for a user to add/edit the history of a resource, item, routing, operation, or activity that entity must be checked
out by the user.

Interface for Add/Edit screen opened w hen the Add or Edit button is clicked

7.1.5.5

Activity Editor Reports

Process Time Summary Report: Shows a summary of the calculated, observed, and estimated times in pie
chart form. It includes details for the observed and calculated time to show allowances, man/machine
breakdown, and other adjustments. This is a useful tool to see how the times differ.
Process Report: The Activity process report gives a summary of the activity. It includes a summary of any time
data about the activity. For activities that have all three times, the report will have an Estimated Time section, a
Calculated Time section, and an Observed Time section. Each of these has a chart that shows the value added
and non-value-added time.
Observed Time Report: This report displays the Observed Time data for the activity.
Calculated Time Report: This report shows the details of the Calculated Time data for the activity.
Process Mapping Report: This report provides a list of all the options mapped to an activity, along with the
drawing numbers that are tied to it. The report also shows the MOST details for the activity.
Process History Report: This report compares two different revisions of a process and reports differences in
consumption and times.
SOP Report: This report creates report for each activity under the operation. The activity reports contain
component, tool, and safety needs. As well as work steps and most of the fields that can be edited in the
Activity Editor 92 .
Checked-out Processes Report: This report can be run from the Routing, Operation, or Activity Editor. It
shows all of the processes that are currently checked out for edit. It displays the process ID, Process Type,
Routing Type, and Description of each component and who checked it out.
Work Instruction Report: Shows a report of the activity's standard work in a detailed work instruction
containing all work steps (SWAS). Can also show the activity in a less detailed work instruction (SWS). Note
that the names of the reports may vary.
MURI Reports
Standard MURI Report: Created to show the Standard Score in a MURI analysis based on the ergonomics
section of the time tab.

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Empowered MURI Report: Created to show the entire detailed score in an MURI analysis (EMMURI score)
based on the ergonomics section of the time tab.
After completing an ergonomic study, the MURI reports are available for use. By going into the reports header
and selecting either standard or empowered MURI analysis and then observed or calculated, a report can be
generated for the study.

Reports Menu accessed from the Activity Editor

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The report that is created pulls data from the spreadsheet that was created in the Ergonomics Tab 97 of either
calculated or observed time and turns it into a more visual report. It shows the graphical breakdown of the tasks
as well as the spreadsheet with the raw data.

MURI Ergonom ics Report

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7.2

Paint Codes

Paint codes may not apply to your business practices. The following section details the way paint codes are
utilized in Assembly Planner for current clients. This logic can be modified and customized for other clients if
desired. Contact your Proplanner Representative 3 for more information.

Reason for Paint Code Process

Data in CMStat does not contain paint codes, but it is important for the output to MAPICS to contain paint
codes. The process described below is a way for Assembly Planner to collect data from CMStat and translate it
into output data that MAPICS requires. Furthermore, Assembly Planner considers an assembly to be
composed of one set of parts. To be more specific, any time an assembly is referenced, the list of parts used to
create the assembly is exactly the same. Therefore, parts differing only in paint finish will appear as one part in
Assembly Planner, but will be output as color-specific parts to MAPICS.

Setting up and Editing the Data

To establish the data necessary for paint codes to function properly, several steps must be taken. When data is
initially sent from the client and imported to Assembly Planner during setup, this process will be completed by
Proplanner staff. If changes are made, an administrator will need to perform these steps.
1. Create Lists 426
a. Add new lists (FinishedByCode and Finish Type) and enter the List Values and their descriptions.
Note: If a new Finish Type or Finished By Code is added to the system, an administrator will need
to edit the Finish Type or FinishedByCode list.

FinishedByCode List w ith exam ples in List Managem ent

Finish Type w ith exam ples in List Managem ent

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Create Custom Fields 464

a. Select the BOMItem entity.
b. Add new custom fields (FinishedByCode and FinishType) under the BOMItem entity and assign the
corresponding list.

BOMItem list under Custom Fields Manager displaying FinishedByCode and Finish Type custom fields

c. Select the Consumption entity.

d. Add new custom field (PaintCode) under the Consumption entity.

Consum ption list under Custom Fields Manager displaying PaintCode custom field

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3.

Populate custom fields

a. Go to the Component Editor to find and check out the Component to which you will be making
changes.
b. Click on the BOM tab.
c. Define the custom field values for each row of the mBOM.

Note: Every time new data is imported, an administrator will need to follow this step to mak e necessary
changes to the mBOM.
4.

Populate custom fields in the Consumption Tab automatically or manually

Note: If a new model is added, Step 4 will need to be completed by an administrator
a. Using Automatic Model-Option Mapping
i. Go to the Routing Editor to find and check out the Routing to which you will be making
changes.
ii. Right-click on the Routing name and select Autobuild Model-Option Mapping.

Routing Search List Right-click m enu highlighting Autobuild

Model-Option Mapping by Orders

iii. Verify that the fields have been populated by going to the Consumption tab of the Operation
Editor and checking the Model and Paint Code fields.

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b. Manually
i. Go to the Routing Editor to find and check out the Routing and the Operation to which you
will be making changes.
ii. Go to the Consumption tab of the Operation Editor.
iii. In a comma separated list, add paint codes to the Paint Code column in each operation
row. Order the paint codes so that each paint code matches the order of its corresponding
model in that row. (The first model number will be associated with the first paint code; the
second model will be associated with the second paint code; etc.)

Activity Properties Tab displaying Paint Codes and the associated Models to w hich that activity
applies

5.

Define codes in the Model Editor 143

a. If necessary, add a new platform ID (for a new model).
b. Select the platform ID and go to the Finish tab of the Platform Mappings section. The Type and
Location columns should already be populated.
c. Enter the code (A, E, D, G, H, J, X, etc.) corresponding to each type/location combination. This
code will become part of the paint code suffix.

Defining codes in the Model Editor

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Import/Export Logic
When data is imported from CMStat to Assembly Planner, the process outlined above needs to be taken. Once
data is imported, all changes to the data must be made in Assembly Planner. When the BOM is exported to
MAPICS, Assembly Planner will use the Finish Type, FinishedByCode, and Location fields for each product
number to attach the appropriate paint code according to the following logic.
1.

Find Finish Type for Item

a. If NdFn, append NF to the Item ID
b. If NoFn, do not append anything to the Item ID
c. If (empty string), do not append anything to the Item ID
d. Otherwise
i. Append a character (Paint Code Prefix) to the Item ID based on the FinishedByCode custom
field
1. If TVS, append T
2. If VND, append V
3. If 2VN, append V
ii. Access the PlatformFinishMapping table to append the remaining characters (Paint Code
Suffix)
1. Find the PlatformFinishMapping row corresponding to the BOM rows FinishType custom
field value
2. Append the PlatformFinishMapping rows FinishCode value to the Item ID

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119

MUDA Analysis

To use the MUDA task classification tools within Assembly Planner, you can take the following steps. You can
perform this type of study for each activity or for each time element within a calculated time study.

1. To perform a MUDA analysis, complete an observed and/or calculated time study for your selected activities.
You can assign specific task classifications to each element within each study. The values, descriptions,
and colors of the different types of MUDA can be set by clicking the Edit MUDA Classifications button in the
Time Estimation 45 Options tab.

Tim e Classification w indow to assign MUDA types to a task

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2. In the calculated time study, you can define a task classification for each element by selecting the
classification from the VA Type drop-down list, or by opening the window you see above by clicking on the
ellipses button

, then selecting the category from that window by double clicking on it.

A com pleted BMOST tim e study in the Activity Library Tim e Tab (once a tim e study is com pleted VA classifications
can be assigned to the elem ents)

Once a VA Type is selected, all of the time that mak es up that work step is considered the selected
classification of VA and the name of the type is shown.

The VA type for the frst elem ent of the study is set to Holding

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3. In the observed time study, you can define the time spent on each task classification for each element. To do
this, double click on the VA/NVA/or SVA cells for the element, then type in the time value for each
classification. Make sure the total time of the classifications equals the normal time of the task, if it does not
add up, the cells will be highlighted yellow and flagged by a red square in the top right corner.

4. Once you have completed your MUDA analysis for individual elements, you can summarize the data for an
entire process. Make sure the activity you have been analyzing is open, then go to the Reports menu and
select the Observed Time Report or Calculated Time Report, depending on the type of study you performed.
An example of the Calculated Time Report is shown below.

Sam ple Calculated Tim e Report for an Activity

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7.4

Component Editor

The Component Editor can be opened by clicking on the component button

in the Library menu. This
editor contains information about parts. End items, assemblies, and all parts are shown in this editor, and
components can be added individually here (to add more than one component at once, see Import Items 413 or
Import BOM 414 ). Changes can be made to both BOM details and Item details in this editor. The Component
Editor is set up so that every component has a folder, which contains all the information related to the
component. Even old revisions of the component are stored here.
There are three main areas of interest in the Component Editor: the Component Search Control 122 and Search
List 123 on the left, the Component Header 124 at the top right, and the Tabbed Section 122 at the bottom right.

Navigation Pane of the Com ponent Editor

Note: The right-click menu has different options depending on where you click.

7.4.1

Component Search Control

To find a specific component, use the search feature in the Component Editor. Searching for a component is
similar to searching for other entities in Assembly Planner, such as routings, operations, activities, or
resources. If you know the ID of the desired component, entering it into the search text box and clicking the
search button will bring up all components with IDs containing the info in the search bar. For a complete list of
all components, enter the % symbol in the search bar and execute a search. A list of the other valid wildcards
can be found in the Wildcards 15 section of this manual. The search control also has an Advanced Find 16
tool, accessible through the arrow next to the large binocular icon, that can be used for more specific searches
Under the Component's Advanced Find icon, there is a selection unique to the component editor: My Modified
Item. Selecting this will show a dynamic list of parts. If you were the last one to check out and edit an item, it
will show up in this list. As soon as someone else checks out the item, it will no longer appear in your list.

Com ponent Search Control displaying search results for

_20234 com ponent search

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7.4.2

123

Component Search List

The component list is the feature that allows users to navigate through the Component Editor. It displays a tree
structure with folders for each component, and when a specific component is selected from the component list,
more information is displayed in the header and the worksheet area on the right side of the screen.
The component list provides easy reference to the components with three columns: ID, Revision, and
EngStatus. These three summarize the essential information about the components, making it quicker to find
what you are looking for. For each unique component ID, there is a folder in the ID column. When these folders
are expanded, all of the revisions of that component are visible. In the example below, the LOS 2025 has
multiple revisions stored within the component folder.

Com ponet Search Control displaying

m ultiple revisions and the list
right-click m enu

Several instances of the same part are differentiated by the second column, the revision. The most recent
revision, which is the only one that can be Checked Out 63 and edited, is on top.

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If a user tries to check out a part with a higher revision they will get the following error:

Error if a user tries to Check Out a com ponent w ith a higher revision

The third column, EngStatus, tracks the status of the revision with regards to engineering. The component is
"Released" after an Engineering Change Order (ECO) is issued. For users not using the Engineering Change
Management 162 system, components will be released when they are imported or added to Assembly Planner.
The Component Menu is found by right-clicking in the component list.
Check Out and Check in Options: Refer to Check Out and Check In 63 for all relevant menu options
Add New: Allows user to add a new item. Note: A user must right-click in the white space of the
Component Search List for the Add New function to be enabled.
Update BOM Diff Flags: Updates the eBOM-mBOM comparison flags.
Child Status Query: Reports all the items under the component that are currently checked out.
Where Used Report: Reports all places where the component is used by providing a list of parent parts
that require the component.

7.4.3

Component Header

Information in the header field includes:

Item ID: The ID of the part.
Revision: The current part revision.
Eng Status: The engineering status of the part, which can be either WIP (Work in Progress) or Released.
For those using the optional Engineering Change Management System 162 , the status is dependent on
whether there is an open ECR (Engineering Change Request) for this part, which sets the status to WIP,
or whether the corresponding ECO (Engineering Change Order) has come through, which changes the
status to Released. The Change Management System is not availab le in the b asic product. Please contact
Proplanner for more information.

Mfg Status: The manufacturing status of the part is like the engineering status in that it can be either
WIP or Released. If the part has an open ECR, the status is WIP. The only way to change the
manufacturing status to released is to have an issued MCO (Manufacturing Change Order).
Description: The description can be edited when the component is checked out.
Modified On: This field lists when the part was last modified.
Modified By: This field lists the user who last checked out this part for modification.
Is DFMEA Required: This checkbox can be used as an internal reminder if the DFMEA associated with
the component should be edited when the component is edited.
Last Eng Chg#: This field displays the last ECO or ECR number that modified the component.
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BOM View Filter: "Show All" will display all of the BOM; "Filter by As of Date" will only display portions
of the BOM applicable at the selected date.
Primary Routing: A part may be included in several routings; the header field displays the primary
routing number and description. To see all the other routings, see the Where Used 129 tab.
Last Rev: Corresponds to the last engineering change number and the revisions under it.
Stocking Type: Indicates the type of item, commonly used within ERPs.

Com ponent Header for Com ponent LOS 2025 Revision D

7.4.4

Component Editor Tabs

The tabs in the Component Editor contain a wealth of information about the component that is currently
selected in the component list.
To edit information in any of the tab s, you will need to first check out the component.

Com ponent Editor Tabs

7.4.4.1

Properties

The properties tab shows standard information about the component. Though they are standard, some fields
may not apply to your data. Some fields that may be particularly useful are the 'IsModel' and 'IsOption' that help
define how models and options should be automatically mapped through consumption using the Automatic
Model-Option Mapping 149 available in Assembly Planner.
You will also see the routing map in this tab. This is relevant for machined items whose routing IDs match the
item IDs. If the item has a matching routing (and/or alternate routings), they will appear in this routing map
automatically. You can double click on one of the routings in the list to open the routing. The routing number at
the top right of the component header shows the current routing.
7.4.4.2

Custom Fields

The custom fields tab displays all of the custom fields that are Global and Local Properties 62 for a given item
(Item custom fields). Some custom fields displayed may not apply to your data. You can use the Customize

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View

21

option in the right-click menu and hide those fields you do not wish to see in this spreadsheet.

Custom fields for any item properties that are dependent on the BOM (BOM Item custom fields) are not
displayed here. These fields are found in the 'Properties' or 'Mass View/Edit Item' selections in the right-click
menu of the BOM 126 tab.
7.4.4.3

BOM

The Bill of Materials is divided into two sections: the eBOM (engineering Bill of Materials) and the mBOM
(manufacturing Bill of Materials). Either of these sections can be minimized using the minimize arrows
,
increasing the portion of the screen the other takes up. Performing a BOM Comparison 131 (comparing the
eBOM to the mBOM) is a task that can be easily performed in Assembly Planner.
The mBOM can be edited in Assembly Planner. The eBOM is read-only and cannot be edited. However,
copying portions of the eBOM to paste into the mBOM is allowed.

eBOM & m BOM

The fields displayed on both the eBOM and mBOM side of this tab by default are:
Part Number: Unique ID of the child item
Rev: Revision of the child item used in this BOM
Name: Name of the child item
Description: Description of the child item.
MFG Status: Engineering Status of the child item (Released or WIP). This depends on open ECOs or
whether the items have been checked in or out.
Type: Item type - typically defined by PDM or ERP systems
Qty: Quantity of the item used within the BOM
From Date: Date on which the item becomes effective within the BOM
To Date: Date on which the item is longer effective within the BOM
ConsWorkbenchIsTimeOut: Check box indicates whether the BOM is still active based on From and To
dates.
ComponentFindNo (eBOM only): This is a field typically defined by the PDM system.
OpSeq# (mBOM only): Associates the item to the process in which it is used/consumed
TimedOut (mBOM only): This can be used in conjunction with From and To Dates.
BOM Diff. Flag: Correlates to the color highlighting of the item's row and indicates the differences between
the eBOM and mBOM. See BOM Comparison 131 for details.

Editing in mBOM Tab

While there is no editing allowed in the eBOM tab, there is the ability to edit within the mBOM tab. Fields that
may not be edited while in this view are marked with the lock symbol

. These fields are read-only. All other

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fields may be edited by clicking within the cell to be edited once. That cell should then become active and
editable. In some cases there are finite choices and drop downs will appear rather than let text be entered. In
cases where a date must be chosen, a calendar will appear if the drop down arrow is clicked, otherwise, typing
numbers for the date directly is possible. In this example, the name of the LOS has been changed, and the drop
down arrow is shown in the line type column.

Editable Fields and Dropdow ns

The fields shown in this sheet are changeable by right clicking and using the Customize View 21 tool. Also,
clicking on the column head will sort the sheet by that column by ascending/alphabetical on one click, and
descending on two clicks.

Mass Edit
In order to more efficiently edit the mBOM, the Mass Edit view can be chosen by right clicking in the mBOM
sheet and clicking on Mass Edit. Note that this will only open the top level within the BOM tab and not the
children underneath. In order to edit the children with Mass Editor, the parent of the children must first be
selected.

Mass Edit

This view supports more functions to speed up the process of editing, such as dragging values to cover multiple
cells. It also shows editable fields using color coded cells rather than the lock on the title. Once all necessary
changes have been made, clicking the OK button will save changes, while clicking the Close button will discard
them.

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Mass Edit View

Also, just as with the mBOM tab, the fields shown in this sheet are changeable by right clicking and using the
Customize View 21 tool. Also, clicking on the column head will sort the sheet by that column by ascending/
alphabetical on one click, and descending on two clicks.

eBOM Right Click Menu

The eBOM is not editable. An engineering Bill of Materials can be imported but cannot be edited within
Assembly Planner.
Right-clicking in the eBOM area provides three options:
Copy: Copies a component, which can be pasted in the mBOM.
Open Item (or Component): Opens the selected component.
Properties: Opens the properties window for the selected component. The Properties window shows the
custom fields pertaining to the BOM and Item. If the Properties are opened from the eBOM side, this
window will be view-only. To modify any of the fields for a particular item, you must open the Properties
from the mBOM side.
Customize View: Allows the user to use the Customize View 21 tool to change the hidden/shown
columns and their order.

mBOM Right Click Menu

Right-clicking in the mBOM area provides several options:
Cut: This feature is not yet enabled. If you wish to remove an item from the BOM, use the Delete
selection.
Copy: Standard edit function that makes a copy of an item from the BOM.
Check Out and Check in Options: Refer to Check Out and Check In 63 for all relevant menu options.
Note: You must have the parent component in the Routing Search List 68 checked out to for these
options to be enabled.
Paste as a Sibling: Pastes the copied component at the highest level other components in the mBOM
have (the item will be a sibling to the existing items).
Paste as a Child: Inserts the component one level underneath the item you have right-clicked on.
Insert as Sibling: Inserts New, Existing, Text, or Resource items at the highest level other components
in the mBOM have (the item will be a sibling to the existing child items). A new item can be added by
providing its description. For existing, text, or resource items, search for the item and then insert it.
Add as a Child: Adds a component one level lower. As with Insert, a new, existing, text, or resource
item can be added. Note: You must check out the parent component in the mBOM before you can add a
component as a child to it.
Properties: Opens the properties window for the selected component. This Properties window allows
modification of custom fields pertaining to the BOM and Item. In order to modify the item custom fields
the child item MUST be checked out.
Open Item: Opens the selected item.
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Mass Edit (or View) Item: The Mass Edit/View sheet brings both BOM and Item custom fields into one
sheet or view for editing of all child items of the parent item you have open. The Mass Edit menu is
enabled only if the parent item is checked out. In order to edit the item properties of the children, make
sure that the child items are checked out. If nothing is checked out, this selection will be displayed as
Mass View.
Customize View: Allows the user to use the Customize View 21 tool to change the hidden/shown
columns and their order.
7.4.4.4

Where Used

Clicking "Search" in the bottom right hand corner of this tab shows all of the part's parents as well as processes
in which the part has been consumed. The list shows each of the higher-level items that the component goes
into (where it is used).
Note that you can double click on any of the items or processes shown in the Where Used search to open
them.

BOM Search Results

When you are interested in parents of the selected item, make the appropriate setting before clicking the
'Search' button to ensure the results display the information you are looking for:
Select BOM Types: Select either EBOM or MBOM, depending on which type of BOM you wish to search for
the selected item in.
Show Latest Revisions only: Checking this box will only show the latest revision of the parent parts.
Perform Multi-level Where Used: If this box is checked, instead of returning only the immediate parent of the
selected item, the where used will be performed on the parent's items as well, depending on the number set in
the 'Select Max Levels' drop down menu. If 2 levels are selected, the results should show the immediate parent
of the selected item, and the immediate parent of the parent. If a greater number of levels are selected, the
search will continue until the max level defined is reached, or until the search reaches the top level of the BOM
structure.

BOM search results portion of the Where Used Tab in the Com ponent Editor

Processes Search Results

When you are interested in parents of the selected item, make the appropriate setting before clicking the
'Search' button to ensure the results display the information you are looking for:
Filter By Revision: Checking this box will only display consumption records for the selected item revision. If
left unchecked, the results will show consumption records for all of the selected item's revisions.
Show Consumption Records: Checking this box will display consumption details for the selected item, along
with the activity, operation, and routing (if you expand the tree) of the consumption. The results will be in a
similar format to the example shown below.

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If left unchecked, the activity, operation, and routing of the consumption will be available for display if you
expand the tree.

Ignore Records with Item as Parent: Checking this box will not show a record in which the selected item is
the parent of the actual consumed item. If left unchecked, any records where the selected item appears the
consumed part of the parent of the consumed part will be displayed.
7.4.4.5

Documents

Any document (images, CAD drawings, Word docs, pdfs, etc.) associated with a component may be added in
the documents tab. Simply click on the import button
and browse to the document. Click "Open" after
selecting the document to add the selection to the list documents for the component. This feature is helpful
because documents like CAD drawings or specification papers can be associated with the component, making
them easy to find. A more in depth discussion of the tools and uses of the documents tab is provided in the
Documents 108 section under the Activity Editor portion of this manual.
7.4.4.6

History

The history tab has the same basic functions in the all the Process, Component, and Resource Editors in
Assembly Planner. These basic functions have been described in greater detail under the History Tab 110
description in the Activity Editor section of this manual.

7.4.5

Revision Controls and Rules

Assembly Planner uses revisions to help keep track of how many times a component has been modified. When
changes are made to a component (typically because of design or product changes), Assembly Planner
updates the Component's Revision.

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Com ponent Editor displaying Revision C of com ponenet 01-1702 dem onstrating the results of the Revision Control
Rules

In the current version of Assembly Planner, the rules about how revisions may be named are as follows:
Revision names may be blank, 0 (zero), or alphabetical. For alphabetical revisions, both single (A,B,C etc.) and
double (AA,AB,AC etc.) are allowed. Alpha-numeric combinations or numbers other than zero are not
supported.
If you require a different revision scheme (numerical, alphanumeric, etc.), Proplanner is able to accommodate by
modifying your company's database. You will need to Contact Your Proplanner Representative 3 and specify
the logic that needs to be implemented regarding revisions.

7.4.6

BOM Comparison

Assembly Planner makes it easy to look at differences between an engineering Bill of Materials and a
manufacturing Bill of Materials by automatically flagging differences. In addition, you can generate reports
showing differences between two manufacturing Bills of Material.

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Flags
In the Component Editor's BOM tab, Assembly Planner can highlight differences between the eBOM and the
mBOM. To do this, select the item you wish to compare from the search list, make sure you have it checked
out, then right-click, and select 'Update BOM Diff Flags.'

Com ponent Editor Search List right-click m enu highlighting

the Update BOM Diff Flags option

Any discrepancies will be highlighted in color, and each color has a different meaning. You can use the chart
below to interpret the meaning of each color. The Diff Type is also displayed in the last column of the eBOM and
mBOM view tables.

Color

BOM type

What it means

Green
Peach
Yellow
Light Pink
Blue
Grey

eBOM and mBOM

eBOM
eBOM and mBOM
mBOM
mBOM
eBOM and mBOM

Part has been added

Part is new to the database
Quantity or revision has changed
Remove this part it is not found in the eBOM.
This part was created for and is used by manufacturing.
This is the last usage of the part.

Comparison Reports
Please see Component Editor Reports 132 .

7.4.7

Component Editor Reports

Components do not need to be checked out to generate a report in the Component Editor.
The following reports are accessible through the Reports menu when the Component Editor is open (all reports
may not appear in your configuration of Assembly Planner):
BOM Compare: Search for and select multiple Bills of Material and compare them. The report has a list of
common parts (those that have the same ID, Revision, and Quantity), a list of parts with different quantities, and
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a list of parts with different revisions. The report header includes the date the report was generated and the user
name of the creator.
To generate this report, enter or select the items to be compared in the spreadsheet shown below; to browse for
the items, click the "Add" button. The components do not need to be checked out.
If you want to compare an eBOM, make sure that the 'Is eBOM?' flag is checked. Otherwise, the report will
use the mBOM.
To filter the BOM by a date, check the 'Filter BOM?' flag and provide a date.
Check the 'Compare Multiple Level' box at the bottom to compare multiple levels of the BOM. Otherwise, the
report will only compare the first level children.
If you would like a report that compares the engineering and manufacturing versions of the currently selected
BOM, select the 'eBOM-mBOM Compare' report from the reports menu instead of 'BOM Compare'.

Input w indow for BOM Com pare Report

eBOM-mBOM Compare: Compare the engineering Bill of Materials to the manufacturing Bill of Materials for
the selected component. The report has a list of common parts (those that have the same ID, Revision and
Quantity), a list of parts with different quantities, and a list of parts with different revisions. The report header
includes the date the report was generated and the user name of the creator.
mBOM Report: This reports the contents of the manufacturing bill of materials for the selected component. The
ID, revision, level, description, type, quantity, and unit of measure for all sub-components are listed. The header
includes the date and time of the last modification to the mBOM and which user modified it, as well as the date
the report was created and the user that created it.
eBOM Report: This reports the contents of the engineering bill of materials for the selected component. The ID,
revision, level, description, type, quantity, and unit of measure for all sub-components are listed. The header
includes the date and time of the last modification to the eBOM and which user modified it, as well as the date
the report was created and the user that created it.
Service Parts List: This report lists all parts currently flagged as service parts. Items are flagged as service
parts when the IsServicePart Item field is checked; the ServicePartStatusChangeDate records when the service
part changed status.
Service Parts Report: This report allows users to view more in-depth data on the service parts. The filter used
to generate this report allows the user to check any or all of the criteria Service Parts Added, Service Parts
Removed, Service Parts not in MBOMs, and Service Parts not in Database. A date is selected, and then the
report is generated.
Checked-out Components Report: This report shows all of the components that are currently checked out for
edit. It displays the ID, Revision, Description of each component and who checked it out.

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The following reports are accessible through the right-click menu when you have selected an item in the
Component Editor's Search Control 122 :
Child Status Query: This report is similar to the Checked-out Components Reports, but instead of showing all
checked-out components, this report shows only the checked-out child items of the particular item you have
selected.
Where Used Report: This report shows similar information as the search run from the Where Used Tab 129 , but
can be printed and saved. Any eBOMs or mBOMs the item is a part of will be listed. The Complete Path
represents the tree structure of the BOM, starting from the top level parent, working its way down to the direct
parent of the selected item. The processes in which the item has been consumed are also listed. In this last
table, the Complete Path shows the Routing ID (Type)/Operation ID (OpSeqNo)/Activity ID (ActSeqNo) where
the part has been mapped in consumption. It also identifies whether the part has been consumed as a parent
item or not.

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135

Resources

In Assembly Planner, "Resource" is a term that applies to any tool or fixture. A client can choose to only
monitor major resources, or all resources on one line, or all resources in the plant Assembly Planner does not
limit the number of resources allowed. The following are some important concepts that explain how Assembly
Planner handles resources.

Defining Resources
Users can define and edit resources and the data associated with each of them within the Resource Editor.
Resource data can be entered manually or can be imported. To add a new resource, right-click in the Resource
List and enter the Resource ID, Name, and Description. The last two fields are optional, but the Resource ID is
required.

Resource Editor Search List right-click m enu

highlighting the Add New function

A detailed explanation of how to import resource data can be found in the Import Resources 533 tutorial.

Mapping Resources
Assembly Planner allows resources to be mapped to either stations or specific tasks. If a task needs a specific
tool, the association step tells Assembly Planner that a task must have said tool. This helps during the Line
Balance 227 , because the user will see flags if the tool is not available at the station the task has been assigned
to. Mapping resources to tasks occurs in the Activity Editor 90 .
Mapping a resource to a station tells Assembly Planner where tools and fixtures are currently located. This will
eventually help inform the user where the resources need to be moved to once a new line balance has been
performed. The most important resource-to-station mapping is for monumental resources.

Monumental Resources
Tracking monumental resources, which are resources that cannot be moved or are otherwise fixed to a
particular workstation, is especially important to. Examples include a pit in the floor or a fixture anchored to the
floor. Both of these are resources that would be difficult (and expensive) to move as part of a standard line
balance; it is desirable to tie these resources to workstations and flag them as monumental so Assembly
Planner knows they need to stay in the same place.
A monumental resource should first be defined and mapped just as all other resources are. Then the user can
designate resources as monumental in the Line Balancing module. An explanation of how to do so can be found
in Assigning Tasks Automatically 263 .

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Resource Classes
Another concept in the discussion of resources is the concept of resource classes. The resource class is a
user-created general category describing the type of tool. All resources have unique IDs; the class allows the
user to group similar resources. For example, if three screw guns (SG01, SG02, SG03) exist, Assembly
Planner sees these as unique, dissimilar entities until a "Screw gun" class is created and all three guns are
added to it. When the class is created, the user can associate a class with a process rather than a specific
tool. Then during a line balance, Assembly Planner will look for a tool of the correct class instead of looking for
an individual member of the class.
To create a resource class from the Resource Editor, go to Tools and select the 'Resource Class Library'
option. A window where resource classes can be created or edited will open.

7.5.1

Resource Editor

Clicking the Resource icon

will open the Resource Editor.

There are three main areas of interest in the Resource Editor: the Resource List at the left, the header on the
top right, and the tabs at the bottom right. These areas can be re-sized or hidden.

Resource Initial Screen

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7.5.1.1

137

Resource Search Control

The resource search control is similar to other search controls throughout Assembly Planner. If the user knows
a specific resource ID or portion of an ID, the ID can be entered into the search bar. After entering the correct
information hit enter or click the search button
. The % search string will return all entries, a list of the other
valid wildcards can be found in the Wildcards 15 section of this manual. The search control also has an
Advanced Find 16 tool, accessible through the arrow next to the large binocular icon, that can be used for more
specific searches.

Resource Search List

7.5.1.2

Resource Search List

The Resource Search List displays the Resource ID and description. Right-clicking on a resource ID in the
Resource List brings up a menu that allows the user to Check Out 63 a resource for changes or edits.

Resource Editor Search List

displaying the right-click m enu

Right-clicking on the white space in this control also allows you to select "Add New" and define an ID, Name,
and Description for a new resource.
Note: Depending on system preferences, the 'Name' field may not be editable through the 'Add New' control. If
resources are added either through an import tool the 'Name' fields can be included.

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7.5.1.3

Resource Header

Resource Header

Resource ID is the unique identifier of the resource as entered.

This lock means that the resource is currently checked in to the database. No one is making
modifications to it currently. Any user that wants to make modifications to the resource must Check Out
63 this resource.
Class: Resource Classes 135 are user-created general categories describing groups of tools. If this
particular resource is assigned to a class, the class name is displayed in the header.
Description: Any additional descriptive information is displayed here. The description can be edited when
the component is checked out.
Modified On: The last date that information about the resource was changed.
Modified By: The ID of the user that last changed information about the resource.
Effectivity: The dates that the resource is in use in the plant.
Disable Effectivity allows this feature to be turned on or off.
From Date: The date the resource began being used (began being effective).
To Date: The date the resource will cease being used (cease being effective).
7.5.1.4

Resource Editor Tabs

The area below the header displays four types of information, depending on the tab selected.
The Custom Fields tab displays any user-created fields that track data about resources. If the resource is
checked out, changes can be made here.
In the Documents Tab, any documents that should be associated with a resource may be added. Simply click
on the import button
and browse to the document. Clicking "Open" after selecting a document will add the
selection to the list documents for the resource. This feature is helpful because documents like photos or
diagrams of the resource or perhaps a maintenance schedule can be linked to the resource, making the
documents easy to find. A more in depth discussion of the tools and uses of the documents tab is provided in
the Documents 108 section under the Activity Editor portion of this manual.

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Where Used is a tool that finds and displays the Process IDs that use the selected resource. Below is an
example of a query on a screw gun. SG01 was selected in the resource list; clicking Search in the Where Used
tab displayed the process the resource is associated with. This particular resource is not associated with a
particular work station, but the workstation ID would be displayed in the bottom portion if there was an
association.

Resource Where Used tab

The History tab has the same basic functions in the all the Process, Component, and Resource Editors in
Assembly Planner. These basic functions have been described in greater detail under the History Tab 110
description in the Activity Editor section of this manual.

7.5.2

Resource Editor Reports

Resources By Effectivity: Shows all resources effective (current) as of the date selected.
Checked-out Resources Report: This report shows all of the resources that are currently checked out for edit.
It displays the ID and description of the resources as well as who checked out each resource.

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7.6

Plant Editor

Setting up plants is one of the first steps to perform when setting up Assembly Planner. Note that only
administrators can add plants, but other users can add and edit station data.
Clicking the plant icon
will open the Plant Editor. This editor allows the user to add plants as well as to
view and edit information about current plants. Each facility (site) will have its own plant in Assembly Planner.
The plant represents a collection of all workstations within a facility, which will be assigned work.
Areas of interest in the Plant Editor include the Plant Details section in the header and the spreadsheet section
at the bottom of the editor.

Plant Details Header

Plant Editor Header

Select Plant is a drop-down menu that includes plants that have been created in Assembly Planner.
Information displayed in the Plant Editor is for the selected plant.
Description displays any descriptions that the user defined when the plant was created. This field can
be modified via the Edit Plant button.
Plant Code is the optional unique identifier that was defined when the plant was created.
Default From Effectivity Date and Default End Effectivity Date are what will be used as the defaults if
no other dates are chosen when other entities (routing, operations, activities, resources, components,
etc.) in Assembly Planner are created.
Add Plant is used to create new plants in Assembly Planner. Clicking the button brings up this window:

Add Plant input w indow

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Edit Plant allows users to edit information about the currently selected plant. Clicking the button brings
up the window shown below. Description information and Plant Codes can be added, changed, or
removed. The default from and end effectivity dates can be modified. The Plant ID field cannot be edited
after the plant has been created.

Edit Plant input w indow

Spreadsheet section

Station List Tab in the Plant Editor

Below the Plant Details portion of the Plant Editor is the spreadsheet section. In this area, the user can switch
between viewing the Station List information and the Custom Fields information with the tabs at the top of the
spreadsheet.
If a new work center (station) is added, the user must 'Save' and restart Assembly Planner before the new work
center will truly exist in the system.
ID: Unique identifier of the station or work center. This can be copied and pasted from another application, or
typed manually.
Description: Details or an alternative name of the station or work center. This can be copied and pasted from
another application, or typed manually.
Order: Change this number to show the order of stations within a plant. It is represented when doing a line
balance by showing the stations in sequential order.
Assembly Line: Line to which the station belongs. This is primarily used when publishing electronic work
instructions. The drop-down list is "hard-coded," meaning new Assembly Lines cannot be added from the
Assembly Planner user interface. Contact your Proplanner Representative 3 if you need an Assembly Line to
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be added.
Resources: Lists resources that exist in the station or work center. The Resources column is not something
that should be filled in until resources have been Imported 417 or added in the Resource Editor 136 . After
resources are available in the system, right-click in the resource cell and choose "Edit Resource Mapping". This
will allow you to assign a resource to a station - simply click the 'Select' button, search for and highlight the
resource you wish to add, and click 'Add.' If you have multiple resources listed, they will be shown in a commaseparated list when you return to the spreadsheet.

Right-click m enu in the Station List Worksheet highlighting the Edit Resource Mapping function

Interface to select resources to add to w ork centers or stations

Some resources may need to be considered Monumental for line balancing purposes. See the Resource Editor
136 section for further explanation.
Finally, any custom fields that have been created for stations will also be shown as columns here.
The Custom Fields 464 tab shows custom lists created for the plant.

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143

Models and Options

The concept of models and options is an integral part of Assembly Planner, because Models and Options are
an integral part in the sale and production of most of our clients' complex assembly products. Models typically
represent high level types of products (sometimes referred to as families), while options represent features
applied to those models that allow for further variation and customization. Different product models and options
require different assembly processes. Some processes may be performed on multiple models and/or options,
while other processes may be unique to just one or two models and/or options. If this information is specified,
Assembly Planner can help create work instructions specific to each model + options configuration, can display
accurate mixed model line balances, and more.
The Model and Options Editors are where models and options are created and managed in Assembly Planner.
The simple chair example below can be used to explain how the Model Editor and the Option Editor work in
Assembly Planner. Models represent the different types of chairs: executive, deluxe, and basic. Of course,
there are options within the models; not all executive chairs look exactly alike (nor are they priced or made in
exactly the same way). A customer could purchase an executive chair that has a cloth covering on the seat and
back secured with copper tacks. Or the customer could decide to upgrade to the leather covering and the
antique brass tacks. In Assembly Planner, each individual option can fall into an option group. In this example,
the groups are padding, tacks, and covering type. The table below shows the different models and options as
well as the model-option configurations, or, how the models and options can be combined.

More information on setting up Option groups is included in the Option Editor 146 section.

7.7.1

Model Editor

Clicking on the model button

opens the Model Editor. The Model Editor allows the user to define and
manage models. Once models are created, they can be mapped to activities.

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Model List
The model list shows the ID and description of all models in the system. At the bottom of the model list portion
of the screen are the Add, Remove, and Rename buttons, with which models may be added, removed, or
edited. To learn how to add multiple models at once, refer to Add Parent Components as Models 41 .

Model Tab in the Model Editor

Model-Option Rules
After the options have been created in the Option Editor 146 , the model-option rules should be entered. The
lower half of the Model Editor screen displays the model-option rules for the model that is selected from the
list.
Model-option rules specify which options can possibly occur with a given model. For example, the chair
example introduced in the Models and Options 143 section has three different coverings for the chairs produced:
cloth, leather, and vinyl. However, for an expensive model like the executive, a vinyl covering is not allowed. In
that case, only cloth and vinyl would appear in the Option Rules for the executive model.

The options in the Option Rules list are identified by the Option, Description, Option Group, and Group Code
Columns (see the Option Editor 146 link for details of these fields).
The Percentage column indicates the penetration percentage of the option, or the percentage of units for this
model on which this option is included. This percentage can first be defined when the option is created in the
Option Editor, and therefore will appear in Percentage column of the Option Rules list when the option is added
to the Option Rules for each model. If the percentage varies in a particular model, it can be changed by the user
in the Option Rules list for that model. The percentage that has been defined will be brought into a new scenario
in which the model is included.
If the checkbox in the Base Option column is checked, it indicates that the option is always part of the selected
model, which essentially makes it a part of the model. For companies that do not define model-based BOMs,
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and only use option-based BOMs, this allows them to indicate what is "base" or "standard." Depending on
system preferences, this field may be used to generate summary reports, but for most users, this field is for
information purposes only.
The two buttons at the bottom of the model-option rules section (Add/Rename and Clear) allow the model-option
rules to be Edited or Cleared. Choosing "Add/Remove" will bring up the window shown below which contains a
spreadsheet for Option IDs and a series of buttons.
You can remove options from the list by clearing the ID in the cell. If you wish you can manually type an Option
ID to the list. You can add options to the list either by manually typing the ID in a blank cell or using the 'Add'
button. If you manually type the ID, click the 'Check' button when you have finished so the system can validate
that the Option ID exists in the Option Editor. Assembly Planner will reject the manual entry if it does not match
an Option ID in the database. If you use the 'Add' button, a search window will appear so you can search for and
add existing Option IDs. The % search string will return all entries, a list of the other valid wildcards can be
found in the Wildcards 15 section of this manual.

Add/Rem ove Option Rules input w indow

Platforms
The second tab in the Model Editor is the Platforms tab. The purpose of Platforms is to associate entities to an
end item. An end item BOM can be configured within Platforms by defining the platform, and defining which
models, options, items, and finish types are associated to that item.
Typically, companies using Assembly Planner have BOMs configured with models and options. Currently, the
platform system is for information purposes only, but it can be further developed for companies who do not have
model and option configured BOMs. Please Contact Your Proplanner Representative 3 to discuss this topic
further.

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7.7.2

Option Editor

Clicking on the option button

will open the Option Editor. The Option Editor allows the user to define and
manage options. Once options are created, they can be mapped to activities.

Option Groups Tab

Option Groups Tab in the Option Editor

The option group tab shows the list of all types of options available. In the chair example introduced in Models
and Options 143 , the three option groups are Covering, Padding, and Tack. Inside each of these groups are a
number of options. There are three different types of coverings, four options for padding, and three different
tacks.
You can use the spreadsheet to add or remove options groups. Once a group is created, you cannot edit the ID,
thus if you wish to change the ID of a group you would need to delete the existing group and add a new one with
the desired ID. You can edit the group descriptions at any time.
Option groups are helpful because the rate at which an option is used is associated with individual option IDs.
Using option groups means that only the options in the group need to add up to one (to account for 100% of the
units). If all possible options were listed without any grouping, defining the accurate ratios would be more
difficult.

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Options Tab

Options Tab in the Options Editor

When you open the Option Editor, the spreadsheet in the Options tab will be blank. Enter the search criteria for
the option(s) you wish to view/edit (or leave the criteria blank as shown in the image above) and then click the
Search button. The option IDs, description, percentage, option group, and group codes will be shown.
You can use the spreadsheet to add or remove options. Once an option is created, you cannot edit the ID, thus
if you wish to change the ID of a option you would need to delete the existing option and add a new one with the
desired ID. Note that if an option has already been mapped to an activity, you will be warned that you cannot
delete that option until the mapping has been removed. You can edit the group description, percentage, option
group, and group code of an option at any time.
The Percentage column indicates the penetration percentage of the option, or the percentage of units on which
this option is included. If this option applies to multiple models, and varies from model to model, the percentage
can be defined in the Model Editor's 143 Option Rules list instead. (See further explanation below). The
percentage that is defined will be brought in when the option is added to the Option Rules for a model in the
Model Editor.
You can choose from a drop down menu of existing Option Groups to define which group each option belongs
to.
You can use the Group Code column as another identifier of the group - it is not required.

Option Penetration Percentage

Option penetration percentage, the proportion of units on which a given option is included, is important for line
balancing. If different options involve different work loads for the people on the shop floor, knowing how often the
high-labor content options appear and how often lower-labor content options appear is important, as these
variations could have a significant effect on overall production. If you choose to do an order-based line balance,

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Assembly Planner will calculate the option penetration percentage automatically from the order data. Otherwise,
you must determine how these options will be calculated. The two methods of calculating the option penetration
percentage are either across all models or within the model. In the current version of Assembly Planner, the
calculation depends on how you set up your option groups.
If you have one set of options for all models, the option percentage would be the sum of the percentages for
each model individually. For example, if you evaluate options across all chair models, this means that there is
just one cloth option and any cloth used is the same. The proportion would be calculated by how often cloth is
used in the executive chair times the executive chair frequency plus how often it is used in the deluxe chair
times the deluxe chair frequency plus how often it is used in the basic chair times the frequency of the basic
chair.
Alternatively, you could define a set of options for each individual model and each option percentage would be
the proportion of units on which that option appears on the model. The other way that option percentages could
be calculated is per model. Instead of one cloth option that serves all models, you could set up an option called
Executive Cloth, Deluxe Cloth, and Basic Cloth. This could be done even if the cloth was exactly the same in all
three cases.
This topic and its relevance is explained further in Line Balancing's Net Take Rate 232 section.

7.7.3

Mapping Models and Options to Activities

Specific models and options can be mapped to individual activities. The concept of Model-Option Mapping
allows Assembly Planner to have a generic process routing that applies to a family of products, with the
differentiating tasks (activities) mapped specifically to models (or options). This mapping is helpful when there
are many shared activities across multiple models and/or options, because that activity must only be
documented once but can be included in work instructions and considered in line balancing across all models
and options to which it is required. For those activities that are unique to particular models and/or options, the
mapping will define for which configurations the activities should be included and for which they should be left
out. This model-option mapping can be done automatically through Automatic Model-Option Mapping 149 or
manually through Manual Model-Option Mapping 153 .
When considering whether an activity applies to one or multiple models and/or options, consider what
encompasses the task itself. If the task is exactly the same process in terms of description, work steps, and
duration, no matter where or when it is performed, it can be mapped to multiple models and/or options. Note
that different part IDs can be consumed and different resource IDs can be mapped for different models and/or
options and the activity can still be considered the same activity.
There are a few system preferences that apply to this topic that are important to note. These preferences
cannot be changed within Assembly Planner by a user, but your Proplanner Representative 3 can help you
determine which preference settings are best for your business practices and make sure the appropriate
settings are applied to your Assembly Planner application.
Autobuild Preference: This affects for which activities the autobuild routines (see Automatic Model-Option
Mapping 149 ) will perform the model-option mapping. The default preference is set to 'True.'
If True, the Autobuild routine will ignore any activities to which either no parts have been mapped in
consumption or parts alone (without their parent parts) have been mapped in consumption. This allows clients
who want to do a combination of automatic and manual model-option mapping to retain the existing manual
mapping they have performed, while automatically mapping models and options for any other activities.
If False, the Autobuild routine will clear all existing model/option mapping for every activity before remapping
based on the routine specifications. This preference should be set if only automatic mapping will be used.
Process Configuration Preference: The inclusion of an activity in Line Balancing or reports with model/option
filters is based on a preference setting. If the model/options in Line Balancing or report filters match the
mapping on the activity, then the activity is included, but if not then the activity is ignored.

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The configuration preference determines the selection criteria beyond that.

If None, all activities will be considered, whether models and options have been mapped to them or not. This
follows the assumption that if no models nor options have been mapped to an activity, that activity is performed
on all models and options.
If Model or Option, only activities that have either a model or an option or both mapped will be included in a
balance or report. This follows the assumption that if no models nor options have been mapped to an activity,
that activity is never performed. The data will be filtered further based on models and options selected in the line
balance or report filters.
If Model and Option, only activities that have both model and options mapped will be included in a balance or
report. This follows the assumption that if both models and options have not been mapped to an activity, that
activity is never performed. The data will be filtered further based on models and options selected in the line
balance or report filters.
7.7.3.1

Automatic Model Option Mapping

The automatic model-option mapping routines map models and options to activities based on the parts
consumed by each activity. There are several of these automatic routines available in Assembly Planner.
Please Consult Your Proplanner Representative 3 as to which you should use.
7.7.3.1.1 Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by Orders

When you right-click on a routing you have check ed out, depending on your system preferences, you will either
see Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by Orders or Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by BOM. The main
difference between the two is that the 'by Orders' routine uses the orders to determine which models and
options to map. Only models and options present in the selected order file will be mapped, even if others exist
in the database. The 'by BOM' routine will map all models and options present in the database, regardless of
whether an order file has been loaded.
To use this feature, the following conditions must be met:
1. There must be an mBOM loaded.
2. There must be orders loaded in the system.
3. The mBOM must have options and models mapped on it and those models and options must exist in
the Model and Option Editors.
If orders are being loaded automatically through an integration, no effort on the user's part is necessary
for this. The system will automatically add models and options present in the order files that are not already in
the Model and Option Editors and will search the Component Library for item master records with the same ID
as the models and options in the order file and check the "IsModel" and "IsOption" flags on those items as
appropriate.
If orders are being loaded manually, the following steps must be done manually.
a. Go to the Model Editor and add any Models that are present in the order file but not yet
present in the Editor.
b. Go to the Option Editor and add any Options that are present in the order file but not yet
present in the Editor.
c. To designate an item as a model, select it from the Component Library and Check Out for
Edit. Open the Properties tab and check the "Is Model" checkbox. Save your changes and
Check In.
d. To designate an item as an option, select it from the Component Library and Check Out for
Edit. Open the Properties tab and check the "Is Option" checkbox. Save your changes and

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Check In.
4. Parts must be consumed by activities from the mBOM (i.e. the consumed parts must have parents).
This should be done by using the "Add from BOM" button in the Activity Consumption tab, so that for
each item added to consumption, it's ParentID is displayed in the consumption row as well. This does mean
that if the same item is consumed under multiple parents for this activity, that item should be added multiple
times, once for each corresponding parent.
To use this feature:
1. Once the above conditions have been met, select a routing and Check Out All.
2. Right-click on the routing and select Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by Orders.
3. In the Order Selection Form that appears, select the date range for which the orders should be fetched. Only
models and options included in the selected orders will be mapped to activities. Click the "Get Orders" button
and when you see the orders, click "OK."
At this point, the autobuild routine will look at the consumed parent parts for all the activities, perform a "Where
Used" search on the BOMs to which these parent items belong, and find any models and options that have
been flagged in each BOM. These models and options will then be mapped to the consumed part and the
activity.
4. Verify that the fields have been populated by going to the Consumption or Model-Option Mapping tabs of the
Activity Editor and checking the Model and Option fields.
Alternate Method (only for clients using paint codes)
Automatic Model-Option Mapping can be used to populate the model and paint code fields in Consumption tab
of the Operation Editor based on the parts consumed by each activity.
To use automatic mapping, there must be an mBOM loaded and the mBOM must have models and paint
codes mapped on it. (The same process is taken as described above, replacing options with paint codes.
To perform the automatic model-option mapping:
1. Go to the Routing Editor to find and check out the Routing to which you will be making changes.
2. Right-click on the Routing name and select Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by Orders.

Routing Editor Search List right-click m enu

highlighting Autobuild Model-Option Mapping
by Orders function

3. Verify that the fields have been populated by going to the Consumption tab of the Operation Editor and
checking the Model and Paint Code fields.
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7.7.3.1.2 Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by BOM

When you right-click on a routing you have check ed out, depending on your system preferences, you will either
see Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by BOM or Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by Orders. The main
difference between the two is that the 'by Orders' routine uses the orders to determine which models and
options to map. Only models and options present in the selected order file will be mapped, even if others exist
in the database. The 'by BOM' routine will map all models and options present in the database, regardless of
whether an order file has been loaded.
To use this feature the following conditions must be met:
1. There must be an mBOM loaded.
2. The mBOM must have options and models mapped on it and those models and options must exist in
the Model and Option Editors.
If orders are being loaded automatically through an integration, no effort on the user's part is necessary
for this. The system will automatically add models and options present in the order files that are not already in
the Model and Option Editors and will search the Component Library for item master records with the same ID
as the models and options in the order file and check the "IsModel" and "IsOption" flags on those items as
appropriate.
If orders are not being loaded, or are being loaded manually, the following steps must be done
manually.
a. Go to the Model Editor and add any Models you wish to map but are not yet present in the
Editor.
b. Go to the Option Editor and add any Options you wish to map but are not yet present in the
Editor.
c. To designate an item as a model, select it from the Component Library and Check Out for
Edit. Open the Properties tab and check the "Is Model" checkbox. Save your changes and
Check In.
d. To designate an item as an option, select it from the Component Library and Check Out for
Edit. Open the Properties tab and check the "Is Option" checkbox. Save your changes and
Check In.
3. Parts must be consumed by activities from the mBOM (i.e. the consumed parts must have parents).
This should be done by using the "Add from BOM" button in the Activity Consumption tab, so that for
each item added to consumption, the item's ParentID is displayed in the consumption row as well. This does
mean that if the same item is consumed under multiple parents for this activity, that item should be added
multiple times, once for each corresponding parent.
To use this feature:
1. Once the above conditions have been met, select a routing and Check Out All.
2. Right-click on the routing and select Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by BOM.
At this point, the autobuild routine will look at the consumed parent parts for all the activities, perform a "Where
Used" search on the BOMs to which these parent items belong, and find any models and options that have
been flagged in each BOM. These models and options will then be mapped to the consumed part and the
activity.
3. Verify that the fields have been populated by going to the Consumption or Model-Option Mapping tabs of the
Activity Editor and checking the Model and Option fields.

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7.7.3.1.3 Autobuild Model Mapping by Parent Component

Proplanner recommends that most clients use either the Autobuild Model Mapping by Orders or Autobuild
Model Mapping by BOM routines. This routine is designed for component manufacturers who load full top level
BOMs into their system, but internally consider their models to be lower level components.
To use this feature, the following conditions must be met:
1. There must be an mBOM loaded.
2. The mBOM must have parent components identified on it and those parent component IDs must exist
as models and options in the Model and Option Editors.
a. To designate an item as a parent component, select it from the Component Library and
Check Out for Edit. Open the Custom Fields tab and check the "Is Parent Component"
checkbox. Save your changes and Check In.
b. To add these parent components as models in Assembly Planner, use the Add Parent
Components as Models 41 routine.
3. Parts must be consumed by activities from the mBOM (i.e. the consumed parts must have parents).
This should be done by using the "Add from BOM" button in the Activity Consumption tab, so that for
each item added to consumption, the item's ParentID is displayed in the consumption row as well. This does
mean that if the same item is consumed under multiple parents for this activity, that item should be added
multiple times, once for each corresponding parent.
To use this feature:
1. Once the above conditions have been met, select a routing and Check Out All.
2. Right-click on the routing and select Autobuild Model-Option Mapping by Parent Component.
At this point, the autobuild routine will look at the consumed parent parts for all the activities, perform a "Where
Used" search on the BOMs to which these parent items belong, and find any items flagged as 'Is Parent
Component' in each BOM. These items will then be mapped as models to the consumed part and the activity.
3. Verify that the fields have been populated by going to the Consumption or Model-Option Mapping tabs of the
Activity Editor and checking the Model fields.

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Manual Model Option Mapping

There are two different places in Assembly Planner to update an activity's model and option mapping: Edit
Model-Option Data in the Routing Editor 154 and the Model-Option Mapping Tab in the Activity Editor 156 .
The Routing Editor's Edit Model-Option Data displays all of the activities in the routing in one sheet. This is a
good option to use if you have a comma-separated sheet listing which models and options go to each activity;
you would be able to paste the data into the sheet form. To use Edit Model-Option Data, you will need to check
out the routing and the operations.
The Activity Editor's Model-Option Mapping Tab shows all models and options associated with the selected
activity. This is a good option to use if you are already going through the activities one-by-one to do resource or
consumption mapping, or if you have a complicated or large list of models and options to map to each activity.
To use the Model-Option Mapping Tab, you will need to check out the activity and its operation.
Note that individual components or resources can b e further differentiated according to model or option mapping. For
further explanation and examples, see the Consumption Tab 106 and Resource Tab 105 .

Model Option Mapping Tab of the Activity Editor

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7.7.3.2.1 Mapping via the Routing

To map models or options to activities in the Routing Editor, both the routing and its operations need to be
checked out. After checking out the routing and operations, right-click on the routing and select "Edit ModelOption Data" from the menu. The Edit Model-Option Data window, as shown below, will appear.

Models
In the Edit Model-Option Data window, each activity has its own row. The models can appear two different ways.
If the 'Show Advanced View' box at the bottom of the window is checked, each model appears as a column
header with an 'Applicable' checkbox beneath. The models that are displayed can be changed with the
Customize Model List option. In the regular view, there is one column named "Models".

Advanced View
In the advanced view, checking a box means the activity applies to the model (is performed when producing that
model). If you check a box for one model, make sure you check the box for all models to which that activity
applies.

Edit Model-Option Data w indow Advanced View

Standard View
In the standard view, you can manually type the Models to which the activity applies, in a comma-separated
list. Any models that are not included in this list will not have this activity associated with it. To verify that you
have entered the Model IDs correctly, you can click the "Check" button and it will highlight in red any models
that do not exist in the Model Editor.

Edit Model-Option Data w indow Standard View

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Options
Option Mapping also can be completed in the Routing Editor. Typically, this is done after the models have been
mapped to activities (with the exception being if you plan to use the 'Auto Populate Models' (see below). To map
options to activities, you will need to make sure you have checked out the routing and its operations. Right-click
and select "Edit Model-Option Data" from the menu to make the Edit Model-Option Data window appear again.
Note that there is a column called Option Rule. Double clicking on one of the option rule cells will open the
Option Rule Builder for the selected activity.

Option Rule Builder

To add an option rule to the activity, select the desired options and click "Add as OR Rule" or "Add as AND
Rule". The "Add as OR Rule" is used if you have multiple options but do not have to necessarily be together in
assembly. Make sure to highlight the options that will go with the Add as OR Rule and then select the button.
Those options should appear under the Option Rule box. You can use "Add as AND Rule" to add options that
must be added with the other options. Make sure to highlight the options that will go with the Add as AND Rule
and then select the button. Those options should appear under the Option Rule box. Rules can be created
manually if desired. There are parentheses, a comma, and a ampersand (&) that can be used to create a rule.
For an OR rule separate the options by the comma, (1,2,3). The AND rule needs use the ampersand (&) to
separate the options (1&2&3).

Once the rule has been created hit the OK button. If there is something wrong with your Option Rule an error
will pop up and give you directions to correct the rule. The error was thrown because you cannot have an AND
Rule with multiple options from the same Option Group.

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Option Rule Error

Auto Populate Models button

In some cases, it is easier to map options to activities and then have Assembly Planner map all models to
which those options belong. If this is the case for you, after you have mapped your options as described above,
make sure you have also added those options to the Option Rules 143 list for all models to which they can be
included. After doing this, you can click the Auto Populate Models button. For each activity, it will look at the
options mapped, and add all models to which the options belong.
7.7.3.2.2 Mapping via the Activity

To map models and options to activities in the Activity Editor, the activity and its operation needs to be checked
out. After checking out the activity, go to the Model-Option Mapping Tab.
In the Model-Option Mapping Tab, the split screen provides a row for each model and each option that is
mapped to the activity. To add models or options, select the appropriate button from the bottom right of the
screen--either "Add Model" or "Add Option". These buttons will bring up a search of the respective library.
Select one or multiple models or options from the list and then click "Add". The selections will be added to the
activity.

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Model Option Mapping Tab for the Activity Editor

An Option Rule can be created for different activities. Once the user hits the "Edit Option Rule" the window
below will appear. The "Add as OR Rule" is used if you have multiple options but do not have to necessarily be
together in assembly. Make sure to highlight the options that will go with the Add as OR Rule and then select
the button. Those options should appear under the Option Rule box. You can use "Add as AND Rule" to add
options that must be added with the other options. Make sure to highlight the options that will go with the Add
as AND Rule and then select the button. Those options should appear under the Option Rule box. Rules can be
created manually if desired. There are parentheses, a comma, and a ampersand (&) that can be used to create
a rule. For an OR rule separate the options by the comma, (1,2,3). The AND rule needs use the ampersand (&)
to separate the options (1&2&3).

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Option Rule Builder

Once the rule has been created hit the OK button. If there is something wrong with your Option Rule an error
will pop up and give you directions to correct the rule. The error was thrown because you cannot have an AND
Rule with multiple options from the same Option Group.

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Option Rule Error

After the Option Rule has been created, the Add Option button will be locked. Options can not be added or
removed unless the Option Rule is cleared from the activity. To clear the option rule, go back into the Option
Rule Builder and clear the contents the Option Rule and hit "OK". After this is complete Options will be allowed
to be added to the Option List.

Add Option Locked

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You can also manually type in Model IDs and Options IDs into any blank cell in the appropriate list. When you
save, there will be a system check to validate that the models and options exist in the Model or Option Editors.
If not, you will not be allowed to the save the data and will need to go to the Model or Option Editor, add the
desired IDs, and return to the activity Model-Option Mapping tab to complete the mapping.
If you do not see the Model-Option Mapping Tab , check the Activity List search parameters to make sure you have
included the routing. Model-Option Mapping is a local property of any activity; it is dependent on the relationship
b etween the activity and parent processes. If you have not included a routing in your search, you are looking at the
glob al copy of the activity, which has no parent relationships. Add the routing as a search parameter, re-select the
activity, and you will see the Model-Option Mapping Tab . A further description of glob al and local properties can b e
found in the Glob al vs. Local Properties 62 section of this manual.

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7.8

Engineering Change Management

Assembly Planner can interface with your engineering change system and allow you to manage your
engineering changes electronically. The change management system includes Engineering Change Requests
(ECRs) 165 and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) 168 originating from your engineering system; it also creates
a Manufacturing Change Order (MCO) 180 to correspond with each ECR/ECO.
Assign an ECO to an ME
Step 1: Go to Library ECO, in the search box, type in % to search all the ECOs, or type in the ECO ID to
search for an ECO. You can also search Pending ECOs (ECOs still being processed), All ECOs, or search
by certain ECO properties via the Advanced Find (see Appendix D).
There are four ECO statuses
1. New newly coming ECO, has not been assigned to ME.
2. Error newly coming ECO with an error, has not been assigned to an ME. For example, the
corresponding ECR has not yet arrived.
3. Pending the ECO has been assigned to an ME, but the engineering change has not been exported yet.
4. Closed the corresponding engineering change has been finished and exported to a MRP system.
Step 2: After the search, select an ECO in either new or error status. Right-click and select Process ECO,
then you will see the following Create New MCO window.

Create New MCO w indow

Step 3: Choose an ME from the Assigned To drop down list to assign this ECO to. Once the ECO is
assigned, a corresponding MCO will be generated automatically. An MCO can be re-assigned to another ME
before it is promoted to the Implement status. In the Create New MCO window, Due Date is the deadline for
the ME to promote this MCO to the next status. Default From Effective Date is the date the engineering
change will be implemented in the floor. This date cannot be changed after the MCO is promoted to the
Implement status.

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If parts under the ECO that the user is trying to assign to an ME are also being affected by another pending
ECO, there will be a warning message as follow. This message informs the user that there is a possibility that
the ECO will be processed out of order.

Engineering Change
Step 1: Search and select the ECO on which the ME wants to make the engineering change
Step 2: Select the ECO, you will see 4 tabs:
1. Header tab general information of the ECO
2. BOM tab EBOM information (e.g., Parent ID, Parent Revision, Item ID, Item Revision, Quantity, etc.)
3. Item tab Item Master information (e.g., Item ID, Item Revision, Item Description)
4. History tab view or add change history of the ECO. To see all the change history, please check the
Show system generated messages box.

Figure 4 ECO BOM tab

Figure 5 ECO Item tab

Red color indicates that there is a mismatch between the Previous Revision of this part in the ECO and the
existing revision of this part in the system. For example, if a part is in rev A in Proplanner and an ECO is
indicating a revision change of this part from B to C, this part will be highlighted as red in the item tab.
Step 4: Click the parent ID in the BOM tab of the ECO, the screen will automatically switch to the BOM tab of
this parent item.

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Step 5: In the BOM tab of the parent item, the LHS is the EBOM and the RHS is the MBOM. EBOM is a
reference for the user to make the engineering change on the MBOM side. Different types of MBOM change are
highlighted with different colors to facilitate the engineering change.
Color

Where

Type of Change

Green

EBOM

Add

Peach Puff

EBOM

New

Pink

MBOM

Time Out

Grey

MBOM

Last Usage

Yellow

EBOM & MBOM

Quantity Change

Light Blue

EBOM & MBOM

Rev Change

Step 5: To make the change to the MBOM, first check out the parent item. Then, for different types, the ways
to make the engineering change on the MBOM are given as follows.
Add An existing part in the system needs to be added to the MBOM. To make the change, copy the part
from the EBOM side, and paste in the MBOM. The
effective-from-date will be default to the Default
Effective Date of the corresponding MCO. If the user wants to change the from-date, right-click the BOM
record and do either Properties or Mass Edit View. Change the from-date in either pop-up window.

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New a new part needs to be added into both the database and the MBOM. Process a New type of
change is exactly the same as processing an Add type of change.
Time Out a part needs to be timed out in the MBOM, but this part will still be used in at least one another
MBOM in the system. To process the change, right-click the part and do either Properties or Mass Edit
View, then change the Effective-To-Date to the date user wants to time out this part.
Last Usage a part needs to be timed out in the MBOM which is the last MBOM using this part. Process a
Last Usage type of change is exactly the same as processing a Time Out type of change.
Quantity Change a part is undergoing a quantity change in the MBOM. To make the change, copy the
item record with new quantity in EBOM and paste it to MBOM. Now there should be two records of this part
in MBOM with different quantity. Also, the effective-from-date of the newly added record will be default to the
MCO default date. Then user needs to time out the item record with the old quantity through either
Properties or Mass Edit View.
Rev Change a part is undergoing a revision change in the MBOM. Revision change is being taken care of
by the system automatically, and user needs not to do anything when rev change is concerned. Basically,
there will be a pop-up window asking user to set a rev change date when use is promoting an MCO from
release to implement, and all the rev change will be implemented on this rev change date.
If user adds a wrong item record to the MBOM and has not check ed in the parent item yet, then user can right
click the wrong item record and do a delete to remove this part from the MBOM. However, once the parent
item is check ed in, the delete option will be disabled for all the existing BOM records. Additionally, for rev
change, system will do a where-used search for the part which is undergoing a rev change, and change the rev
of this part under all the MBOMs (not only the MBOM under the corresponding ECO).
Step 6: Once all the engineering changes under this MBOM have been handled, do a check in all for the
parent item. Then go back to step 3 until all the parent items in the BOM tab of ECO have been handled.
Cancel, Re-assign, and Promote MCO
After all the parent items have been handled, go to Library an MCO, and click the Promote button to promote
the MCO through the following status: Process, Approve, Release, Implement, Verify, and Complete. Among
these 6 statuses, when an MCO is under status Implement, Verify, or Complete, the corresponding
engineering change has already been exported from Proplanner to the MRP system.
When promoting MCO from Release to Implement, user will be asked to set a rev change date. This is the
date when the user wants the revision change of the parts under this ECO to be implemented. Before
Implement status, user can always cancel an MCO by clicking the Cancel MCO button. Once the MCO is
canceled, all the engineering change made to the MBOMs will be removed. In other words, all the MBOMs
being affected by this ECO will roll back to the original status before the ECO was processed. Before
Complete status, an MCO can always be re-assigned to another ME by clicking the Re-Assign button.

7.8.1

ECR Editor

Clicking on the ECR button

in the Library menu will open the ECR Editor.

An Engineering Change Request, or ECR, is sent by the engineering change system to alert the process
engineers of pending engineering changes. This advance warning gives the engineer time to make adjustments
to the mBOM and routings before the change is implemented.
Note: Not all manufacturers use ECRs. Some manufacturers only alert the process engineers once an Engineering
Change Order (ECO) has b een issued.

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ECR Header
The ECR Header contains summary information about the requested changed. The fields include:
ECR No: The identification number of the ECR, as received from the engineering system.
Assigned To: The username of the manufacturing engineer to which the ECR has been assigned. This
will be blank until the ECR is assigned.
Status: Displays the state of the ECR. See possible values in ECR Status 167 .
Received On: The date on which the ECR was imported into the Assembly Planner system.
Note that ECRs must b e processed according to their import date. If you wish to process an ECR with a later
import date, you will need to first delete or process any older ECRs.

Project No.: The project number generated from the engineering system.
Description: A description of the requested change, as listed in the header file sent by the engineering
system.

ECR Tabs
While Assembly Planner's ECR Header gives an overview of the requested engineering change, the ECR Tabs
contain more detailed information. Three of the tabs correspond to the files that Assembly Planner receives from
the engineering system.
The Header Tab displays more detailed information that comes from the header in the engineering system.
The BOM Tab and Item Tab both display component (part) information. The BOM Tab shows the structured part
list and structure-related component properties. The Item Tab shows a flat file containing global component
properties.
Note: A user can have a customizab le view for the Header, BOM, and Item tab s in the ECR Editor. If you go to any of
the Properties within the Header tab and right-click, you will see options including: Copy and Customize View 21 . If
you select Customize view, you will get a list of all the properties that you can either move up or down the list b ased on
the importance. You also have an option of making some Properties visib le and others invisib le. You can also adjust
the height of the rows in the Customize View window. This can b e done b y selecting the property and changing the row
height at the b ottom of the screen.

7.8.1.1

Assigning an ECR

An MCO Coordinator or an Administrator can assign ECRs to Engineers in Assembly Planner. The ECRs are
arranged in the ECR list by the date they were received into the Assembly Planner system.
To assign an ECR, the Administrator or MCO Coordinator should right-click on the ECR. A list of engineers will
appear; this list includes all of the users that have the 'Engineer' role.
When an ECR is assigned, a Manufacturing Change Order (MCO) is created for the engineer to process. The
ECR moves from the Pending list to the Assigned list, and the ID of the engineer to whom the ECR has been
assigned appears in the ECR list. Both the eBOM and mBOM status will move to WIP.
An ECR cannot be assigned if one of its components is currently in WIP status. This may occur when a
different ECR addresses the same part, or if an engineer has the component checked out for editing.
7.8.1.2

Deleting an ECR

MCO Coordinators and Administrators can delete an ECR. To delete an ECR, right-click on the ECR and
choose 'Delete'. You will be asked to confirm; choose 'Yes' to delete the item.

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167

ECR Status

The ECR Status indicates how much of the processing has taken place on the ECR. In Assembly Planner, an
ECR may have any of the following statuses:
Pending, which means the ECR has been received into the system but has not yet been assigned to an
engineer for processing.
Assigned, which means the ECR has been assigned to an engineer for processing. The ECRs are
assigned to engineers by either the Assembly Planner administrator or by the MCO Coordinator.
Error, which means the ECR has been received into the system, but some data is missing. See the
section below for more information on possible causes of failure.
Closed, which means that the Engineering Change Order (ECO) corresponding to the ECR has arrived.

Causes of ECR Failure ('Error' status)

Any of the following issues will cause the ECR to display an 'Error' status.
1. Missing Data: If any of the mandatory fields in the ECR are missing, the ECR will fail. In the item master,
the mandatory field is the ID. In the BOM file, these fields are ID, Parent ID, and Component Find
Number.
2. Revision Mismatch: If the revision of a component in the ECR is lower than the current revision in
Assembly Planner, the ECR will fail.
3. Missing Item: If the BOM file of the ECR has components which do not appear in the item master, the
ECR will fail.
Any ECR that has an 'Error' status will remain in that status unless either the ECR is corrected by the
engineering system and re-imported into Assembly Planner or the corresponding ECO arrives.

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7.8.2

ECO Editor

Clicking on the ECO button

will open the ECO Editor.

An Engineering Change Order, (ECO), is sent by the engineering change system to alert the process engineers
that the changes to the product are ready to be implemented.
If there was a corresponding ECR for the ECO, the ECO's arrival will close the ECR and move the eBOM status
to Released.
All the ECOs that you see in the left side box can be sorted based on the criteria that you have in the
Preference settings. For this, go to Tools>Options. Then go to Change Order Tab 56 where you can set the sort
options.

ECO Header
The ECO Header contains summary information about the requested changed. The fields include:
ECO Number: The identification number of the ECO, as received from the engineering system.
Assigned To: The username of the manufacturing engineer to which the ECO has been assigned. This
will be blank until the ECO is assigned.
ECR Number: The identification number of the ECR that corresponds to this ECO. This field include a
hyperlink to the ECR.
Status: Displays the state of the ECO. See possible values in the ECO Status 171 section below.
Received On: The date on which the ECO was imported into the Assembly Planner system.
Note that ECOs must b e processed according to their import date. If you wish to process an ECO with a later
import date, you will need to first delete or process any older ECOs.

Project No.: The project number generated from the engineering system.
Description: A description of the requested change, as listed in the header file sent by the engineering
system.

ECO Right Click Menu

Process ECO: Enter the process of turning the ECO into an MCO. Assign it to a User, give it a Due

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Date, give reason and priority.

Delete ECO: Delete the ECO.
Change Import Date: Change the import date to change the precedence of it within the queue.
Change Project Work Task: Change the Project No.
Change All Item Revisions to Latest: Update the ECO to reflect the latest revisions of all items
affecting the ECO.

ECO Tabs
While Assembly Planner's ECO Header gives an overview of the requested engineering change, the ECO Tabs
contain more detailed information. Three of the tabs correspond to the files that Assembly Planner receives from
the engineering system.
The Header Tab displays more detailed information that comes from the header in the engineering system.
The BOM Tab and Item Tab both display component (part) information. The BOM Tab shows the structured
part list and structure-related component properties. The ParentIDs and ItemIDs show up as hyperlinks; you can
click on them to be taken to the Component Editor to view details about the item and the change.

The Item Tab shows a flat file containing global component properties.
Note: A user can have a customizab le view for the Header, BOM, and Item tab s in the ECO Editor. If you go to any of
the Properties within the Header tab and right-click, you will see options including: Copy and Customize View 21 . If
you select Customize view, you will get a list of all the properties that you can either move up or down the list b ased on
the importance. You also have an option of making some Properties visib le and others invisib le. You can also adjust
the height of the rows in the Customize View window. This can b e done b y selecting the property and changing the row
height at the b ottom of the screen.

7.8.2.1

Loading ECOs from Vault

Assembly Planner can integrate with many different PDM and PLM systems, and typically with those
integrations, ECRs and ECOs are loaded automatically into Assembly Planner through a flat file transfer.
However, Assembly Planner can also more directly interface with Autodesk Vault to load new ECOs to be
processed within Assembly Planner. To load ECOs from the ECO Editor:

1. Go to Actions > Load Vault Change Orders.

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2. Enter the desired search criteria and click the Search button.
3. Select the desired ECOs and click the Load button.
4. Once you get confirmation that the change orders have been successfully loaded, click the Close button.

5. Refresh the search in the ECO list and select the desired ECO to process.

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171

ECO Status

The ECO Status indicates how much processing has taken place on the ECO. In Assembly Planner, an ECO
may have any of the following statuses:
Pending, which means the ECO came into the system and there was no conflict between the ECO and its
corresponding ECR.
Error, which means that the ECO has been received into the system, but some data is missing. See Causes
of ECO Failure below.
Closed, which means that the changes have been exported to the MRP system.
Causes of ECO Failure ('Error' status)
Any of the following issues will cause the ECO to display an 'Error' status.
1. Missing ECR: Either the ECR that corresponds to this ECO is not present in the system, or the items
affected by the ECO and the corresponding ECR do not match.
2. Unassigned ECR: The ECR for this ECO is in the system, but has not been assigned to an engineer for
processing. In this case, the arrival of the ECO will push the ECR directly from Pending to Closed.
Processing an 'Error' ECO
An ECO that has an 'Error' status can still be processed. To process the ECO, right-click on the ECO in the
ECO list and choose "Process Error ECO" from the menu. This will allow you to create and assign an MCO to
an engineer, select the date for the engineer to start processing the ECO, set the priority, and set the effectivity
date.

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The ECO will move into the Process state, and the eBOM will be moved to the Release state.
Note that processing an ECO without processing a corresponding ECR causes the eBOM to b e moved directly to
Released, skipping th eBOM WIP state.

7.8.2.3

Processing ECO Changes

The first step in processing changes is to Check Out the parent item being edited (in the Component Editor).
Follow the ECO Change Details Report (generated from the Reports menu when the ECO Editor is open) or the
flags in the BOM Comparison 131 to ensure that all changes are addressed. Once the changes are completed,
make sure to Check In the parent item.
As you are making changes to an Item, you may notice its Engineering and Manufacturing statuses change.
Eng Status: This is set to WIP when an ECR enters the system. If there are no ECRs in the system, this
status is Released.
Mfg Status: This is set to WIP when the Engineer checks out an Item. The Mfg Status is set to Released when
the Engineer checks in the Item or when an ECO corresponding to this item is sent to the MRP system.
7.8.2.4

Different Types of Changes in ECO

There are several possible changes that can be received through an ECO. The following sections include a
description and guidelines for Manufacturing Engineers to handle these changes in Assembly Planner.
For all the cases below, treat the Parent Item as P1 (Rev. A) and the Child Item as C1 (Rev. A). Also treat the
ID of the ECO as ECO-0001.
7.8.2.4.1 Add Item

Action(s) to be performed by ME
a. Copy new part from EBOM and 'paste as sibling' in MBOM.
b. Set the From Date on the Item copied over.
Example: ECO-0001 says Add C1 under P1
a. After ME performs the action(s) specified above, the MBOM looks like:
P1
l C1 (From: 15-JUN-2010 To 31-DEC-2030)

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NOTE:
i. The MCO From Date chosen by the ME is 15-JUN-2010
b. After the MCO for this ECO is promoted to Implement Status, data is exported to the MRP system. The
BOM file would contain the following record(s) for the above change(s) performed by the ME:
Parent Item

Child Item

From Date

To Date

P1

C1

15-JUN-2010

31-DEC-2030

7.8.2.4.2 Time-out Item

Action(s) to be performed by ME
a. Set the To Date for the Item in the mBOM.
Example: ECO-0001 says Time-out C1 under P1
a. After ME performs the action(s) specified above, the MBOM looks like:
P1
l C1 (From: 01-APR-1997 To 15-JUN-2010)
NOTE:
i. The MCO From Date chosen by the ME is 15-JUN-2010
b. After the MCO for this ECO is promoted to Implement Status, data is exported to the MRP system. The
BOM file would contain the following record(s) for the above change(s) performed by the ME:
Parent Item

Child Item

From Date

To Date

P1

C1

01-APR-1997

15-JUN-2010

7.8.2.4.3 Quantity Change

Action(s) to be performed by ME
a.
b.
c.
d.

Copy the record in mBOM with the old Quantity and paste as a sibling in the same mBOM.
Change the Quantity for the record that was pasted.
Also set the From Date Date for the record that was pasted.
Set the To Date for the record with the old Quantity.

Example: ECO-0001 says Change Quantity of C1 under P1 from 3 to 2

a. After ME performs the action(s) specified above, the MBOM looks like:
P1
l C1 (From: 01-APR-1997 To 14-JUN-2010) (Qty: 3)
l C1 (From: 15-JUN-2010 To 31-DEC-2030) (Qty: 2)
NOTE:
i. The MCO From Date chosen by the ME is 15-JUN-2010
b. After the MCO for this ECO is promoted to Implement Status, data is exported to the MRP system. The
BOM file would contain the following record(s) for the above change(s) performed by the ME:
Parent Item

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P1

C1

01-APR-1997

14-JUN-2010

P1

C1

15-JUN-2010

31-DEC-2030

7.8.2.4.4 Revision Change

Action(s) to be performed by ME
None.
NOTE:
For Revision Changes, ME does not have to do anything. When the MCO is promoted to the Implement
Status, the older Revision of the child will be automatically Timed-out a day prior to the Revision Change
From Date chosen by the user while promoting the MCO, and the newer Revision will be automatically
Timed-in on the Revision Change From Date chosen by the user.
Example: ECO-0001 says Change Revision of C1 from A to B
a. The ME does NOT perform any actions in the MBOM for a Revision Change. Heres what the MBOM will look
after the MCO is promoted to the Implement Status:
P1
l C1 (A) (From: 01-APR-1997 To 14-JUN-2010)
l C1 (B) (From: 15-JUN-2010 To 31-DEC-2030)
NOTE:
i. The Revision Change Date chosen by the ME is 15-JUN-2010
b. After the MCO for this ECO is promoted to Implement Status, data is exported to the MRP system. The
BOM file would contain the following record(s):
Parent Item

Child Item

From Date

To Date

P1

C1 (B)

15-JUN-2010

31-DEC-2030

7.8.2.4.5 Quantity and Revision Changes in same ECO

CASE A: Quantity and Revision change, both become Effective on the same date:
Action(s) to be performed by ME
a.
b.
c.
d.

Copy the record in mBOM with the old Quantity and paste as a sibling in the same mBOM.
Change the Quantity for the record that was pasted.
Also set the From Date for the record that was pasted.
Set the To Date for the record with the old Quantity.

NOTE:
For Revision Changes, ME does not have to do anything. When the MCO is promoted to the Implement
Status, the older Revision of the child will be automatically Timed-out a day prior to the Revision Change
From Date chosen by the user while promoting the MCO, and the newer Revision will be automatically
Timed-in on the Revision Change From Date chosen by the user.
Example: ECO-0001 says Change Quantity of C1 under P1 from 3 to 2. This ECO also says Change Revision
of same child C1 from A to B
a. After ME performs the action(s) specified above, heres what the MBOM will look after the MCO is promoted

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to the Implement Status:

P1
l C1 (A) (From: 01-APR-1997 To 14-JUN-2010) (Qty: 3)
l C1 (B) (From: 15-JUN-2010 To 31-DEC-2030) (Qty: 2)
NOTE:
i. The MCO From Date chosen by the ME is 15-JUN-2010
ii. The Revision Change Date chosen by the ME is 15-JUN-2010
b. After the MCO for this ECO is promoted to Implement Status, data is exported to the MRP system. The
BOM file would contain the following record(s):
Parent Item

Child Item

From Date

To Date

Qty

P1

C1 (A)

01-APR-1997

14-JUN-2010

P1

C1 (A)

15-JUN-2010

31-DEC-2030

P1

C1 (B)

15-JUN-2010

31-DEC-2030

CASE B: Quantity change occurs prior to the Revision change:

Action(s) to be performed by ME
a.
b.
c.
d.

Copy the record in mBOM with the old Quantity and paste as a sibling in the same mBOM.
Change the Quantity for the record that was pasted.
Also set the From Date for the record that was pasted.
Set the To Date for the record with the old Quantity.

NOTE:
For Revision Changes, ME does not have to do anything. When the MCO is promoted to the Implement
Status, the older Revision of the child will be automatically Timed-out a day prior to the Revision Change
From Date chosen by the user while promoting the MCO, and the newer Revision will be automatically
Timed-in on the Revision Change From Date chosen by the user.
Example: ECO-0001 says Change Quantity of C1 under P1 from 3 to 2. This ECO also says Change Revision
of same child C1 from A to B
a. After ME performs the action(s) specified above, heres what the MBOM will look after the MCO is promoted
to the Implement Status:
P1
l C1 (A) (From: 01-APR-1997 To 09-JUN-2010) (Qty: 3)
l C1 (A) (From: 10-JUN-2010 To 14-JUN-2010) (Qty: 2)
l C1 (B) (From: 15-JUN-2010 To 31-DEC-2030) (Qty: 2)

MCO From Date is applied here.

Revision Change Date is applied here.

NOTE:
i. The MCO From Date chosen by the ME is 10-JUN-2010
ii. The Revision Change Date chosen by the ME is 15-JUN-2010
b. After the MCO for this ECO is promoted to Implement Status, data is exported to the MRP system. The
BOM file would contain the following record(s):
Parent Item

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P1

C1 (A)

01-APR-1997

09-JUN-2010

P1

C1 (A)

10-JUN-2010

31-DEC-2030

P1

C1 (B)

15-JUN-2010

31-DEC-2030

CASE C: Quantity change occurs after the Revision change:

Action(s) to be performed by ME
a.
b.
c.
d.

Copy the record in MBOM with the old Quantity and paste as a sibling in the same MBOM.
Change the Quantity for the record that was pasted.
Also set the From Date for the record that was pasted.
Set the To Date for the record with the old Quantity.

NOTE:
For Revision Changes, ME does not have to do anything. When the MCO is promoted to the Implement
Status, the older Revision of the child will be automatically Timed-out a day prior to the Revision Change
From Date chosen by the user while promoting the MCO, and the newer Revision will be automatically
Timed-in on the Revision Change From Date chosen by the user.
Example: ECO-0001 says Change Quantity of C1 under P1 from 3 to 2. This ECO also says Change Revision
of same child C1 from A to B
a. After ME performs the action(s) specified above, heres what the MBOM will look after the MCO is promoted
to the Implement Status:
P1
l C1 (A) (From: 01-APR-1997 To 14-JUN-2010) (Qty: 3)
l C1 (B) (From: 15-JUN-2010 To 30-JUN-2010) (Qty: 3)
l C1 (B) (From: 01-JUL-2010 To 31-DEC-2030) (Qty: 2)

Revision Change Date is applied here.

MCO From Date is applied here.

NOTE:
i. The MCO From Date chosen by the ME is 01-JUL-2010
ii. The Revision Change Date chosen by the ME is 15-JUN-2010
b. After the MCO for this ECO is promoted to Implement Status, data is exported to the MRP system. The
BOM file would contain the following record(s):
Parent Item

Child Item

From Date

To Date

Qty

P1

C1 (A)

01-APR-1997

30-JUN-2010

P1

C1 (B)

01-JUL-2010

31-DEC-2030

P1

C1 (B)

15-JUN-2010

31-DEC-2030

7.8.2.5

ECO Editor Reports

The tables below give details of the information displayed in each ECO Report.
ECO Change Details: The Engineering Change Detail Report allows an engineer to flag a part for discussion
with other manufacturing engineers. When running the report with the 'Show Only MCOs Under Review' box
checked, any MCO with the 'Is Review Required' box checked in the Custom Fields tab will have details
populated in this report. To remove an item from the report after review, the user will need to uncheck the 'Is
Review Required' box on the MCO Custom Fields tab.

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The report can also be run with the 'Show Only MCOs Under Review' box unchecked, and will show all ECOs.
Status

Status of ECO processing in Assembly Planner.

ECO ID

The ID of the ECO, as received from Engineering Central.

MCO ID

The ID of the MCO, as generated by Assembly Planner.

Date Released

The date the ECO was imported into Assembly Planner.

Design Engineer

The ID of the Design Engineer.

Assigned MD

The ID of the ME to whom the ECO/MCO is assigned.

Product Series

Reference field with same name in the ECO Header file.

Units Affected

Reference field with same name in the MCO.

Date Effective

The MCO From Date.

Priority

Priority assigned to the ECO.

Change Description

Description of change.

Total Parts

Total parts affected by the ECO.

New Parts

Number of parts from the ECO that are new.

Affects Floor

Does this change affect the floor or not? Flag set by ME.

Floor Contact

Name of person to contact on the floor.

ME Comments

Comments as entered by ME.

Ser. No. Break Required

Custom field on the ECO.

Floor ME

ME on the floor that is responsible for overseeing the change.

Affects Standards

Does this change affect the standards? Flag set by the ME.

Date to MRP

The date the information was sent to the MRP system. This occurs when
the status changes to Implement.

Engineering Change Snapshot: The Engineering Change Snapshot displays the number of changes being
processed by each manufacturing engineer at a single point in time.
Report On

Date and time report was created. Format mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm a/pm

Plant

ID of plant for database accessed.

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Product Series

Reference field with same name in the ECO Header file. Report is filtered by user
entry in the Report Manger window. No entry brings up All.

Qty Approve

Number of MCOs in the 'Approve' state

Qty Implement

Number of MCOs in the 'Implement' state

Qty Pending

Number of ECOs received but not yet assigned to a user

Qty Process

Number of MCOs in the 'Process' state

Qty Release

Number of MCOs in the 'Release' state

Qty Verify

Number of MCOs in the 'Verify' state

State Total

Total number ECOs/MCOs in each state

Units Affected

Reference field with same name in the MCO. Report is filtered by user entry in the
Report Manger window. No entry brings up All.

User

Names of each user with MCOs assigned are displayed, sorted in ascending
alphabetical order.

User Total

Total number of MCOs assigned to each user.

Engineering Change Volume: The Engineering Change Volume report records statistics on the number of
ECOs that have been received, processed and completed. The output format is compatible with Excel, so that
Excel graphs can easily be created.
Average

The average of all months included in the report for the column.

Avg Days to Process = SUM(Date MCO Promoted to Approve State - Date ECO Imported)/Number of
unique MCOs Promoted to Approve State
From

Beginning month used in report. Excludes ECOs with import dates before the month
specified by the user. Format mm/dd/yyyy

To

End month used in report. Excludes ECOs with import dates after the month
specified by the user. Format mm/dd/yyyy

Month

ECO data is accumulated into monthly buckets. Buckets sorted from newest to
oldest. Format mmm-yyyy

Plant

Plant ID for database accessed

Product Series

Reference field with same name in the ECO Header file. Report is filtered by user
entry in the Report Manger window. No entry brings up All.

Qty Completed

Number of unique MCOs promoted to the Complete state

Qty Implemented

Number of unique MCOs promoted to the Verify state

Qty Processed

Number of unique MCOs promoted to the Implement state

Qty Received

Number of unique ECO numbers imported into Proplanner

Total

The sum for all months included in report

Units Affected

Reference field with same name in the MCO. Report is filtered by user entry in the
Report Manger window. No entry brings up All.

Engineering Change Parts Impact: The Engineering Change Parts report records statistics on the number of
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parts that have been affected in the specified period of time. The output format is compatible with Excel, so that
Excel graphs can easily be created.
Average

The average of all months included in the report for the column.

From

Beginning month used in report. Excludes ECOs with import dates before the month
specified by the user. Format mm/dd/yyyy

To

End month used in report. Excludes ECOs with import dates after the month specified
by the user. Format mm/dd/yyyy

Month

ECO data is accumulated into monthly buckets. Buckets sorted from newest to
oldest. Format mmm-yyyy

Plant

Plant ID for database accessed

Product Series

Reference field with same name in the ECO Header file. Report is filtered by user
entry in the Report Manger window. No entry brings up All.

Total

Total part numbers that are released for the first time on the ECO.

New

Total part numbers that are released for the first time on the ECO.

Total Plant

Total number of changes in the plant. This includes all instances of each part where it
has been added, removed, or the quantity has been changed. Note that, since this is
counting instances of the part, this number may be greater than the Total.

New Plant

Total number of changes in the plant that involve new parts. This includes all
instances of each new part. Note that, since this is counting instances of the part,
this number may be greater than the New.

New Make

Subset of New Plant. All instances of a New Plant manufactured part being added
as a child.

New Purchased

Subset of New Plant. All instances of a New Plant purchased part being added as a
child.

Units Affected

Reference field with same name in the MCO. Report is filtered by user entry in the
Report Manger window. No entry brings up All.

7.8.2.6

Administrator Functions

Adjusting the Import Date

ECOs are processed in the order of their import date. If an ECO needs to be processed ahead of time, the
administrator needs to right-click on the ECO and change its import date to a day prior to the earliest unassigned
ECO.

Deleting an ECO
If the ECO is unassigned, right-clicking on the ECO and clicking Delete will remove the ECO from the system. If the
ECO has been assigned, the assigned Engineer will need to cancel the MCO associated with the ECO, then the
administrator can delete the ECO.

Item Change Revisions

Case A: If item revisions in the ECO do not have revision change flags
Case B: If item revisions in the ECO are lower than the latest revision in Assembly Planner
For both cases, the Administrator can edit the ECO file to adjust the revision for these items
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1. Click on the Item tab of the ECO

2. Locate the issue item and right-click on the row. Select the Change Item Revision menu item.
For Case A, change the previous revision value to the highest current Assembly Planner revision for that
item
For Case B, change the revision value to the highest current Assembly Planner revision for that item.

Deleting an Item
The Delete Item option deletes the item and its bill of materials from the ECO.
1. Open the Item Master tab in the ECO Editor.
2. Right-click on the item to be deleted and select the Delete Items... menu item.
3. Click OK.

7.8.3

MCO Editor

Clicking on the MCO button

will open the MCO Editor.

The Manufacturing Change Order, or MCO, is used to indicate pending engineering changes to the process
engineers. The ECR and ECO indicates to the engineer which portions of a Bill of Materials is changing, and the
engineer then needs to evaluate and update processes accordingly.
An MCO is created once the engineering change (either an ECR or ECO) is assigned to a user.
When searching for MCOs in the MCO List, they will be arranged by categories in order of earliest to latest due
dates.

MCO Header
The MCO Header contains summary information. The fields include:
MCO No: The MCO is generated automatically at the time that the ECR or ECO is assigned.
Status: This indicates the level of processing that has been completed on the MCO.
Created By: The ID of the MCO Coordinator or Administrator that assigned the ECR or ECO, creating
the MCO.
Created On: The date that the MCO was created.
ECR No: The identification number of the ECR that corresponds to this MCO. This field contains a
hyperlink to the ECR.
ECO No: The identification number of the ECO that corresponds to this MCO. This field contains a
hyperlink to the ECO.
Only the ECR number is displayed if the corresponding ECO has not yet been received.
Only the ECO number is displayed if there is an ECR-ECO mismatch, in which case only the ECO is
processed.

Project No: The project number, as listed in the header file from the engineering system.
Released On: The date that the MCO was created.
Due Date: The date by which the MCO must be processed.
Priority: This field is set when the ECR or ECO is assigned. Possible values include Routine, Important,

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High Priority, and Emergency.

Default From Effectivity Date: This is the default date on which the items in the MCO will become
effective. This sets all items to the same time-in date at the creation of the MCO. The default date can be
overwritten, and individual Effective From dates assigned to any of the items.
Reason: This is a text field that can be used to record the reason for the changes described in the MCO.
The field can be changed by an MCO Coordinator, an administrator, or the engineer to which the MCO is
assigned.
Description: This is a text field that can be used to record a description of the changes in the MCO. The
field can be changed by an MCO Coordinator, an administrator, or the engineer to which the MCO is
assigned.
The action buttons that appear in the MCO header area allow the engineer to process the MCO. The possible
actions are:
Cancel MCO: This will cancel the MCO, rolling back any changes that have been made to a component
or BOM affected by the MCO. Any MCO that has not yet reached the implement state may be
canceled.
To cancel an MCO, select it from the list. Click the 'Cancel MCO' button. You will be asked to confirm
the action; select 'Yes'.
Re-Assign: This allows the MCO to be assigned to a different engineer. This feature is helpful if the MCO
Coordinator does not initially know which engineer will ultimately be responsible for a change; it allows
the Coordinator to assign the MCO temporarily and reassign it later.
To reassign an MCO, select the MCO on the list. Then click the Re-Assign button; you will be asked if
you are sure you want to reassign the MCO. When you choose 'Yes', a drop-down list will appear and
you will be able to select the user to whom the MCO should be assigned. Click 'OK' to assign the MCO.
Promote: This is how MCOs are processed through the system. The engineer responsible for the MCO
should be changing the status as the plant works through different stages.
When the MCO is created, it is in the Process state.
The Approve state is intended for MCOs where the ECO has not been received, but the plant is reviewing
the ECR.
An MCO should move to the Release state after the ECO arrives; this will change the eBOM status for all
affected components to 'Released'.
After the ECO changes have been implemented in the plant, the MCO can be moved to Implement. The
status of the mBOM will be changed, and any exports to the MRP system will be exported.
Verify and Complete are both states that deal with post-implementation analysis.
For more information, see the MCO Status 181 section.
Demote: The Demote function allows an MCO to be moved back to a different state (e.g. from Release
back to Approve). You may not demote an MCO after it has reached the implement state.
Update: This will save any changes made to the MCO or MCO Custom Fields.

MCO Tabs
The Custom Fields Tab displays all of the extra information associated with the MCO. If you change the values
of any of these fields, remember to use the Update button to save the changes.
The Documents Tab contains a list of all of the documents associated with this MCO.
7.8.3.1

MCO Status

The MCO Status indicates how much the processing has taken place regarding the MCO. In Assembly
Planner, an MCO will progress through the following states:

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Process: This indicates that manufacturing engineering is working to complete all pre-release analysis
and tasks. The Process state is the default first state for every MCO.
Approve: In this state, the MCO is being reviewed and approved by the plant. The requirements for
approval vary depending on ECR content and plant business process.
The MCO remains unlocked and can still be changed because an MCO may need to be demoted if an
updated ECR is received from the engineering system.
Release: A released MCO is approved, but the plant is still working on reviewing the corresponding ECO.
Any discrepancies between the ECR and the ECO should be resolved while the MCO is in this state.
The MCO remains unlocked and can still be changed because an MCO may need to be demoted if an
updated ECR is received from the engineering system.
Implement: During the implement stage, the plant is in the process of implementing the MCO. At this
point, Assembly Planner will export data to the MRP system.
The MCO will be locked, and any further modifications need to occur via an engineer-initiated change
through the engineering system.
Verify: In this state, the MCO is in production. Manufacturing completes all post-release analysis and
tasks.
The MCO is locked, and any further modifications need to occur via an engineer-initiated change through
the engineering system.
Complete: All post-release tasks have been accomplished.
7.8.3.2

MCO Editor Reports

Implement Date Report: This report displays all MCOs that have been implemented within a certain time
frame. The user is prompted to select the beginning and end dates for which they wish to see information
displayed. The report shows the Implement Date, MCO Status, MCO ID, ECO ID, MCO Description, the User
Assigned to the MCO, and the ECO Arrival Date for each implemented MCO.
Launch Date Report: This report lists all the MCOs from the earliest to the latest implement date (MCO Due
Date)order. The MCOS are listed in order of the earliest to the most recent implementation. The report layout is
as follows- Implementation Date, MCO Status, MCO ID, ECO ID, MCO Description, User Assigned, ECO Arrival
Date, and MCO checkboxes. The checkboxes are editable by an administrator or whomever the MCO is
assigned.

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Generating Work Instructions

Many work instruction templates are available in Assembly Planner. Typically, a template or set of templates is
customized by Proplanner to fit a client's needs. Pleaseconsult your Proplanner representative 3 to determine
which template applies to or is available in your system.

7.9.1

Work Instruction Filter

When creating work instructions, the first step is to specify the information that is to be published. When a
Work Instruction Report is run, a new screen comes up so that this information can be chosen. Creating a work
instruction is done within the routing, operation, or activity editors or line balancing module. Within the editors,
click on Reports and then either Work Instruction Report or the specific report if it is available (SOP/SOS is
commonly available). Note that an entity must be selected or the fields will appear grayed out and will not be
able to be selected.

Assem bly Planner Report Menu

highlighting the Work Instruction Report

The screen that appears should look like the one below.

Work Instruction Report input w indow

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Filter Headings
The first heading focuses on what will be included in the report.
1. When checked, the 'Show unique list of parts for each activity' prompts the report to show all unique part lists
for each activity.
2. The 'Display Models' and 'Display Options' check boxes tell the report whether to show models and options in
the report. These boxes are commonly grayed out, as they must be shown in many work instructions.
The second heading is used for filtering.
1. The user has the option to only show a specific serial number, activated by filling the Unit Serial Number
bubble. Note that this tak es away Model and Option filtering.
2. The Model drop down allows for a single model's work instructions to be created when needed. This is used
when a change has affected only specific models within a line and not all instructions need to be re-done.
Note that only one model can be selected in this drop down.

Model selection drop-dow n

3. The Options List field can be used to show only certain models. They must be typed in separated by
commas in a typical 'comma separated list' format. Note that they must be typed exactly as they are in the
Assembly Planner database.
The final heading contains the ability to select specific workstations.
1. A checked box is a station that will be included in the report, while a non-checked box will be filtered out of
the report.

Activity Editor Special Case

If the report is chosen within the Activity Editor, the following red text may appear at the top of the filtering
screen.

Work Instruction Report input w indow w hen selected from the Activity
Editor

This is to remind you that the activity will be shown even if it should be filtered out as a result of model/option
filtering. Only one activity can be selected within this editor, so it must be shown on the report.

Creating the Work Instruction

When all of the changes to the setup are finished, clicking the OK button brings up the next screen. In some
cases (SOS/SOP) the report will be brought up automatically and will be ready for printing. This is the case
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when a specific report was selected and the Work Instruction Report button was not used. In the case that
Work Instruction Report was used, a new screen will come up requesting the type of report that is to be
completed.

Work Instruction Report Type Request Screen

The type of report can be selected from the drop down, and when the submit button is clicked, the report will be
generated.

Line Balancing Special Case

Within the Line Balancing Module, the Station Work Instructions Report is one of the options available within
the Report Manager 260 , as well as the individual SOP/SOS if available. All of the fields and effects remain the
same, but without the need to load a new screen.

Line Balancing Report input w indow highlighting the Station Work

Instruction Report

7.9.2

SOP and SOS

The SOS and SOP are documents that are authored, previewed, and printed in Assembly Planner and then
optionally viewed on the Shop Floor Viewer. There are four areas from which these reports can be generated.
Please note that the Work Instructions module in Assembly Planner is not used for SOS and SOP
authoring. See Viewing and Printing the SOP and SOS 197 to learn how to generate, view, and print each
report.
SOS and SOP will only be generated for operations or activities that are associated with a work station and an
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operator. The user needs to go to the Plant module

and create a station within the station list tab.
You can reference the Plant Editor 140 for more information about this area.

After creating the station, the operation has to be associated with the station(s) created. This can be done
under the Routing module and within the Operation List tab.

Operation List

Next, the operators need to be associated with the different activities. To do this the user needs to look at the

activity list under the Operation module

and the Operator ID needs to be entered. Make sure to
do this for all operations that you want to run your SOS or SOP for.

Activity List

When trying to run the SOP or SOS a window will show up allowing the user to filter out options that are not
wanted for a given report.

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SOS/SOP Report Setup

7.9.2.1

SOP/SOS Custom Field Requirements

There are a number of custom fields that must be added in order to complete an SOP or SOS report. If they
have not already been added to the database you are using, they can be added in Admin Tools; a tutorial on
how to add a custom field is available in the Create Custom Fields 507 section.

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7.9.2.2

Authoring the SOS

The SOS Report is generated for a routing, operation or work station and contains a header and a body.

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SOS Overview

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7.9.2.2.1 SOS Header

Activities that are currently mapped to a selected work station are shown in the SOS.
1.

Area This is a custom field on the work station in the Plants Module 140 . The user needs to populate
this field for every work station.

2.

Work Station This is the station where the operation is currently mapped to.
a.

In order to create a work station click on the plants tab and add a work station to the list below.

b.

Once created, save the sheet.

c.

Once saved, click on the routing and for the child operation under the routing; locate the work
center column.

d.

This column will have a drop-down list and you will find your work station here.

3.

Line The line mapped to the work station in the Plants module.

4.

Operator This is a custom field of the activity. There could be multiple operators in a work station;
the user would have to specify the operator ID next to each activity.

5.

Model The SOS can be generated for all models or a specific model. If the user is viewing the SOS
for a schedule then the model code here would correspond to the unit in the schedule.

6.

Unit # - For schedule driven instructions, this field would display the unit serial number of the product.
For a generic view this field would be blank.

Each attribute of the activity is authored in the Activity Editor. The user must search for activities under a
Routing and then define all the necessary values for each.

Header of an SOS Report

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7.9.2.2.2 SOS Body

Custom Fields - These are custom fields on the activity can be edited from the
Custom Fields 93 tab of the Activity.
a.

Alerts These are set in the custom fields tab for each activity. Setting the flag will set an
alert next to the activity in the shop floor viewer.
i.

Has Changed

ii.

Has Environmental

iii. Has Quality

iv. Has Safety
a.

SOP Image ID
i.

The user must first associate an image in the documents module for the activity.
Note: The image must be of type JPG.

v.

The ID of the image in the documents module must be typed in the SOP Image ID
field.

b.

Drawing The Drawing Number field is populated in the drawing number column of the
SOS.

c.

PPE List At the moment there are six PPE fields defined and each field has a drop-down
list associated. The user can select the PPE to be associated the task from this list. This
list is available in the List Management Control 426 inside the Data Management Module 410
.

d.

Show SOP Footer - By checking this box, the footer of the SOP will display the
consumed parts and mapped resources.

Standard Fields - These are standard fields on the activity and can be edited from
Activity Header 91 or from under an Operation (Activity Sheet 85 ).

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ID The ID of the activity is shown in this field. This field is auto-generated and cannot be
edited.

f.

Description The description of the activity is shown in this field. The description is
always shown in bold letters

g.

Time The time of the activity is shown in this field. Note: If there are multiple time types
for an activity then the time type with the highest rank is picked up for this column. The
time type rank can be set by the Time Standard Rank feature in the Time Estimation Tab
45 of the Options Menu 44 .

h.

Work Steps

192
i.

The Work Steps tab allows the user to define more details about the activity.

ii.

The user must type in a Step Number and then a description of the step. The work
steps (Step No. and Description) are shown below the activity description in the SOS.

Multi Page SOP

The user can create a multi page SOP by associating page numbers to the work steps. Each page can have
images associated with it as well.
1. Import all images to be associated with each page into the documents tab for each activity.
2. Next click on the Work Steps tab for the activity.
3. Type in the work step and put in the page number and image ID.

Mapping Fields - These fields are local fields on an activity.

i.

Consumed Parts The user can type in the parts to be consumed in here or select them
from the BOM or Parts Library. The part numbers line up to the work steps through the
step number. There is a field in the Consumption sheet called Work Step No. The user
must type in the corresponding Step Number in here. The rest of the fields in consumption
being displayed (found and able to be edited in the Consumption 539 tab within the Activity
Editor) are i.

Part Number - User can type in or select from BOM. Note: the user cannot type in a
part description in here, for parts that are being created in this sheet the description
will be blank. The user can Import 517 such parts and then use the Add from Library
option.

ii.

Part Description

iii. Quantity - The user can edit this field. This field indicates the quantity of parts being
consumed at this step.
iv. Spec - define the torque spec of the part in this field.
j.

k.

Tools - The tools can be added to the task through the Add Resource button. The tools
also line up to the work steps through the step number. There is a field in Resource sheet
called Work Step No. The user must type in the corresponding Step Number in here. The
rest of the fields in resource being displayed (found and able to be edited in the Resource
105 tab within the Activity Editor) are i.

ID

ii.

Description

Variants For sites that have options mapped to activities. This column will display the
options tied to every activity. These fields are editable in the Model Option Mapping 148 tab

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within the Activity Editor.

SOS Body

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7.9.2.3

Authoring the SOP

The SOP Report is a document produced to show the details of an activity or activities within routings or
operations and contains a header, a body, and possibly a footer (if it is enabled in the Activity editor).

SOP Overview

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7.9.2.3.1 SOP Header

The data fields in the SOP header are

1. Plant Code Derived from the Plant table
2.

Description Activity Description

3.

Area, Line, Work Station and Operator Attributes of the work station

4.

Time Activity Time

5.

Revision Last revised date

6.

Model ID List of models mapped to the activity

7.

Drawing Number Custom Field on the activity

8.

Activity # Activity ID of the activity (editable in Activity List of Operation Editor)

9.

Issued By Automatically fills as the user that created the report

10. Sub Assembly Of - Custom Field on the activity

11. Variant # - Option mapped to the task
12. PPE List Custom Field on the activity

SOP Header

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7.9.2.3.2 SOP Body

The SOP Body contains the SOP Image that is set in the Activity Custom Fields.

SOP Body

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7.9.2.3.3 SOP Footer

The SOP Footer contains Information about components and tools required for the Activity, as well as a
descriptions of any work steps that have been created within the activity. This information is only available when
the Show SOP Footer checkbox is checked within the Custom Fields 93 in the Activity Editor 90 .

SOP Footer

7.9.2.4

Viewing and Printing the SOP and SOS

You can generate the SOP and SOS reports to view and print from four different locations in Assembly Planner.
Each time you generate a report, you will be prompted to set Filter Criteria 183 .

Routing
1. Select a Routing and then click on the Reports menu.
2. Select the SOS or SOP Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.' An SOS will be generated for each operation in the routing. An SOP will
be generated for each activity in the routing.

Operation
1. Select an Operation and then click on the Reports menu.
2. Select the SOS or SOP report menu.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.' An SOS will be generated for the selected operation. An SOP will be
generated for each activity in the operation.

Activity
1. Select an activity and then click on the Reports menu. *Note: you must first search for the activity within a
Routing.

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2. Select the SOP report menu.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.' An SOP will be generated for the selected activity.

Line Balance Reports

1. Open a line balance scenario and then click on the Reports menu and open the Reports Manager.
2. Select the SOS or SOP report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'Generate.' The SOS is created for every operation in the balance and the SOP
is created for every activity at the stations that have been selected.
7.9.2.5

Publishing the SOP and SOS

Once the data is authored, please refer to Process Publishing 432 to publish the SOP and SOS to the Shop
Floor Viewer.

7.9.3

SWAS and SWS

The SWAS and SWS are documents that are authored, previewed, and printed in Assembly Planner and then
optionally viewed on the Shop Floor Viewer. The SWAS/SWS reports are commonly used work instructions for
companies without a specified template. There are three areas from which these reports can be generated.
Please note that the Work Instructions module in Assembly Planner is not used for SWAS and SWS
authoring. See Viewing and Printing the SWAS and SWS 208 to learn how to generate, view, and print each
report.

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7.9.3.1

199

SWAS/SWS Custom Field Requirements

There are a number of custom fields that must be added in order to complete an SWAS or SWS report. If they
have not already been added to the database you are using, they can be added in Admin Tools; a tutorial on
how to add a custom field is available in the Create Custom Fields 507 section.

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7.9.3.2

Authoring the SWAS

The SWAS Report is a document produced to show the details of an activity or activities within routings and
operations and contains a header, body, and footer.
When an SWAS report is generated, a maximum of 6 work steps and 4 images will be displayed per page.

SWAS Overall

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7.9.3.2.1 SWAS Header

The data fields in the SWAS header are

1. SWAS ID Automatically populated ("SWAS"-Routing ID-OpSeqNo-ActSeqNo)
2.

Description Activity Description

3.

Rev Level Act Rev (Activity Custom Field)

4.

Date Automatically populated (print date)

5.

Safety Equipment PPE1 and PPE2 automatically populated with Safety Goggles and Safety Boots.
PPE3-PPE9 are Activity Custom Fields.

SWAS Header

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7.9.3.2.2 SWAS Body

The data fields in the SWAS body are

1. Seq # Work Step No
2.

Work Step Description Work Step Description

3.

Key Point Key Point (Work Step Custom Field)

4.

Reason Reason (Work Step Custom Field)

5.

Cycle Time Cycle Time (Work Step Custom Field)

6.

Resources Resource ID (Resource tab). Use Work Step No. field in Resource tab to indicate which
work step requires a specific resource.

7.

Parts Part ID (Consumption tab). Use Work Step No. field in Consumption tab to indicate which work
step requires a specific part.

8.

Sym People, Velocity, Complete, Quality Alert, Cost, Quality Check (Work Step Custom Fields)

9.

Images SOP Image ID (Work Step Field)

SWAS Body

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7.9.3.2.3 SWAS Footer

The data fields in the SWAS footer are

1. SWIP Activity SWIP (Activity Custom Field)
2.

WIPCAP Activity WIPCAP (Activity Custom Field)

3.

Cycle Time Activity Time (Estimated, Calculated, or Observed)

4.

Models Model ID (Model-Option Mapping tab). Model selected in report filter will be displayed.

5.

Originator Automatically populated with User ID of person who generated report

6.

Page Automatically populated

7.

Open text area Activity Text (Activity List Field or Activity Properties tab)

*Symbols shown are legend on right side of footer.

SWAS Footer

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7.9.3.3

Authoring the SWS

The SWS Report is generated for a routing or operation and contains a header, body, and footer.

SWS Overall

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7.9.3.3.1 SWS Header

Activities that are currently included in a selected operation are shown in the body of the SWS.
1.

SWS ID Automatically populated ("SWS"-Routing ID-OpSeqNo)

2.

Area / Operation Description Operation Description

3.

Rev Level Rev Level (Operation Custom Field)

4.

Date Automatically populated (print date)

SWS Header

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7.9.3.3.2 SWS Body

The data fields in the SWS body are

1. Seq # ActSeqNo (Activity List Field)
2. Activity Description Activity Description (Activity List Field or Activity Properties tab)
3. Sym Automatically populated with symbols defined in activity's Work Step tab
4. Signature blank field (meant for handwritten signature indicating completion)
5. Date blank field (meant for handwritten signature indicating completion)
6. Safety Score Safety Score (Activity List Field or Activity Custom Fields tab)
7. Cycle Time Man(ual) field only - Activity Time (Estimated, Calculated, or Observed)
8. SWAS ID & Rev Automatically populated ("SWAS"-OpSeqNo-ActSeqNo "REV" Act Rev)
9. Reference Doc Ref (Activity List Field or Activity Custom Fields tab)

SWS Body

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7.9.3.3.3 SWS Footer

The data fields in the SWS footer are

1. SWIP SWIP (Operation Custom Field)
2.

WIPCAP WIPCAP (Operation Custom Field)

3.

Models Model ID (Model-Option Mapping tab). Model selected in report filter will be displayed.

4.

Cycle Time Operation Time (sum of all Activity Times)

5.

Takt Take Time (Operation Custom Field)

6.

Originator Automatically populated with User ID of person who generated report

7.

Page Automatically populated

8.

Open text area Operation Text (Operation List Field or Operation Properties tab)

*Symbols shown are legend on right side of footer.

SWS Footer

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7.9.3.4

Viewing and Printing the SWAS and SWS

You can generate the SWAS and SWS reports to view and print from three different locations in Assembly
Planner. Each time you generate a report, you will be prompted to set filter criteria 183 .

Routing
1. Select a Routing and then click on the Reports menu.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.'
4. When the Preview window loads, select either SWS or SWAS in the Parameters dropdown menu. Then click
'Submit.' The SWS will be generated for each operation in the routing. The SWAS will be generated for each
activity in the routing.

Operation
1. Select an Operation and then click on the Reports menu.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.'
4. When the Preview window loads, select either SWS or SWAS in the Parameters dropdown menu. Then click
'Submit.' The SWS will be generated for the operation. The SWAS will be generated for each activity in the
operation.

Activity
1. Select an activity and then click on the Reports menu. *Note: you must first search for the activity within a
Routing.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.'
4. When the Preview window loads, select SWAS in the Parameters dropdown menu. An SOP will be
generated for the selected activity.

7.9.4

Process Work Instruction Report

The Process Work Instruction Report is a document authored, previewed, and printed in Assembly Planner and
then optionally viewed on the Shop Floor Viewer. There are three areas from which these reports can be
generated. Please note that the Work Instructions module in Assembly Planner is not used for
authoring this document. See Viewing and Printing the Process WI 210 to learn how to generate, view, and
print the report.

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7.9.4.1

209

Process WI Custom Field Requirements

There are a number of custom fields that must be added in order to complete a Process WI report. If they have
not already been added to the database you are using, they can be added in Admin Tools; a tutorial on how to
add a custom field is available in the Create Custom Fields 507 section.
Entity

Name

ProcessStructu PID
re

Display
Name

Data
Type

PID

nvarchar
(64)

Routing

ClientLogo Client

Activity

CertifiedVie Certified Viewbit

w

Default
Value

nvarchar
(50)

List
Name

Is Read
Only

Is Visible
Yes

Client*

Yes
Yes

Client logos (.jpg format) should be imported in the Template Manager under the Images section. Then a list
should be created in Data Mgmt>List Management 426 called 'Client.' The items in the list should be the names
of client logos that have been loaded in the Template manager. For example, if the image loaded is 'Client1.jpg',
the item in the Client list should be 'Client1.'
7.9.4.2

Authoring the Process WI

The Process WI Report is a document produced to show the details of an activity or activities within routings
and operations.

Process WI Report

The items displayed in the Process WI Report are

1.

Client Logo - Client (Routing Custom Fields tab)

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2.

Station - Work Center (Operation List field)

3.

Model - Model selection made in Report Filter 183

4.

Report On - Automatically populated with date on which report was printed

5.

Routing - Routing ID to which the activity belongs.

6.

Operation - Operation ID to which the activity belongs.

7.

Process Description - Activity Description (Activity List field or Activity Header)

8.

PID - PID (Activity List field or Activity Custom Fields tab)

9.

Modified On - Automatically populated with date on which report was last modified

10. Resources - Resource ID : Resource Name: Resource Description (Activity Resource tab)
11. Control Plan - Displays full control plan saved for selected activity
Another field that should be edited is Certified View (Activity List field or Activity Custom Fields tab) to
indicate whether this activity should be published as part of the certified or non-certified work instruction report.
7.9.4.3

Viewing and Printing the Process WI

You can generate the Process WI Report to view and print from three different locations in Assembly Planner.
Each time you generate a report, you will be prompted to set Filter Criteria 183 .

Routing
1. Select a Routing and then click on the Reports menu.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.'
4. When the Preview window loads, select either False or True in the Parameters 'CertifiedView' dropdown
menu. Then click 'Submit.' The Process WI report will be generated for each activity in the routing.

Operation
1. Select an Operation and then click on the Reports menu.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.'
4. When the Preview window loads, select either False or True in the Parameters 'CertifiedView' dropdown
menu. Then click 'Submit.' The Process WI report will be generated for each activity in the operation.

Activity
1. Select an activity and then click on the Reports menu. *Note: you must first search for the activity within a

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Routing.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.'
4. When the Preview window loads, select either False or True in the Parameters 'CertifiedView' dropdown
menu. A Process WI report will be generated for the selected activity.

7.9.5

Standard Shop Floor Viewer Format

The standard Shop Floor Viewer work instruction is a document authored in Assembly Planner and then viewed
on the Shop Floor Viewer.
7.9.5.1

Custom Field Requirements

There are a number of custom fields that must be added in order to publish a work instruction to the standard
format of the Shop Floor Viewer. If they have not already been added to the database you are using, they can
be added in Admin Tools; a tutorial on how to add a custom field is available in the Create Custom Fields 507
section.

Entity

Name

Display Name

Data
Type

Specification

nvarchar
(50)

IsSerialNoReq

IsSerialNoReq

bit

PaintCodes

PaintCodes

nvarchar
(50)

HasEarProtection

Has Ear Protectionbit

Consumpt Specification
ion

Activity

Default
Value

List
Name

Is Read
Only

Is
Visible
Yes

Yes
Yes

Yes

HasHeadProtection Has Head

Protection

bit

Yes

HasHandProtection Has Hand

Protection

bit

Yes

HasRespiratory

Has Respiratory

bit

Yes

HasOtherPPE

Has Other PPE

bit

Yes

HasChanged

Has Changed

bit

Yes

HasSafety

Has Safety

bit

Yes

HasQuality

Has Quality

bit

Yes

ChangeNote

Change Note

nvarchar
(50)

Yes

SafetyNote

Safety Note

nvarchar
(50)

Yes

QualityNote

Quality Note

nvarchar
(50)

Yes

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Routing

7.9.5.2

DrawingNumber

Drawing Number

nvarchar
(50)

Yes

VideoInfo

Video Info

nvarchar
(50)

Yes

QualityNotesDocum Quality Notes

ent
Document

nvarchar
(50)

PDF

Yes

SafetyNotesDocum Safety Notes

ent
Document

nvarchar
(50)

PDF

Yes

RoutingMapicsCodeRouting Mapics
Code

nvarchar
(50)

Yes

Authoring the SFV Work Instruction

The standard SFV template is an electronic document produced to show the details of an activity. Multiple
activities may be published together in series, encompassing the work for one operator at one station for one
specific unit.

The items displayed in the SFV are

1.

Serial No. - Unit Serial No (Build List of Order Data Management) 428 .

2.

VIN - Machine Serial No (Build List of Order Data Management) 428 .

3.

Station - Work Center (Operation List).

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4.

Operator - Operator ID (Activity List).

5.

Model - Model ID (Activity Model-Option Mapping tab and Build List of Order Data Management) 428 .

6.

Operation ID - Operation ID (Operation List).

7.

Description - Activity Description (Activity List or Activity Header)

8.

Option(s) - Option ID(s) (Activity Model-Option Mapping tab and Build List of Order Data Management)
428 .

9.

Image(s) - .jpg file(s) saved in Activity Documents tab

10. Parts List (Activity Consumption tab)

a. Stat - IsSerialNoReq
b. #
c. Part Number - Part ID
d. Description - Part Description
e. Qty - Qty
f. Torque - Specification
11. Safety Notes - Safety Notes (Activity List or Activity Custom Fields tab). If a safety document has
been loaded in Activity or Routing Documents tabs and the name has been defined in the Safety Notes
Document field (Activity List or Activity Custom Fields tab), an icon with a hyperlink to the document
will be displayed in this area as well.
12. Quality Notes - Quality Notes (Activity List or Activity Custom Fields tab). If a quality document has
been loaded in Activity or Routing Documents tabs and the name has been defined in the Quality Notes
Document field (Activity List or Activity Custom Fields tab), an icon with a hyperlink to the document
will be displayed in this area as well.
13. Activity ID - Activity ID (Activity List)
14. (text with no title) - Operation Description (Operation List or Operation header)
15. Text Instructions hyperlink - Activity Text (Activity List or Activity Properties tab)
16. Tooling Information hyperlink - Resource ID(s) (Activity Resource tab)
17. Video file hyperlink - Video Info (Activity List or Activity Custom Fields tab)
18. Time - Activity Time (Estimated, Calculated, or Observed)
19. Eng.Dwg - Drawing Number (Activity List or Activity Custom Fields tab)
20. PPE - Has Ear Protection, Has Head Protection, Has Hand Protection, Has Respiratory, Has Other
PPE (Activity List or Activity Custom Fields tab)

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7.9.5.3

Publishing to the Standard SFV

Please refer to Process Publishing 432 to publish the instructions you have authored.

7.9.6

Job Detail Sheet

The Job Detail Sheet is a document authored, previewed, and printed in Assembly Planner. There are four areas
from which these reports can be generated. Please note that the Work Instructions module in Assembly
Planner is not used for authoring this document. See Viewing and Printing the Job Detail Sheets 216 to
learn how to generate, view, and print the report.
7.9.6.1

Job Detail Sheet Custom Field Requirements

There are a number of custom fields that must be added in order to complete a Job Detail report. If they have
not already been added to the database you are using, they can be added in Admin Tools; a tutorial on how to
add a custom field is available in the Create Custom Fields 507 section.
Entity

Name

Display
Name

Data Type

Process
Structure

IsQuality

Is Quality

bit

Yes

IsSafety

Is Safety

bit

Yes

IsEase

Is Ease

bit

Yes

KP

KP

nvarchar(50)

Yes

KPR

KPR

nvarchar(50)

Yes

7.9.6.2

Default
Value

List Name

Is Read
Only

Is Visible

ArmProtectio Arm
n
Protection

nvarchar(50)

PPE

Yes

EarProtectionEar
Protection

nvarchar(50)

PPE

Yes

EyeProtectio Eye
n
Protection

nvarchar(50)

PPE

Yes

FootProtectio Foot
n
Protection

nvarchar(50)

PPE

Yes

HandProtecti Hand
on
Protection

nvarchar(50)

PPE

Yes

HeadProtecti Head
on
Protection

nvarchar(50)

PPE

Yes

OtherPPE

Other PPE

nvarchar(50)

PPE

Yes

Respiratory

Respiratory

nvarchar(50)

PPE

Yes

Authoring the Job Detail Reports

The Job Detail Report is a document produced to show the details of an activity or activities within routings and
operations.

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Job Detail Report

The items displayed in the Job Detail Report are

Process Line - The routing ID.
Operation Position - The work center ID (Operation List and Operation Properties tab) followed by Operator ID
(Activity List and Activity Properties tab) in parentheses.
Part Name and No. - This will be left blank.
Issue No. - Refer to Viewing and Printing the Job Detail Sheets 216 to populate this.
IE Approval - Filled in automatically based on user generating the report (can be modified).
Quality - Refer to Viewing and Printing the Job Detail Sheets 216 to populate this.
Supervisor - Refer to Viewing and Printing the Job Detail Sheets 216 to populate this.
Major Step - Activity Description (Activity List and Activity Custom Field tab)
Key Point - Key Point field (Activity List and Activity Custom Field tab)
Key Point Reason - Key Point Reason field (Activity List and Activity Custom Field tab)
Photo/Sketch - JPEG file should be loaded in the activity documents tab
PPE Required - Select the PPE type from the drop down of the appropriate PPE field (Shoes, Eye Protection,
Ear Protection, Arm Protection, Hand Protection, Respiratory, Other PPE)

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7.9.6.3

Viewing and Printing the Job Detail Sheets

You can generate the Job Detail Report to view and print from three different locations in Assembly Planner.
Each time you generate a report, you will be prompted to set Filter Criteria 183 .

Routing
1. Select a Routing and then click on the Reports menu.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.'
4. When the Preview window loads, enter information for the fields IssueNo, IssueSupervisor, IEApproval,
IESupervisor, Quality, and Quality Supervisor to complete the specifications for your report. Then click
'Submit.' The Job Detail report will be generated for each operation in the routing including all the details for
activities under that operation.

Multiple Steps Under a Routing

Operation

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1. Select an Operation and then click on the Reports menu.

2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.'
4. When the Preview window loads, enter information for the fields IssueNo, IssueSupervisor, IEApproval,
IESupervisor, Quality, and Quality Supervisor to complete the specifications for your report. Then click
'Submit.' The Job Detail report will be generated for each activity in the routing.

Activity
1. Select an activity and then click on the Reports menu. *Note: you must first search for the activity within a
Routing.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.'
4. When the Preview window loads, enter information for the fields IssueNo, IssueSupervisor, IEApproval,
IESupervisor, Quality, and Quality Supervisor to complete the specifications for your report. Then click
'Submit.' The Job Detail report will be generated for each activity in the routing.

Line Balancing
1. Go to File and Open Scenario or New Scenario (create scenario then go to step 3)
2. Select the desired Scenario and hit Open
3. Click Reports and Select Report Manager
4. Select Station Work Instructions Report and Set the filter criteria and click 'Generate.' (Below is Report
Manager Window)
5. When the Preview window loads, enter information for the fields IssueNo, IssueSupervisor, IEApproval,
IESupervisor, Quality, and Quality Supervisor to complete the specifications for your report. Then click
'Submit.' The Job Detail report will be generated for each activity in the routing.

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Report Manager With Filters

7.9.7

Job Breakdown Sheet

The Job Breakdown Sheet is a document authored, previewed, and printed in Assembly Planner. There are four
areas from which these reports can be generated. See Viewing and Printing the Job Breakdown Sheets 223 to
learn how to generate, view, and print the report.
7.9.7.1

Job Breakdown Sheet Custom Field Requirements

There are a number of custom fields that must be added in order to complete a Job Breakdown Sheet report. If
they have not already been added to the database you are using, they can be added in Admin Tools; a tutorial
on how to add a custom field is available in the Create Custom Fields 507 section.
Entity

Name

Display
Name

Data Type

Default
Value

List Name

Is Read
Only

Is Visible

Operation

PPE1

PPE1

nvarchar(50)

PPEList

Yes

PPE2

PPE2

nvarchar(50)

PPEList

Yes

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Activity

PPE3

PPE3

nvarchar(50)

PPEList

Yes

PPE4

PPE4

nvarchar(50)

PPEList

Yes

PPE5

PPE5

nvarchar(50)

PPEList

Yes

PPE6

PPE6

nvarchar(50)

PPEList

Yes

PPE7

PPE7

nvarchar(50)

PPEList

Yes

PPE8

PPE8

nvarchar(50)

PPEList

Yes

RefDoc

Ref Doc

nvarchar(20)

Icon1

Icon 1

nvarchar(50)

IconList

Yes

Icon2

Icon 2

nvarchar(50)

IconList

Yes

Icon3

Icon 3

nvarchar(50)

IconList

Yes

Yes

IconExplanati Icon
nvarchar(50)
on1
Explanation 1

Yes

IconExplanati Icon
nvarchar(50)
on2
Explanation 2

Yes

IconExplanati Icon
nvarchar(50)
on3
Explanation 3

Yes

WorkSteps Icon

Icon

nvarchar(50)

IconList

IconExplanati Icon
nvarchar(50)
on
Explanation
IconExplanati Icon
nvarchar(50)
onImage
Explanation
Image
Reasons
7.9.7.2

Reasons

nvarchar(50)

219

Yes
Yes

Document
Image List

Yes

Yes

Authoring the Printed Job Breakdown Sheets

The Job Breakdown Sheet is a document produced to show the details of an activity or activities within routings
and operations.

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The items displayed in the printed Job Breakdown Sheet, and how to populate them, are
Process Description - The Operation Description.
Models - The list shown is an aggregate of any models mapped in an Activity's Model-Option Mapping tab
within the given Operation. If the Model filter criteria is set before running this report, only the selected Models
will be displayed here.
Options - The list shown is an aggregate of any options mapped in an Activity's Model-Option Mapping tab
within the given Operation. If the Option filter criteria is set before running this report, only the selected Options
will be displayed here.
Tools - The list shown is an aggregate of resource mapped in an Activity's Resources tab within the given
Operation.
Reference - Ref Doc field (Operation List and Operation Custom Fields tab)
Operation - Operation's OpSeqNo field (Operation List)
Operator - Operator ID field (Activity List)
PPE Icons - PPE1-PPE8 fields (Operation List and Operation Custom Fields tab)
Important Step / Parts - Activity Description (Activity List and Activity Header) / Parts list in Activity
Consumption tab
Cycle Time - Activity Time field (Activity List and Activity Time tab)
Illustration - SOP Image ID field (Activity List and Activity Custom Fields tab). .jpg file must be loaded in the

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Activity's Documents tab, then selected from the dropdown in the SOP Image ID field.
Key Point - Description field in Work Steps tab
Reasons - Reasons fields in Work Steps tab
Icon - Icon 1, Icon 2, and Icon 3 fields (Activity List and Activity Custom Fields tab)
Icon Explanation - Icon Explanation 1, Icon Explanation 2, and Icon Explanation 3 fields (Activity List and
Activity Custom Fields tab)
7.9.7.3

Authoring the Shop Floor Viewer Job Breakdown Sheets

The Job Breakdown Sheet is a document produced to show the details activities within routings and operations.
There are two portions of the Shop Floor Viewer Job Breakdown Sheet - the first screen is an Operation
Summary screen and the subsequent are Activity detail screens.

The items displayed in the Operation Summary of the Job Breakdown Sheet, and how to populate them, are
Process Description - The Operation Description.
Catalog - Map the necessary models and options to each activity in the Edit Model-Option Data selection in
the right-click menu of the Routing, or in the Model-Option Mapping tab of each Activity. The catalog number
displayed will be the model and option configuration of the unit that was selected, and the activities with the
corresponding models and options mapped will appear in subsequent screens.
Tools - The list shown is an aggregate of resources mapped in an Activity's Resources tab within the given
Operation. You can map all resources to a single activity, or map certain resources to certain activities, and
they will all be aggregated in this Tools list.

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Reference - Ref Doc field (Operation List and Operation Custom Fields tab)
Doc No - Document Number field (Operation List and Operation Custom Fields tab)
Rev - this revision is controlled by the Proplanner publishing mechanism. Each time work instructions for an
operation are published, the revision will increase.
Rev. Date - this date is controlled by the Proplanner publishing mechanism and will display the date the work
instruction for the operation was last published.
Number of Pages - this is controlled by the Proplanner publishing mechanism and will display the total number
of activities in the operation.
PPE Icons - PPE1-PPE8 fields (Operation List and Operation Custom Fields tab)
Process Input Bill of Materials - The list shown is an aggregate of parts mapped in an Activity's Consumption
tab within the given Operation. You can map all parts to a single activity, or map certain resources to certain
activities, and they will all be aggregated in this section.
Equipment List - See the Tools details above - this section uses the same data. In addition, you can import
a .jpg file into the Documents tab of the Resource so the image of the tool appears in this section.

The items displayed in the Activity Detail screens of the Job Breakdown Sheet, and how to populate them, are
*The same header will appear in the Operation Summary and the Activity Detail screens*
Important Step - Activity Description (Activity List and Activity Header)
Cycle Time - Activity Time field (Activity List and Activity Time tab)
Key Point - Description field in Work Steps tab
Illustration - SOP Image ID field (Activity List and Activity Custom Fields tab). .jpg file must be loaded in the

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Activity's Documents tab, then selected from the dropdown in the SOP Image ID field.
Reasons - Reasons field in Work Steps tab
Icon - Icon field in Work Steps tab. If 'CTQ' is selected for any work step in an activity, operators on the Shop
Floor Viewer will be prompted to perform an extra verification of their work before proceeding to the next activity.
Icon Explanation - Icon Explanation OR Explanation Image field in Work Steps tab. You can populate one
field or the other. If populating the Explanation Image field, you must load a .jpg file into the Activity's
Documents tab, then select the image from the dropdown list in the field.
7.9.7.4

Viewing and Printing the Job Breakdown Sheets

You can generate the Job Breakdown Sheet to view and print from three different locations in Assembly
Planner. Each time you generate a report, you will be prompted to set Filter Criteria 183 .

Routing
1. Select a Routing and then click on the Reports menu.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.' The Job Breakdown Sheet will be generated for each operation in the
routing including all the details for activities under that operation.

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Multiple Steps Under a Routing

Operation
1. Select an Operation and then click on the Reports menu.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.' The Job Breakdown Sheet will be generated for each activity in the
routing.

Activity
1. Select an activity and then click on the Reports menu. *Note: you must first search for the activity within a
Routing.
2. Select the Work Instructions Report.
3. Set the filter criteria and click 'OK.' The Job Breakdown Sheet will be generated for each activity in the
routing.

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Line Balancing
1. Go to File and Open Scenario or New Scenario (create scenario then go to step 3)
2. Select the desired Scenario and hit Open
3. Click Reports and Select Report Manager
4. Select Station Work Instructions Report and Set the filter criteria and click 'Generate.' (Below is the Report
Manager Window). The Job Breakdown Sheet will be generated for each activity in the routing.

Report Manager With Filters

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Modules
In the modules, the data that was entered into the library is utilized and enhanced. The work that went into
entering the data pays off here, because the time and effort required to perform tasks in the modules is much
less than the time and effort required to perform these tasks outside of Assembly Planner.
In the Line Balancing module, examine several different line balancing scenarios. For example, the impact of
adding or removing a workstation or a change in production rate can be examined. The line balancing module
helps show how tasks can be arranged to achieve your objectives.
In the Work Instructions module, create a template to associate with activities so work instructions can be
generated. These templates are usually user-defined, but Assembly Planner does come with a default work
instructions template.
In the Ergonomics module, perform an ergonomic study to associate with every process. Typically, a userdefined template is used, but Assembly Planner does provide a default basic template.
In the Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) module, analyze each process step and identify
causes and effects of potential failure modes. Assembly Planner follows a standard FMEA format.
In the Sequence Planner, compare the current line balance with an actual Order File 428 . See when peak
models appear and which stations will have bottlenecks.

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8.1

227

Line Balancing

Line balancing is the process of distributing work evenly among the operators on the line. The Line Balancing
module allows you to distribute work across workstations and operators automatically and/or manually.
Assembly Planner uses the concept of a line balancing scenario, which is created from a snapshot of routing
data. The scenario is the routing data configured (by the user) in a certain fashion, which does not affect the
information in the database. In this way, multiple configurations of the same line can exist simultaneously;
perhaps there will be a line balance scenario for a three minute TAKT time and another scenario for a six minute
TAKT time. Assembly Planner uses the same process, part, and resource data for each scenario.

Line Balance Module in Assem bly Planner

8.1.1

Steps Before Creating a Scenario

Before creating a line balancing scenario, setting up your data so that your line is represented correctly in the
scenario is important. There are a few especially important questions to ask yourself:
1. Do each of the activities in the selected routing have a time?
2. Has the precedence network been set up?
3. Are there work zone constraints to consider?
4. Are there monumental resource constraints to consider?
5. Are there task groups to consider?
6. Are there inspection tasks to consider?
7. Would you like to incorporate cross station and/or shared operators in your balance?
8. If you will be creating a mixed model balance, has model-option mapping been completed?

To set up the data for each these questions, follow these steps:
1. Do each of the activities in the selected routing have a time? Open your Routing 67 and, one at a
time, open the Operations 146 to view the Activity List 85 . Find the Observed Time, Estimated Time, and/or
Calculated Time 94 columns to make sure there is at least one time saved for each activity.
2. Has the precedence network been set up? Open your Routing 67 and go to the Graph Tab 73 . Use either
the Sheet View or Graph View (look to the bottom of the screen) to review the precedence network that has
been set up. Remember that the more flexible the precedence network (i.e. task parallelism), the more
efficient balance you will be able to achieve because those tasks have more flexibility to move from station to
station. Refer to the Graph 73 section for details on editing precedence.
3. Are there work zone constraints to consider? Define the necessary Work Zone(s) 230 for each activity in
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the Work Zone column in the Activity List.

a.
b.
c.

Once you create the scenario in the Line Balancing Module, make sure to
Go to Edit>Station Details, and define work zones that exist in each station.
Go to Edit>Operator Details, and define work zones in which each operator can work.
When running the Default Balance, check the Work Zones constraint.

4. Are there monumental resource constraints to consider? Most plants have some monumental
resources, which are those that are fixed to their station, and that would be expensive or difficult to move. If a
task requires a monumental resource, it should be assigned to the same station where that resource is located.
If the line you're working on has any monumental resources, you can set them up by following these steps:
a.
b.
c.

Make sure the resource exists in the Resource Module 135 .

Add the resource to Resource Tab 105 of the Activity(ies) that require it.
Add the resource to Resources column in the Plant Module 140 for Work Center in which it exists.

a.
b.

Once you create the scenario in the Line Balancing Module, make sure to
Go to Edit>Monumental Resources and check the box next to the resource.
When running the Default Balance, check the Monumental Resources constraint.

5. Are there task groups to consider? If establishing Groups 229 that need to be assigned to the same
station, define the Group for each activity in the Group ID column of the Activity List 85 .
Once you create the scenario in the Line Balancing Module, make sure to
a. If establishing groups that need to be assigned to the same operator, go to Edit>Task Grouping. Select
activities, right-click, and select Add to Group. Choose existing or New group, then check the Assign
group to a single operator option.
b. When running the Default Balance, check the Task Grouping constraint.
6. Are there inspection tasks to consider? If establishing Inspection Tasks 229 that need to be assigned to
different stations, define the Inspection ID for each activity in the Inspection ID column of the Activity List 85
. Follow the logic below to make sure you assign IDs properly.
An asterisk (*) is used to identify the inspection task in the group, or the one that cannot be assigned with the
other tasks. Consider the seven tasks below and their Inspection IDs:
Task

Inspection ID

001

Heat Pump*

002

Heat Pump

003

Starter*

004

Starter*

005

Cover

006

Cover

007

Cover*

Tasks 001 and 002 are not allowed in the same station. Tasks 003 and 004 are not allowed in the same
station. Tasks 005 and 006 are allowed in the same station, but neither is allowed in the same station as
Task 007.
Once you create the scenario in the Line Balancing Module, make sure to check the

Inspection
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constraint in the Default Balance screen.

7. Would you like to incorporate cross station and/or shared operators in your balance? See Cross
Station and Share Operators 231 for details about the concept and setup of each of these tools.
8. If you will be creating a mixed model balance, has model-option mapping been completed? The
line balance tool needs to know which tasks should be performed for certain models and options, so make sure
to map the necessary models and options before creating your scenario. For details, see Mapping Models and
Options to Activities 148 .
8.1.1.1

Grouping and Inspection

What is Task Grouping?

Grouping tasks forces them to occur together. This is helpful in some cases, but not important in others.
Situations where grouping may be helpful is if you have several parallel tasks and there is a reason some tasks
should occur together. Maybe they all use the same parts or resources. For example, having all of the tasks in
a chair assembly where a caster is attached to a chair leg occur at the same station is desirable. This makes
parts presentation and material handling much simpler.
Pertaining to the chair assembly example, consider the precedence graph below. Assigning task 5, task 9, task
10 and task 14 to the first station would not violate precedence, so the algorithm may choose to do that.
However, we can see that if task 9, task 10, task 11, and task 12 are assigned to different stations, we will
need to have a pallet of chair legs at each station. Grouping these four tasks means that they will occur at the
same station.

Assem bly Planner Precedence Exam ple

Notes
One task (e.g., a 20 minute task) cannot be split across two stations, nor can it be split across multiple
operators in the station.
A group of tasks (e.g., two 10 minute tasks) cannot be split across two stations--it must always be assigned to

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the same station.

The group of two 10 minute tasks can, however, be split across multiple operators within one station.
Note that the algorithm cannot handle group times that exceed Takt time, unless you have the Cross Station
Operators 231 checkbox checked in the Default Balance.

How Can I Group T asks?

Activities may be grouped in the Operation Editor 146 by using the "Group ID" column in the Activity List. These
groups exist in the database and will be automatically created in a line balancing scenario. Simply type in a
group name to assign a task to a specific group; remember that the names are case sensitive and they must
match exactly to be considered the same group.
In addition, you can edit task groups in the Line Balancing module. Please see the Edit Menu - Task Grouping
258 section for details.

How are Inspection Tasks assigned?

There are some cases, such as inspections, in which you do not want certain tasks to be assigned to the same
station or operator. This might mean that you do not want the same person who performs the assembly task to
also be the one to inspect the completion of that task. You can assign an Inspection ID to any tasks, and
tasks with matching inspection ID values will never be assigned within the same station. For details, see Steps
Before Creating a Scenario 227 .
8.1.1.2

Work Zones

What are Work Zones?

In Assembly Planner, work zones serve as a way to constrain work to certain locations during a line balance.
Work zones are enabled for multi-sided line balance scenarios; the stations and operators in these scenarios
can be assigned multiple work zones. To assign a station, operator, or activity multiple zones, separate the
names with commas (e.g., 'Right, Top') or separate with plus signs (e.g. Right+Top). A comma separating the
work zones means an activity can be performed in a station or to an operator with any of the work zones. A plus
sign separating the work zones means an activity must be performed in a station or by an operator containing
all work zones.
Activity work zones can be edited in the Work Zone field of the Activity List in the Operation Editor or of the
Properties tab of the Activity Editor. Station work zones can be edited in the Work Zone field of the Station List
in the Plant Editor or of the Station Details control within the Line Balance scenario (Edit>Station Details).
Operator work zones must be edited in the Work Zone field of the Operator Details control within the Line
Balance scenario (Edit>Operator Details).
Work zones are NOT case sensitive. 'Right', 'RIGHT' and 'right' would be recognized as the same work zones.
Assembly Planner matches the text, so consistency is important. That said, you may create as many different
work zones as you like and name them in any fashion. The only limit is keeping track of the different zones well
enough that the constraints are useful.

How do Work Zones help?

Assigning zones to activities and creating a multi-sided line balance scenario is useful, and the best way to
illustrate is with an example. For an example, consider an automobile.
At an auto manufacturer having multiple operators work in any given station is likely. Suppose that the stations

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have no zone constraints and two operators each. One particular station (Station052) has been assigned tasks
including connecting the headlights, connecting the brake lights, and fastening down the hubcaps on the driver's
side wheels. Because there are no zone constraints on the station, work assignments between the two
operators will be assigned based on precedence alone. It is quite possible that Operator 1 will be given the task
of fastening both of the hubcaps. Meanwhile, Operator 2 is to connect the headlights, and then walk around
Operator 1 to connect the brake lights.
Now suppose that each of the activities had already been assigned a zone. The headlights are a 'Front' task,
the brake lights are a 'Rear' task, and the hubcaps are a 'DriverSide' task. Since each activity carries this
information, constraining the work assignment in Assembly Planner is simple.
The first step would be to go to the Actions Menu in the Line Balance Module 227 and select Remove All
Assignment. This clears the assignments the line balance made, which is necessary before changing work
zone information. Then, Station052 is given the Work Zone assignment of 'Front, Rear' (in Edit > Station
Details). This means that work requiring the Front zone and/or work requiring the Back zone will be assigned.
This means that the DriverSide task of securing the hubcaps will not be assigned here during a rebalance.
Next, each operator at the station can be given a specific Work Zone (in Edit > Operator Details). If Operator 1
is assigned to 'Front' and Operator 2 is assigned to 'Rear', the two will not need to cross paths to complete their
work.

Summary
Work zones apply to multi-sided line balance scenarios.
A station can have multiple work zones (separate the names with a comma)
An activity can also have multiple work zones (separate the names with a plus sign)
Zones are NOT case sensitive
There is no limit from Assembly Planner on how many zones are allowed
8.1.1.3

Cross Station and Shared Operators

Cross Station Operators

Cross Station Operators represents a production philosophy that rotates operators between stations to
accommodate tasks or task groups that exceed TAKT time. You must have a clear understanding of the
concept to benefit from this type of balancing.
If the Cross Station Operators box is checked in the Default Balance window, N cross station operators will be
used in the station with the maximum cycle time (i.e., TAKT) under the following two conditions: (1) the longest
task time in this station accounts for more than (N-1) / N x 100% of the TAKT, (2) after using the cross station
operators, the cycle time of this station is still the largest cycle time among all the stations (i.e., TAKT).
By adding N cross station operators, the TAKT can be reduced by (N-1) / N x 100%.
For example, if station A has a 9-min task and a 2-min task, and station B has a 3-min task, after you check
the cross station operator box, there will be three cross station operators in station A and the new TAKT will be
(9 min+2 min) / 3 operators= 3.67 minutes per operator. Each cross station operator will first finish the process
of the 2-minute task and then process the 9-minute task for 1.67 minutes in station A. Since the TAKT has
been reached, the cross station operator will finish the rest of the 7.33-min of work in another two stations. After
that, the cross station operator will go back to station A and start another cycle. All the 3 cross station
operators are identical in terms of this process.
You can choose to whether to consider Cross Station Operators or not in the Default Balance 263 window.

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Shared Operators
A shared operator is an operator who can work in multiple stations, as long as the operator's total working time
does NOT exceed the TAKT. This means that, if TAKT time is 20 minutes, and the operator only has 10
minutes of work he/she can perform in one station (due to other constraints), he/she can move to another
station and potentially perform another 10 minutes of work in that station. Shared operators are often used in
cases where there are tasks that require a helper, or in combination with work zones, where only certain
operators are allowed to work on the top of a vehicle, for example. Defining a shared operator in the Edit
Operator Details 258 window allows the user to track in the line balancing module which Operator IDs are
actually the same person.
8.1.1.4

Net Take Rate

For more information on Model-Option Mapping, see Mapping Models and Options to Activities 148 .

What is Net Take Rate?

The Net Take Rate is an important concept for mixed-model balances.
The goal in mixed-model balancing is to enable the line to run one model followed by another, and eliminate the
necessity of doing batch production. Of course, different models may require different tasks. To handle this,
Assembly Planner allows individual activities to be mapped to certain models. Similarly, some options have a
higher work content than the others. Assembly Planner also allows activities to be mapped to specific models.
Since tasks may exist that do not apply to every unit coming down the production line, it is desirable that the
time counted for that task in a line balance reflects this. The Net Take Rate is the adjusted time for a task
based on how often it will occur; for example, if a one minute task only appears on half of the units going down
the line, it will be contribute a net time of thirty seconds to the workload during a line balance.
Net Take Rate is calculated by adjusting the gross task time by the proportion of models and/or options that the
task applies to. There are two different approaches to model-option mapping. Each client must determine which
approach to use before the software is set up; the approach will not change once the software is set up.

Model-Option Mapping Methods

The first way to do model-option mapping is across models. The options that exist in the option library are the
same across all models. For example, three chair models (Executive, Deluxe and Basic) allow a cloth covering
option. The cloth used is the same across all three models. Similarly, the copper tack used on the either the
Executive or the Deluxe is the same tack.
In the second case, model-option mapping occurs within models. To illustrate this with the cloth covering, there
could be Executive Cloth, Deluxe Cloth, and Basic Cloth options. This option is helpful in cases where part
numbers change slightly depending on where they are used in your plant.
Neither of these options is more correct than the other; which one your plant chooses to use is determined
before Assembly Planner is installed, and then all users must be consistent in the way Model-Option Mapping
is thought of and dealt with.

Case One: Model-Option Mapping Across Models

In case one, any option could (theoretically) be mapped with any model. Since options could apply to any
model, the models and options are independent of each other. That is, the calculation of the option take rate
does not depend on which models the option is appearing on.

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For the sake of example, assume that there are two models and three options. Any of the three options could
be applied to either model.

We have the demand of each model and we have the take rate of each of the options, as shown in the tables
below.

The option take rate is an average take rate--of all of the units built, 30% of them have option O1. This does not
necessarily mean that 30% of model M1 has O1 and 30% of M2 has O1, but instead means that if 200 units
are built, approximately 60 of them will have O1. In Model-Option Mapping across models, the model demand
and option take rate are independent of each other.
Now, assume that we are attempting to find the Net Take Rate of seven different tasks. The task name, gross
time, and model and option mapping appear in the table below:

Let's look at an example calculation for one of the tasks and calculate the net time. The flow chart below
illustrates how Assembly Planner calculates take rates when Model-Option Mapping is done across models.

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Use the flow chart to find how the take rate of the task in question would be calculated. Consider task T1.
Beginning at the upper left of the flow chart, ask "Does Model Mapping exist for this task?" We see in the task
mapping table that model M1 is mapped to task T1, so we follow the 'Yes' arrow.
The next question is "Has an Option Rule been specified for this task?" The task mapping table confirms that
option O1 has been mapped to the task, so we select 'Yes' again.
This brings us to the correct equation: Net Take Rate = Model demand * Option Rule take rate. The Model
demand for M1 is 0.40 or 40%. The Option Rule take rate is 0.30 or 30%. When we put these numbers in, we
get M1*O1 = 0.40*0.30 = 0.12. The net take rate for task T1 is 0.12 or 12%. This means that 12% of the units
made require this task to be performed.
Because task T1 only occurs on 12% of the units, it would be inaccurate to use the full value of the task time in
a line balance. Instead, we will take the total task time and multiply it by how often the task occurs. This allows
us to include the task at its full value as often as the task is used. Since the gross time for this task is given as
3 time units, the net time of the task is 3 times 12% or 0.36 time units.
The calculations for the take rate and net time of the other six tasks are outlined in the table below.

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Case Two: Model-Option Mapping Within Models

In the second case, suppose we have the same two models and we have three basic options. However, since
we are mapping within options, we want to differentiate between O1 on model M1 and O1 on model M2. We
would have something like this:

When Model-Option Mapping is done within models, the option take rate is dependent on the model. This is the
main difference from the first case we examined, where the models and options were entirely independent. A
breakdown of the model demand and option take rate could look something like this:

The option take rate is specific to the model. Option M1O1 appears on 90% of the model M1 units that get
made. Model M1 makes up 40% of the demand, so we would see option M1O1 on 36% of the total units made.
Each time that M1O2 appears, it will be on a model M1 unit.
Suppose we are calculating the net take rate and net time for the same tasks as we did for mapping across
models:

The flow chart below shows how to calculate take rates for Model-Option Mapping done within models.

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Let's look at an example calculation for one of the tasks and calculate the net time. Consider task T1.
The first question to answer is "Does Model Mapping exist for this task?" Task T1 does have model M1 mapped
to it, so the answer is yes.
The second question is "Has an Option Rule been specified for this task?" Option M1O1 is mapped to the task,
so we answer yes again.
This tells us that the net take rate is calculated with Net Take Rate = Model demand * Option Rule take rate.
The Model demand for M1 is 40%. The option rule take rate for M1O1 is 90%. Therefore, Net Take Rate =
M1*M1O1 = 0.40*0.90 = 0.36 or 36% of the time.
The net time, then is the gross time of the task times 36%. This is three time units times thirty-six percent or
1.08 time units.
The calculations for the net take rate and net times for all of the other tasks are recorded in the table below:

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8.1.2

237

Creating a New Scenario

To create a new scenario, open the Line Balance module, then go to File>New Scenario.
The Scenario Wizard consists of five simple windows: Scenario Details, Order Details (not always seen),
Routing Details, Task Details, and Station Details. The four buttons found at the bottom of the frame allow the
user to navigate through the Scenario Wizard. "Next" will advance the user one frame if all required information
is filled in on the current frame. If required information is missing, an error message will appear when the user
clicks "Next". "Back" allows the user to review previous pages and make changes before creating the study.
"Cancel" will exit the wizard. "Finish" creates the study, but the button is not activated until all necessary
information has been entered in all windows.
Any information entered in the wizard can later b e changed using the edit menu.

8.1.2.1

Scenario Details Window

Line Balance Module Scenario Details Input Window

The first frame of the Scenario Wizard lets you specify basic information about the scenario you would like to
set up.
Scenario Name: You can name the scenario as you wish. Letters, numbers, and spaces are allowed,
although some special characters will not be accepted ( i.e. , = ' " ( ) [ ] % ! ). Scenario names can be
changed later with the Scenario Manager (see Opening Existing Scenarios 244 ).

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Notes: This section provides space for you to include detailed notes about the scenario, if desired.
Target Date: This date has a dual purpose. It serves as a date to filter tasks to be included and also
serves as the date that the scenario gets applied. Remember that:
Activities that have an Effective From Date after the Target Date will not be included in the
scenario.
Activities that have an Effective To Date before the Target Date will not be included in the
scenario.
Activities that have an Effective From Date that is the same as or later than the Target Date will
be included in the scenario. Applying these activities back to the database will result in timing
out and copying existing activities, timing in the new copied activities, and updating their station
assignments.
Time Rank: The Time Rank drop-down lets you choose the order in which task times will be used. Each
task can have an observed time, estimated time, and calculated time associated with it. Not all tasks will
have three times associated, and the Time Rank determines which times should be used first, second,
and third as they are available. The Time Rank chosen for a scenario may be different than the Time
Standard Rank preference setting accessible from Tools>Options>Time Estimation Tab 45 .
Enable Schedule Driven Balance: A schedule-driven balance automatically calculates the model
demand percentages and option penetration percentages. This type of balance requires an Order File 428 .
Assembly Planner supports order files in an external spreadsheet format (e.g. Microsoft Excel) or orders
that have already been loaded into the Order Data Management 428 control.
Line Details: This is where you specify the scenario type, choosing whether the line is single- or mixedmodel and whether operators work on a single side or multiple sides.
Single Model: This balance is for a line with only one product model being manufactured. This
is typically the case with batch production.
Mixed Model: This balance is for a line with a number of models being manufactured. A mix
percentage for the line based on the demand for each model will be defined later.
Single Sided: This is a line where the operator can only work on one side of the product.
Multi Sided: This is a line where the station has multiple areas for the operator to work. Each
area is referred to as a zone. The operator could be working at, for example, front workzone,
rear workzone, left workzone, right workzone, etc.
When you are finished entering and selecting your information, click Next.
8.1.2.2

Order Details Window

If you have chosen a schedule-driven balance in the Scenario Details window, the Order Details window will
appear. Otherwise, you will not see this screen and will be taken directly to the Routing Details window.

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Line Balance Order Details Input Window

Fetch order from schedule database: If orders have been loaded into the Order Data Management 428
control, you can retrieve orders from there to use in your scenario.
Single Day Study: Check only if retrieving orders from a single day.
Select the day or date range using the calendar drop-down menus. Make sure the dates are
compatible with the orders you are reading.
Select Assembly Line: Use the drop-down menu to select which assembly line the orders have been
assigned to.
Get Orders from Build List Only: Orders can be stored in the Order List or in the Build List; if this box
is checked, only orders currently in the Build List will be retrieved.
Get Orders: When you are ready, click this button to retrieve the selected orders. They will appear in
the spreadsheet in the lower half of the Order Details window.
Load orders from external Excel file: Browse to and
be .xls and must be closed before loading).

Load a preformatted order file (the file format must

The .xls file must contain the following column headers: Unit Serial No, Order No, Model ID, and Schedule Date.
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Optional column headers are Line Unit No, Model Description, Options, Series, Machine Serial No, Has
Sequencing Info. Please see Order Data Management 428 for further details about the file format.
Once the file is loaded, the orders will appear in the spreadsheet in the lower half of the Order Details window.
Once the orders appear, you can use the Exclude, Move Up, and Move Down buttons to rearrange the
orders.
When you are finished entering and selecting your information, click Next.
8.1.2.3

Routing Details Window

Routing, model, and option details are specified in this window.

Note that schedule-driven b alances will automatically populate the 'Models' and 'Model-Option Mapping' information.
You will still need to select the appropriate routing for the schedule-driven b alance.
Also note that for a single model scenario, the Model Details control will b e disab led.

Line Balancing Routing Details Input Window

Routing
Click on the 'Select' button to bring up the routing search window. When you search, make sure you have
selected the correct plant from the Plant ID drop-down. Choose your routing and click 'OK.'
Information about the Routing Type and Plant ID will be filled in automatically based on your routing selection.

Model Details
After selecting a routing, the Model Details will automatically be populated with any models mapped to the

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routing. However, you can choose to exclude models from the scenario. You may remove models from the
scenario by checking the 'Exclude' box next to the model. Checking this box will remove the model completely
from the balance you create. Alternately, you can leave the percentage for that model at zero. In this case, a
bar will still appear in the balance graph representing the model, with a time of zero.
Additionally, you need to specify the proportion of demand that each model comprises. Keep in mind that the
percentage column must add up to one (or 100 if you have checked the 'Use Percentage' box). If it does not, an
error message will appear and you will not be able to navigate to the next frame. Since line balances are
typically done to prepare for projected changes in demand, you may not have exact percentages. Use the best
estimate you have.
The screenshot below shows the projected model proportions for the line balance period. You see that the 5NAPSWS is projected to be the most popular model, accounting for about 40% of production.

Exam ple Line Balance Model Details in the Routing Detials Input Window

Model-Option Mapping
In this tab, specify the penetration rate of the options.

Model-Option Mapping Tab of the Line Balance routing Details Input Window
Displaying Exam ple Option Penetration Rate Percentages

When you are finished entering and selecting your information, click Next.
8.1.2.4

Task Details Window

All tasks associated with the selected routing will appear in the Task Details window. Here you will specify
details about how time will be calculated as well as select which tasks to include in the balance. Note: Since
this is meant to give you a preview of task data that will be brought into the scenario, you cannot edit the data
shown in the spreadsheet. This data must be edited in the Activity List 85 or Activity Editor 90 .

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Line Balance Task Details Input Window

Time Calculation
You may change the time unit that will be used in the scenario. Changing the unit will automatically convert the
task times displayed to the new unit. Remember that the times shown have been selected using the Time Rank
you defined previously in the Scenario Details Window 237 .

Task Details
You may choose to include or exclude specific tasks by selecting them and then clicking the 'Include' or
'Exclude' buttons. By default, all tasks are included. Tasks that have been excluded will be displayed in gray
text instead of black.
When you are finished reviewing and entering your information, click Next.
8.1.2.5

Station Details Window

The station details frame allows you to specify the stations that will be considered in your scenario. Clicking on
'Add Existing' will let you choose from current workstations in the Plant Editor 140 . 'Add New' lets you create
new workstations for the study. You may do both if you would like.

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Line Balance Station Details Input Window

If you have created stations (in the Plant Editor) and mapped resources to them, choose "Add Existing" to
select these stations for the balance scenario.
You can also 'Add New' and create stations that will exist only in this scenario. These stations will have no
resource information associated with them (necessary for the monumental resource constraint).
The third option is to not associate any stations with the scenario; all of the stations necessary will be
generated by Assembly Planner. These stations also will not have any resource data associated with them.
In summary, if you are planning to consider monumental resource constraints in the balance, you should use
existing stations. Otherwise, you may add new and name the new stations or you may continue without
creating stations and Assembly Planner will create generic stations.
Explanation of columns in the Work Stations spreadsheet:
Order: The order of the station in the line and the order in which it will appear in the balance graph. You can
move stations by selecting a row and clicking the up or down arrows on the right.
ID: Station ID
Description: Station Description
Status: This will either be 'Existing' or 'New.'

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Work Zones: Comma separated list of Work Zones 230 that exist in each station.
Note that the station work zone column only appears for multi-sided scenarios. If you do not see it, check your scenario
details. Station work zones are not enab led for single-sided b alances.

Operator Count: Number of operators working in each station.

Exclude: Check this box if you wish to exclude work in this station. The station will still appear in the balance,
but any work assigned to it will not appear. You will still be able to add work to the station later even if this box
is checked. (If you wish to remove the station from the balance completely, select the station row, then click
the 'Remove' button.
Setup Time: If there is any setup time associated with the station (work that has to be done in the station for
every unit that enters), enter that time here.
Setup Description: Define any details about the setup work.
When you are finished reviewing and entering your information, click Finish to create the scenario.

8.1.3

Opening Existing Scenarios

You may open a previously-created scenario by going to File > Open Scenario in the Line Balance module. In
the Open Scenario window, there are several options available for managing scenarios.
Open: Open the scenario for edit or view. If another user has the scenario checked out, the scenario will
open in read-only mode.
Rename: Allows you to change the name of the selected scenario.
Delete: Will remove the scenario. This is a permanent action.
Clone: Creates a copy of the scenario. The clone can then be modified; this is useful if you want to see
how the balance would be affected by minor changes.
Import: Will open an zipped XML folder containing a Line Balancing scenario.
Export: Writes the scenario out as a zipped XML file.
Move: You may move the selected scenario into a folder.
Folders: This opens the Folders Management window, where you can create and manage folders for
scenarios. Folders are a tool provided so that scenarios may be grouped and organized within the
Scenario Manager.
There is an icon to the left of each scenario in the list; it is either a lock symbol or a check mark.
The lock symbol indicates that the scenario is "checked in" and no one else is using the scenario at this time,
and that you may open and edit it.
The check mark indicates that the scenario is "checked out;" someone else has already opened the scenario to
edit. Their user name will be listed in the Currently Used By column. In this case, you will only be able to open
the scenario as 'read-only.'
To avoid keeping a scenario "checked out" by mistake, always go to File>Close Scenario when you are finished
editing a scenario.

8.1.4

Scenario File

In general, the line balance module is split into two main areas. The top is a graphical depiction of the balance
247 , and the bottom contains a spreadsheet 249 with more detailed information about the balance. A third area,
the Unassigned List 245 , which is collapsed on the left hand side by default, shows any tasks in the balance
that are not currently assigned to a station.
Below you see an example of a single model line balance, which represents a summary of the work at all
stations. The TAKT in this case is set based on the highest station cycle time.

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Line Balance Module dsiplaying graphical depiction of the balance and the station details spreadsheet

8.1.4.1

Unassigned List

The unassigned lists control, located in the upper left hand corner of the line balancing control, displays all
tasks that are not currently assigned to a station. When a new scenario is created, any tasks whose Operation
is not mapped to a Work Center in the Operation List will appear in this list. Also, Actions > Remove All
Assignment will move all tasks here. After a balance, right-clicking on an individual task and selecting 'Remove
Assignment' will also move the task to the Unassigned List.
The list stay collapsed unless you hover your cursor over the Unassigned List tab in the upper left hand corner
of the scenario. The tab will be highlighted in yellow if there are unassigned tasks in the balance.

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Click on the
Unassigned List tab
to expand the list.

Any tasks in appearing in red text in the Unassigned List are tasks with a time of zero.
To assign any of the tasks in the list to a station, right-click on the task in the line balancing task spreadsheet
and choose 'Assign to Station'. Then select the correct station and click "OK". For stations with multiple
operators, you will also need to choose the correct operator from the "Select Operator" drop-down.This moves
the task to the assigned station. You can also click and drag the task from the unassigned list to the bar chart
for the station to which you want to assign it.

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8.1.4.2

247

Line Balance Graph

In a mixed-model line balance, each colored bar represents the total work content for a particular model in a
station. The dotted bar at the right of each station group represents the weighted average work content across
all models.

Features that change the balance view

Line View/Operator View: You are allowed to choose between two different views of the graph. The first is the
Line View, which displays a summary of work in all stations on the line. The second is the Operator View,
which displays a summary of work for each operator in each station. The Operator View is helpful when you
have multiple operators at a given station.

Line Balance Chart

Enable Paging: Checking this box allows you to page through the line balance graph with one or more stations
per page, instead of seeing all stations at once. You can page through using the arrows you see at the bottom
right of the image below or you can select a specific station from the "Select Station" drop-down in the
spreadsheet area. If your enable paging function is not activated, you can activate the enable paging function by
checking the "Enable Paging in Graph" checkbox at Tools>Options>Line Balancing Tab 52 . In order to change
the order of the stations on the graph, change the station order number within the Plant Editor 140 .

Line Balance w ith Paging Enabled

Stations/Page: When paging is enabled, you may choose to look at a few stations at a time. Entering a
number in the stations per page blank determines how many stations are displayed on a page. Below, you can
see that two stations are displayed per page.

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Line Balance Chart w ith Paging Enabled and m ultiple stations per page

Filter: By clicking on the filter button

, a new window will appear and allow the user to select the desired
models to be shown on the line balance. One of the filter options shows the average model option only.
Otherwise the single models can be displayed.

Line Balance w ith Models Being Filtered

Remove Empty Stations: If there are empty stations displayed after performing your line balance, they can be
removed by going to Actions > Remove Empty Stations. The stations will be removed from the entire scenario,
not just from the graph.
Remove Empty Operators: If there are operators with no assigned work after performing your line balance,
they can be removed by going to Actions > Remove Empty Operators. The operators will be removed from the
entire scenario, not just from the graph.
Chart Type: There are multiple charts available to view, including Work Time, Utilization, VA (%), and VA
(Time).
Work Time: This chart shows the total work time (including the setup time) for that station or operator,
displayed in the time units selected for the scenario. The TAKT time is displayed as a red line. If there
are multiple operators in a station, the station work time will be the maximum operator time in that
station.
Utilization Chart: This chart shows the work (including the setup time) per station or operator as a
percentage of TAKT time.

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Worst Case Work Time: This chart shows the largest amount of work time for the worst case of a line.
Worst Case Utilization Chart: This chart shows worst case of the work (including the setup time) per
station or operator as a percentage of TAKT time.
VA (%): This chart shows the portion (in percentage) of the work at the station or for the operator that is
Value Added, Non-Value-Added, and Non-Value-Added-but-Necessary. There values are based on the
time studies for each activity. Remember that the type of time used (estimated, observed, and
calculated) depends on the Time Standard Rank 45 . The portion of the setup time and idle time are also
given in different colors.
VA (Time): This chart shows the portion (in time unit) of the work at the station, the setup time, and the
idle time in different colors.
Worst Case Option Group: This chart shows the total work for each option group by station. It also
shows an All bar (dotted bar similar to the average bar) that displays the common work (work not specific
to any option group) for each station.
EMMURI: If EM MURI is enabled in your application and you have performed EM MURI analysis on your
activities in the scenario, this chart will show the roll up of ergonomic data in each station.
Note: If your TAKT time has not been set, or is set to zero, the Utilization, VA (%), and VA (Time) charts will
all appear blank . You can set a TAKT time by going to Edit>TAKT Time.
8.1.4.3

Line Balance Task Spreadsheet

The line balance spreadsheet shows the specifics of the line balance. In the spreadsheet, you can see which
tasks are assigned to which station, how different models impact each of the tasks, and you can manually
rearrange tasks.
8.1.4.3.1 Task List

The task list displays details about tasks assigned to operators within a station. Use the "Select Station" dropdown at the top of the list to navigate between stations, or double-click on one of the bars in the graph to open
the task list for the station. Also displayed at the top of this section are the station setup time, total operator
count, and the time unit used.

Line Balance Station Details

Operator: The operator column identifies which operator within a station is assigned a given task. All
tasks assigned to an operator will be shown together.
ID: This identifies the task by the activity ID.
Is Fixed: Indicate whether the task should be fixed to the station. You can fix/release a task by rightclick -> Lock to/Unlock from station. When a task is fixed, it will not be moved during an automatic
rebalance, but it can still be moved manually.
Description: This identifies the task by its description.
Net Time: The total time it takes to perform the task.
Wt. Time (Weighted Time): This column shows the factored time used when assigning tasks to
stations with the weighted average algorithm. The time is calculated based on which models and options

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are mapped to certain tasks, using the model demand percentage and the option penetration percentage
as a multiplier to the Net Time. In the case of a single-model balance, this column will display the same
value as the Net Time column, which is used in assigning tasks to stations.
Violations: The line balance tool will alert you to six different violations that may occur during a balance.
There will be a flag showing in the "Violation" column when you are violating some constraint(s).You can
move the mouse pointer to the top-right corner of the cell to check the violation details.
Flag

Flag Color

Violation Type

Description
A task has been assigned before the assignment
of its predecessor(s). Occurs only when you
manually changing the assignment (the auto
balance will never violate the precedence
constraint).

Green

Precedence Violation

Yellow

Resource Violation

Red

Monumental Resource
Violation

A task requiring a monumental resource is

assigned to a station without that particular
resource.

Blue

Task Grouping Violation

Tasks in a station or an operator group are

assigned to different stations or operators.

Purple

Workzone Violation

Orange

Inspection Violation

A task requiring a specific resource is assigned to

a station without that particular resource.

A task requiring certain workzone(s) is assigned to

a station without the corresponding workzone(s).
A task requiring an inspection has been set to the
same station as the inspection. Any inspection
value tagged with an asterisk at the end (*) will be
identified as the activity task. No activity task
(001*) and matching inspection group (001) can be
in the same station.

Models: Lists the models that require the task and that were included in the scenario. A blank is the
default, and means that the task applies to all models.
Options: Lists the options that require the task and that were included in the scenario. A blank is the
default, and means that the task applies to all options.
Resource: Lists the resources required by the task.
Work Zone: If tasks have work zones associated with them, the zones will be displayed here.
Group: If a task is included in a task group, the group name will be shown.
Inspection: If a task is part of an inspection group, the inspection ID will be shown.
Find: This button located in the menu bar on top of the graph can be used to find any task in the
balance. This Find control is similar to the functionality of the 'Where Used' search in other parts of
Assembly Planner and will show the station(s) to which a particular task or set of tasks is assigned.

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Line Balance Graph Find Window

8.1.4.3.2 Task Model Data

Task Model Data is the second tab available in the spreadsheet area. It shows which models and options each
task is applied to (again, a blank means that the task is universal).

Line Balance Module Task Model Data Tab

Operator: The operator column identifies which operator within a station is assigned a given task. All tasks
assigned to an operator will be shown together.
ID: This identifies the task by the activity ID.
Is Fixed: Indicates whether the task should be fixed to the station. You can fix/release a task by right-click > Lock to/Unlock from station. When a task is fixed, it will not be moved during an automatic rebalance, but it
can still be moved manually.
Models: Lists the models that require the task and that were included in the scenario. A blank is the default,
and means that the task applies to all models.
Options: Lists the options that require the task and that were included in the scenario. A blank is the default,
and means that the task applies to all options.
Base Time: This is the same as the Net Time shown in the Task List spreadsheet. It is the time it takes to
complete the task.
(Models): For every model in your scenario, there will be a column displaying the task times used when
distributing work and calculating takt time. This time factors the demand percentage and option penetration
percentage for each model.

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8.1.4.3.3 Resources

This tab shows the resources that exist in each station. It includes their descriptions and whether they have
been marked as monumental resources.

Resources in Line Balancing

8.1.4.3.4 Ergonomics

This tab shows the ergonomics data for each task as well as the corresponding description.

Line Balance Module Ergonom ics Tab

At the bottom of each ergonomic category the difference between the total weight of the category (weight x
frequency) and the frequency multiplied by the level, is displayed.

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Line Balance Module Ergonom ic Score Graph

At the right of each task row, is the sum of the ergonomic impact values for that task, along with a graph
indicating the relative impact.
8.1.4.3.5 Right-click Menu

The right-click menu gives manual rearrangement options for after a balance. Right-click in the spreadsheet area
to see the following options:
Note: If you want to apply any of these menu items to multiple task s at once, simply using Ctrl+Click or
Shift+Click to select multiple task s, then right-click and select the desired option.
Change Assignment: Tasks can be moved from the automatically assigned station to any other station.
A window displaying all possible stations pops up and you can choose where you want to assign it. If
there are multiple operators in a station, you also need to specify the operator. Please note that
constraints such as precedence, work zones, monumental resource, etc. may be violated when you
manually move tasks and an alert flag will show up in the "Violation" column after the reassignment.
Alternatively, you can manually change the assignment of a task using drag and drop feature. In the
"Station Details" spread sheet, move the mouse pointer to the left-bottom corner of any cell of a task until
the cursor changes to a plus sign, left click (do NOT release the button), and drag the task to the station
you want to assign in the chart. Finally, release the left button and finish the assignment change. For
stations with multiple operators, you will also need to choose the correct operator from the "Select
Operator" drop-down.This moves the task to the assigned station.
Remove Assignment: Moves the task to the "Unassigned" list, which tracks tasks that are currently not
assigned to any station.
Lock to Station: If there are certain tasks that assigned to particular station in your current balance, you
can fix that task to that station. This means that if you re-run the auto-balance with new conditions, the
fixed tasks will still be assigned to the original station. Note: If you want to lock multiple task s at once,
simply using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click to select multiple task s, then right-click and select this option.
Unlock from Station: If you no longer want a task to be fixed, select this option.
Move Up: Moves the task higher in the station.
Move Down: Moves the task lower in the station.
Copy: This copies the information in the row you have selected to your computer's clipboard. You can
paste this information in other applications, such as Excel.
Advanced Filter: Though you can use the basic filters located in each column of the station task
spreadsheet, you can also filter the spreadsheet with more advanced criteria. See Advanced Sort and
Filter 26 for details on how to use this control.
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Line Balance Station Details Spreadsheet Advanced Filter Window

Clear Filters: Selecting this will clear any filters you have set.

8.1.5

Toolbar

1. New Scenario: This will open the New Scenario Wizard 541 .
2. Open Scenario: This will open the Scenario Manager 244 .
3. Copy Chart as Image: This copies the current graph view to your computer clipboard. Copying to the
clipboard allows you to paste the graph in another program you could include it in a Word document report
or as part of a PowerPoint presentation, for example.
4. Toggle Point Labels: Allows you to choose whether or not the value for each data point is displayed.

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5. Toggle Chart Legend: Toggles whether or not the legend (key) is displayed at the bottom of the graph.
By default, the legend is not visib le. To change the default setting, go to Tools > Options > Line Balancing
check the "Show Legend in Graph" b ox.

52

and

6. Toggle Chart Zoom: Lets you move in closer to a station. If the Zoom icon is enabled, you can hover your
cursor over the area of the graph you wish to zoom and use your mouse scroll button to zoom in and out.
7. Find: This allows you to search for a particular task and display which station it is currently assigned to.
See details of the Find window in the Line Balance Edit Menu 258 section.
8. Default Balance: This will open the Default Balance 263 window.
9. Yamazumi Chart: This will open a new window displaying a Yamazumi chart similar to the one below. Note:
You may also View a Yamazumi Chart from the Routing Line Balancing Scenarios 78 tab. You can alter the
balance by dragging and dropping the task tiles from one station to another. This allows the user the
rebalance ability from the Yamazumi View. You can filter by station(s) to focus on specific areas of the
balance. The Yamazumi chart type can be viewed as Model Chart for line view or operator view and the same
for an Option Chart. The color coding can be changed from none (below picture) to displaying activities that
are VA/NVA in different colors. The chart can also be filtered based on a specific model or models,
depending on what the user wants.

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Yam azum i Chart

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To view the details of each task, simply double click on the task tile.

Yam azum i Task Details

Viewing and Formatting

Filter Stations: If you wish to only view certain stations, click on the Filter Stations button along the top of the
window. You can use the checkboxes to select which stations to show.
Color Coding: The None option colors all task tiles the same. The VA/NVA option colors each task by its VA/
NVA/SVA classification.
Model: The Yamazumi chart shows the tasks for one model at a time. Use the Model drop-down menu to
select each model individually.Chart Options
Yamazumi charts

: There are many other ways in which you can format the

Task Identifier: Display either Task ID or Task Sequence Number on the task tiles.
Scaling Method: Change the size of each task tile and scale of the chart as a whole by Chart
Bounds, by Median Task Time, by Minimum Task Time, or by User Input (define height in pixels or
reference time).

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Yam azum i Chart Options

8.1.6

Edit Menu

Find: 'Find' will retrieve a task and display which station it is currently assigned to. The input parameter can
be ID, Description, Task No., Net Time or Work Zones. All tasks matching the search parameter will be
displayed. For example, if seven tasks have a net time of thirteen seconds, when a Net Time search for 13
seconds is run the results will display all seven tasks and their assignments.
Scenario Details: This shows scenario details such as Name, Line Type etc. This is a read-only view for all
information except Notes, Target Date, and Line Type. Other scenario details cannot be edited once the
scenario is created.
Routing and Model Details: This window will show the Routing details in a read-only mode. The model
details can be edited however. The model mix (demand) percentage can be edited in this screen, as well as
Model-Option Mapping information.
Task Details: The Task Details windows display task details in a read-only mode. It also allows you to
change the time unit for the scenario and exclude/include tasks from/into the scenario. Note that, in the
"Work Zone" column, for example, "A, B" means that the tasks requires either work zone A or work zone B
while "A + B" means that the tasks requires both work zone A and work zone B. Activity work zone details
must be edited in the database.
Station Details: The station details window is where stations are arranged in the correct order. You can
change the sequence of the existing stations by clicking up/down buttons on the right side. New and/or
Existing stations can be added, and current stations can be removed. By default there is one operator per
station, but multiple operators can also be assigned to stations in this editor by editing the Operator Count for
the station. Note that, in the "Work Zone" column, for example, both "A, B" and "A + B" mean that the
station has both work zone A and work zone B, which is different from the definition in task work zone.

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Station work zone details can be edited in this window.

Refresh Scenario Data: This brings in the latest data from the routing, operations, activities, resources, and
plants. If the routing has been edited (edited operation times, added a new operation, edited a precedence
graph, edited the resource mapping etc.) since the creation of the scenario, use "Refresh Scenario Data" to
bring in the latest data.
If a new operation has been added to the routing sheet, it will appear in the scenario after scenario data
has been refreshed, but it will not automatically be assigned to a station (it will be in the unassigned list).
The same is true if existing operations are assigned to new work centers or existing activities are
assigned to new Operator IDs outside of the scenario; Refresh Scenario will not update the scenario with
this information. To assign the task to a station or operator, do a new automatic balance or manually
assign the task to a station.
Monumental Resources: Most plants have some monumental resources, which are those that are fixed to
their station, and that would be expensive or difficult to move. The resource list in this window shows those
resources that have been mapped to activities in the current scenario. To differentiate between regular
resources and monuments, check the boxes next to resources to mark them as monuments.
Task Grouping: This feature displays tasks that are grouped together. When tasks are grouped, they move
together as one entity moving one task will automatically move the other. Also, once tasks are grouped, the
time is measured as the sum of the tasks and the individual task times are no longer used. It is possible to
have a task belong to more than one group.
There are two types of task groups: station groups and operator groups. To create a group, select the tasks to
be grouped and right-click. Use the right-click menu to edit the groups.
Add to Group: If there are existing groups, you can choose the one to which you wish to add the selected
task(s). Or you can create a new group and add those tasks. To create an operator group, you need to check
the "Assign group to a single operator" box when creating a new group or editing an existing group. In this
way, all the tasks in the group must be assigned to a single operator.

Line Balance Module Tasking Grouping Window

Note: Tasks can also b e grouped in the datab ase. Enter the group name in the "Group 229 " column in the Operation
Editor's Activity List 85 to add an activity to a group. Group names must match exactly to b e considered the same
group.

Change Group: Use this to move the selected task(s) to a new or existing group.
Remove from Group: Use this to remove the selected task(s) from their current groups.
Delete Group: Select the group's row to remove the task grouping. The tasks in the group will be moved to
the Ungrouped task list.
Edit Group: Select the group's row to edit the name of the group or to change whether it is a station group or
an operator group.

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TAKT Time: The line-view chart displays a TAKT time line indicating where TAKT is set. The TAKT Time tool
redraws this line (without rebalancing the line). It is possible to balance the line to a certain TAKT time and
redraw the line at a new TAKT, which allows you to check the utilization of lines at a higher TAKT time.
Operator Details: This is used when multiple operators have been assigned to the station (via Station
Details 242 ) and the individual operators should have a Work Zone 230 constraint. Assigning an operator to a
work zone (or multiple work zones), that operator may only perform tasks that are assigned to a station with
the same work zone(s).
There is also an uneditable Operator Count column. If there is a task, or group of tasks, that exceeds TAKT
time, you may wish to have a single operator working on the task, but follow the assembly as it moves to the
next station. In that case, another operator would be necessary to start the task on the incoming vehicle. The
Operator Count will be updated after an automatic balance is run if more than one operator is necessary to
complete the task or group of tasks (the operator would cycle back and forth). This practice is only applied if
the 'Cross Station Operators' box is checked in the Default Balance menu.
In the Shared Operator ID column, you can type in the same name for two or more operators in different
stations (see the example below). In doing this, you are designating these operators as one Shared Operator.
For details of this concept, please refer to Cross Station and Shared Operators 231 . When balancing, the total
working time of the shared operator is not allowed to exceed the TAKT.
Note: A shared operator cannot be assigned to two different operator IDs in the same station.
Station Operator Share Operator ID
A

Larry

2
B

Larry

2
In this example, there are two operators in Stations A and B, but Larry is a Shared Operator who is able to
work in both Stations A and B, performing tasks assigned to the Operator ID 1 in each station.
The Priority column is used for the Default Balance's 3rd algorithm (Minimize Number of Operators). It can
be used to prioritize the order in which operators are removed from the station upon a rebalance. With this
algorithm, the takt time could be increased, which would mean that some stations may need fewer operators.
If this is the case, the algorithm will remove operators with the lowest priority number first.
Order Details: This menu allows you to edit the order you selected when creating the scenario. You can add
or remove orders to adjust the model and option percentages considered in the balance.

8.1.7

Reports

Reports
Assembly Planner generates several reports for summarizing data from the line balance scenario. Select
Reports at top of the menu bar and click on Report Manager. For Station reports, you are allowed to select and
check any or all of the stations to be included in the report. Note: Not all reports may appear in your Report
Manager.
Station Summary Report: The station summary report lists all of the tasks for each station and

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operator. It also provides time and resource information for each task.
Station Balance Report: The balance report provides utilization and idle times for each station. It also
provides the time break down by model and their corresponding utilizations.
Task Assignment Change Report: The task assignment change report displays the tasks that were
moved or changed station assignments. The report displays the old station and the new station the task
moved to.
Station Work Instructions Report: This report takes work instructions associated with operations or
activities and compiles work instructions based on the new station assignments for tasks. You must use
the Work Instructions module 344 to create those instructions before running this report.
Station FMEA Report: Similar to Station Work Instructions, the Station FMEA report takes information
associated with tasks and generates a report. This report will compile FMEA data from tasks into a
report that reflects an FMEA analysis of the new task assignments.
Scenario Diff Report: This report allows the user to select two different scenarios and see a comparison
of the two.
Balance Utilization Report: This report displays information regarding the utilization of the line as a
whole as well as each individual station. Numeric and graphical representation defines information like
maximum, minimum, average, and individual station time, idle time, and utilization.
Standard MURI Report: This report summarizes the standard MURI ergonomics analyses performed for
all activities in the scenario. The report is organized by each station.
Standard MURI Change Report: This report summarizes the ergonomic impact of a balance change,
based on MURI analyses performed.
Empowered MURI Report: This report summarizes the Empowered MURI ergonomics analyses
performed for all activities in the scenario. The report is organized by each station.
Empowered MURI Change Report: This report summarizes the ergonomic impact of a balance
change, based on Empowered MURI analyses performed.
Balance Time Summary Report: This report lists the time study details of each activity in each
station.
Model Time Summary Report: This report summarizes time study data by station for each model in
the scenario.
SOS Report: SOS report is the summary of all the tasks/activities that the operator has to perform at
that station.
SOP Report: SOP report is the details of all the tasks/activities that the operator has to perform at his/
her station for a specific unit.
MURI Reports: All standard MURI Reports shown in the Activity Reports 111 section can be performed.
Additionally, MURI Change Reports can be run. If you would like to compare the ergonomic impact of two
line balances (current and future state, for example) you can run the Ergonomics Change Report. These
can be run for the Empowered and Standard systems (differences shown in Empowered vs Standard 314
section), as well as the Calculated and Observed Ergonomic studies. An example is shown below.

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A select number of reports can be filtered by station and also by the operator within that given station. These
reports have this feature: Operator Filter, Station Summary Report, Station Work Instructions Report,

Consumed Parts Report, Resource Report, SOS Report, SOP Report

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Operator Filter for Reports

8.1.8

Actions

8.1.8.1

Default Balance

Assembly Planner's automatic balance feature uses an algorithm to assign tasks to stations to create an
efficient balance. Assembly Planner will automatically assign tasks to workstations based on user inputs,
information from the precedence graph, and constraints that have been set (Resources, Work Zones, Task
Groups, etc.).
The automatic balance tool can be very useful in getting a good starting balance, but any automatic balance
should be reviewed by an engineer to see if manual adjustment is needed.

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Default Balance Screen

Parameters for an automatic balance are entered in the Default Assignment screen. This screen can be
reached by going to Actions > Default Balance or by clicking on the Default Balance
of the Line Balancing module.

button on the toolbar

Balance Types
There are three balance types for automatic line balancing in Assembly Planner. The first two allow you to
reassign tasks based on a takt time or number of stations, and the other allows you to add or remove operators
without moving tasks to adjust to a new TAKT time.
The balance types work as follows:
Minimize Number of Stations (Type 1): The line is balanced for a given TAKT time, which is defined as
Net Available Time per Day / Customer Demand per Day. Tasks get assigned to a station, guaranteeing
that the net time of the tasks in each station is less than or equal to the TAKT time, resulting in the least
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number of stations being used given the TAKT time. For single-model scenarios, the net time is the sum
of the times of each task. For mixed-model scenarios, either the weighted average time or peak model
time determines the TAKT, depending on the algorithm you select.
Minimize Cycle Time (Type 2): The line is balanced for a given number of stations. The balancing
algorithm assigns all the tasks as evenly as possible along the line, resulting in a minimum TAKT. For
mixed-model scenarios, either weighted average time or peak model time determines the TAKT,
depending on the algorithm you select.
MInimize Number of Operators (Type 3): The number of operators is adjusted, with keeping the taskstation assignments the same. The balancing algorithm determines the minimum number of operators in
each station to meet the new user-defined TAKT time. For mixed-model scenarios, either the weighted
average time or peak model time determines the TAKT, depending on the algorithm you select.

Algorithms
For mixed-model scenarios, different algorithm selections (weighted average vs. peak model) will result in
different line balancing solutions. The algorithm you use should be consistent with the objectives of your
production lines.
Weighted Average: The weighted time of a task is calculated based on the models and options
mapped to it. Assembly Planner determines a 'Take Rate' for each task based on the model demand
percentage and the option penetration percentage. This take rate (calculated as Model demand % X
Option penetration %) determines the weighted time of a task. The weighted average method uses the
weighted time as the tasks time when assigning tasks to stations. Note that when using this algorithm,
the balance will produce a balance in which some model and option configurations fall above or below
TAKT, but on average, the line will meet the TAKT set in the balance.
Peak Model Balance: The greatest model time in a station is taken as the cycle time of this station,
and the greatest station cycle time is taken as the TAKT. Use this algorithm if it is unacceptable for any
model and option configuration to exceed the TAKT.

TAKT Calculator
The TAKT calculator helps find an appropriate TAKT time based on the parameters you enter. For Type 1 (i.e.,
minimize the number of stations given a TAKT), users need to specify the following parameters.
Line Rate: The number of units made per shift.
Shift Duration (in hours): The length of time operators are working on production. Shift length minus
any breaks.
Efficiency Rating: The percentage of TAKT at which the line is running.
Line TAKT: The rate of the line before factoring in the efficiency rating. Line rate times shift duration.
Desired Cycle Time (TAKT): The maximum amount of work time that should be assigned to each
operator. This number may be calculated using the TAKT calculator using the following formula, or a
value may be entered directly in this cell.
The equation used to calculate this is:

The Desired Cycle Time is reported in the time unit that was set for the scenario. For example, suppose a user
enters 10 hours per shift, 20 units per shift, and 100% efficiency. If the line balance scenario has 'hours' as the
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time unit, the Desired Cycle Time will be reported as 0.5. If the line balance scenario has 'minutes' for the time
unit, 30 will be the reported time.
Note: When using the TAKT calculator, it is not important whether you enter the total availab le work time per shift or per
day (in the case of multiple shifts) as long as you are consistent and the output value is for the same period.
Consistency is important or the TAKT calculation will b e skewed.

For Type 2 (i.e., minimize the cycle time given the number of stations), users need to specify the following
parameters.

Number of Stations
For the Type 2 balance, you should enter the number of stations you have available.

TAKT Lower/Upper Bound

Though you are asking the system to define your TAKT time, you likely have a guess as to what your TAKT
time should be. A lower and upper bound are required, and defining these bounds significantly improves the
system's ability to produce a desirable balance in a good amount of time.

Constraints Boxes
To model an assembly line accurately, real constraints need to be accounted for. However, constraints restrict
the automatic line balancing algorithm, generally reducing the overall utilization of the output. Although it is
unlikely that an algorithm could produce a viable balance at 100% utilization, it may be helpful to reduce the
number of constraints in place and see how the algorithm's output changes.
The "Consider Constraint" checkboxes allow users to easily modify which constraints are used during an
automatic line balance. If the box is checked, the constraint will be enabled. If the algorithm cannot meet all
constraints that have been checked, it will show an error letting the user know that a feasible balance is not
possible with all constraints that have been set up and considered. If the box is unchecked, the constraint will
be disabled and will be ignored in the balance. The check boxes available include:
Task Groupings
Monumental Resources*
Workzones
Inspection
These check boxes only impact constraints in the automatic line balance. You can violate any constraint when
you manually balance. If there is any constraint being violated, there will be a warning flag in the "Violation"
column. For example, suppose you perform an automatic balance while checking the task grouping constraint
box. Then, after the automatic balance, you try to manually move a 'grouped' task to a different station. There
will be a message asking whether you want to move all the tasks in that group or not. If you choose NOT, there
will be a "G" violation flag for the moved task. Similarly, if you checked monumental resources in the automatic
balance, and then you manually change the assignment of a task which violates the monumental resources
constraint, the action will be allowed and you will see an "M" violation flag for the task. Violations are explained
more thoroughly in the Task List 249 section.
*Note that considering Monumental Resources will not affect the outcome of the b alance unless all of the following are
true:
1. The resource is mapped to at least one activity (Lib rary > Activity Editor > Resource Tab ).
2. The resource is mapped to one work station (Lib rary > Plant Editor).

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3. The work station to which the activity is mapped is included in the line b alancing scenario (Modules > Line
Balancing > Edit > Edit Station Details).
4. The resource is flagged as monumental in the line b alancing scenario (Modules > Line Balancing > Edit >
Edit Monumental Resources).
5. The 'Consider Monumental Resources' b ox is checked in the Default Balance window (Modules > Line
Balancing > Actions > Default Balance).

Algorithm Selection Criteria

You can consider adding randomness to line balancing algorithm via changing the "Most Constrained Task" and
the "First Feasible Station" parameters. The less the percentage is, the more randomness is considered in the
algorithm, and the higher probability that you will get a better solution. Yet, higher randomness will result in
more computation time.

Algorithm Options
Most users will not adjust the Algorithm parameters. However, in cases where a scenario is complex enough
that the software is not finding a solution, adjusting the following parameters may help you determine whether
finding a solution for your scenario is possible or whether you need to adjust your constraints.
Allow Cross Station Operators: This enables a special type of balance and requires a clear understanding by
the user before using. For details, please refer to Cross Station Operators 231 .
Optimize Result: This lets the user influence performance vs speed of the algorithm.
Once, Post-Balance: If you choose this option, the algorithm will stop after the first balance that meets all
requirements is found.
Continuous, During Balance: If you choose this option, the algorithm will continue to run after the first
acceptable balance is found, to try to find a more optimized balance.
Number of Iterations: The number of iterations refers to how many times the algorithm is performed before a
final result is displayed. Most users will be satisfied to leave this number at the default setting. There are,
however, cases in which a user would increase or decrease the number of iterations.
If you are unsatisfactory with the current balancing solution, increasing the number of iterations may help
improve the solution. Remember that increasing the number of iterations will increase the time it takes for the
balance to complete.
If you have a complex scenario that takes an excessively long time to display results, or one that goes into a
loop while solving, you may want to try decreasing the number of iterations. As the complexity of a scenario
grows, it becomes more and more difficult to find an acceptable solution; while the program is looking for a
solution, you wait. If you expect the algorithm to process the data multiple times (with several iterations), you
will wait even longer. If you decrease the number of iterations, you may get a result more quickly. If you
decrease the number of iterations and the program still has trouble finding a solution, you need to reevaluate
your scenario, because the combination of the activities, constraints and precedence are too complicated. You
will need to relax the constraints, simplify the precedence, or remove some activities.
Random Number Seed: The random number seed is the initial number used in a random number generator.
You may try to change the seed to get different balancing solutions.
Enable Logging: If your scenario requires troubleshooting, a Proplanner representative may ask you to check
this box before running the algorithm. Otherwise, you will not need to enable logging.

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8.1.8.2

Remove Assignments, Stations, and Operators

Remove All Assignment: This option clears all the task assignments, and all the tasks are moved to the
unassigned list in the collapsible tab on the left side of the screen. The graph view shows empty stations.
Remove Empty Stations: This removes any stations without tasks from the graph view and the scenario.
Remove Empty Operators: This removes any operators without tasks from the graph view and the scenario.
8.1.8.3

Apply Scenario

What does Apply Scenario do?

Once you have completed a line balance for a routing, you can choose to apply the scenario back to the routing
sheet. Fields such as work centers, effectivity dates, and sequence numbers will automatically be updated for
all of your operations in the routing.
Applying a scenario will rearrange the activities within the operations as well as move operations between
stations as necessary.
When you apply a scenario, if you only had one operation; the application will automatically create operations
based on the workstations.
Existing activities will be timed out based on the Target Date of the scenario, and new copies of those activities
will be timed in.

Why would Apply Scenario be used?

When your facility chooses to physically change from the current state setup to one of the Line Balance
Scenarios, it is desirable to update the process data to reflect the changes. This makes it possible to continue
to work with data in the system with minimal confusion. 'Apply Scenario' saves you the trouble of going in to
each activity and operation and updating information to reflect the current reality.
Scenarios are not applied automatically because we want everyone to be able to generate multiple balance
options and decide which is the best. When they have made that decision, it must be a conscious choice to
come back to Assembly Planner and update the database information by applying the scenario.

Alert Messages: When they appear

1. Missing Stations: If the stations in the line balance scenario are not present in the Plants Editor, an alert is
thrown with the list of the missing stations. This happens if the user creates new stations from within the
scenario, and when Assembly Planner automatically created new stations because there were not enough
existing stations available.
2. Current Date is Beyond Target Date: This alert appears if the date that the scenario is applied is beyond the
"Target Date" of the scenario. To fix this, go to Edit > Scenario Details and change the target date.
3. Not Checked Out or Checked Out By Someone Else: This alert appears if the routing is not checked out by
the user that is trying to apply a scenario and/or the routing is checked out by another user.
Note: Some Users should not apply scenarios. Applying a scenario will create multiple operations under the
routing and as a result, the activity report will not work for the routing. This is a special case that will be relayed
to the Users from their Proplanner representative.

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269

Time Study

The Time Estimation module allows the user to perform three different types of time studies: Calculated,
Estimated, and Observed. Note that you can have multiple study files open at one time (if you were working on
multiple process or operation studies, for example).
1. Calculated Time - The Calculated time is based on predetermined time systems (i.e. languages for
describing human motion). Proplanner supports MODAPTS, MOST and all MTM standards, such as MTM-1,
MTM-B, MTM-UAS, etc. See the Predetermined Time Studies 296 section to see the systems currently
supported. We also support user-defined standards.
2. Estimated Time - The estimated time is typically based on historical data, or past experience.
3. Observed Time - The observed time is based on classical stopwatch time studies. The user can either
perform a stop watch study by observing the task directly, or record a video of the task and perform the stop
watch study from that video.
The user can select a standard, select a time unit, set an allowance and also set percentages for 'value added
(VA)', 'non-value added (NVA)' and 'semi-value added (SVA)'/'non value added but necessary (NVBN)' for all
three studies.
The allowance percentage is used to compute the net time of the task. For estimated and predetermined times
the allowance can be set by the user, however for observed times, this allowance is the summation of the four
types of allowances set by the user in the settings tab (i.e. Personal, Variable Fatigue, Basic Fatigue and
Delay).
Net Time = Total time (1 + (Allowance percentage/100))

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8.2.1

Study Details

In the Study Details tab, you can view information about the study including ID, description, and remarks as well
as when and by whom the study was created and last modified. You can also edit the description and remarks
here.

Study Details Tab displaying study ID, Description, and Rem arls

In addition, you may edit the time units for the study. You may set your default time units for new studies by
changing the Default Time Unit preference in Tools>Options>Time Estimation Tab. If you would like to create a
new study in a different unit than the default, you can change the time unit for that study using the drop-down in
the Study Details tab. If you change the unit in an existing study, all of your time values will be converted to the
new unit specified.

8.2.2

Right Click Menus

The Tasks, Observed Time, Calculated Time, and Estimated Time tabs each have right-click menus. Below are
descriptions of each option in the right-click menus. Note: Not all menus will contain each of these options.
Cut: Copies and cuts the information from the selected cell or row.
Copy: Copies the selected cell or row.
Paste: Pastes the copied data.
Insert Row: Adds a blank row above the selected row.
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Remove Selected Rows: Removes the selected rows and the data they may contain.
Clear Selected Data: Deletes the selected cell(s) or row(s).
Customize View 21 : A window will appear like the one below. Columns in the selected table can be hidden,
shown, or moved up and down to each user's needs.

Custom ized View

Compare Two Videos (Observed Time tab Observations table only): A window will appear that allows the user
to view video clips of any two task observations for analysis and improvement purposes. Please see Compare
Two Videos 286 for more details.
Edit Start Time: The breakpoint editor will appear to allow the user to edit the start time of the task they have
selected. The description of the task will be displayed on the right hand side and the description of the previous
observed task will be displayed on the left hand side.
Edit End Time: The breakpoint editor will appear to allow the user to edit the end time of the task they have
selected. The description of the task will be displayed on the left hand side and the description of the next
observed task will be displayed on the right hand side.
Reassign Observation to different Task: This allows the user to change the Task ID that the observation is

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applied to.
View Time Classification Data (Estimated Time and Calculated Time tabs only): A window will appear that
allow the user to define the VA/NVA/SVA breakdown of each task, along with specified categories if defined.
View Calculated Time Study (Calculated Time tab Time Data table only): Will refresh the bottom spreadsheet
to reflect the time study for the selected task. (Double-clicking the row header of each task will do the same).
View Video: Select this menu item to view the observation of the select task.
View All Videos: Selecting this menu item will allow you to watch a series of video observations of all tasks,
viewed in the sequence of tasks in the list in which you are working.

8.2.3

Tasks Tab

The Tasks tab is meant to contain summary information about your time studies. You can edit the tasks you
will be studying and modify the overall process sequence in this tab. Listed below is further details about each
of the tables in the Tasks tab.

Tasks Tab in Tim e Estim ation Module of Assem bly Planner

Task Summary Table

One purpose of the Task Summary table is to allow the user to add and edit tasks for the study. The task lists
in this tab, as well as the three time study tabs are linked. Therefore, any task changes made in any of the
tables will be reflected in the other task tables.
The Task Summary table also displays summary information about the studies performed for each task.
Task Index: A non-editable field that displays the order in which the tasks were organized at the time of
the last save.
ID: The ID of the task, as set by the user. If no task ID is manually entered, a default value will be
assigned.
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Description: This leaves room to add more detail about which element is being studied in this row.
Man/Mach/Misc: The user can choose to define a type for each task: manual, machine, or
miscellaneous. The default setting is 'Manual'. Both Manual and Machine correspond to labor times;
Miscellaneous is an optional category and you can choose not to use it.
Video: A default video can be set for a each task. Any video from which an observation has been
recorded for a particular task can be selected from the drop-down menu in this cell.
Task Image: If an image has been captured for a task, it will be displayed in this cell. The image can be
enlarged by double-clicking on the cell.
The following fields are non-editable from the Tasks tab and displayed for the Observed Time study performed:
Normal Time: Displays the normal time for a task within the study.
Allowance: Displays the allowance assigned to a task.
Standard Time: Displays the standard time of the task, which accounts for the allowance set.
VA: Displays the value-added time defined for a task.
NVA: Displays the non value-added time defined for a task.
SVA: Displays the semi value-added time defined for a task.
Classification Total: This signals to the user how VA/NVA/SVA values have been edited previously. If a
value besides zero is displayed in the Classification Total Column, there is data stored in the Time
Classification 285 window. If the value is zero in the Classification Total Column, values have only been
edited in the spreadsheet directly.
Count: Displays the number of observations recorded for a task.
Minimum: Displays the minimum observed time recorded for a task.
Maximum: Displays the maximum observed time recorded for a task.
Average: Displays the average of all observed times recorded for a task.
The following fields are non-editable from the Tasks tab and displayed for the Calculated and Estimated Time
studies performed:
Normal Time: Displays the normal time for a task within the study.
Allowance: Displays the allowance assigned to a task.
Standard Time: Displays the standard time of the task, which accounts for the allowance set.
VA: Displays the value-added time defined for a task.
NVA: Displays the non value-added time defined for a task.
SVA: Displays the semi value-added time defined for a task.
Classification Total: This signals to the user how VA/NVA/SVA values have been edited previously. If a
value besides zero is displayed in the Classification Total Column, there is data stored in the Time
Classification 285 window. If the value is zero in the Classification Total Column, values have only been
edited in the spreadsheet directly.
Importing Activities for New Study: If the Observed Time Study box is checked within the Time Estimation
45 tab in the Options section, an "Import Activities" right-click menu option will appear allowing the user to add
activities to the study that already exist in the Assembly Planner database. A standard search window will
appear. One or more activities may be selected and added to the current task summary table using the ADD
button.
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Task Sequence Table

The Task Sequence table can be used to define the process being studied exactly as it is performed. For
example, if you have a task that is performed multiple times in a row, you can set a frequency for that task
within a process cycle. You can also define tasks that are predecessors to others. This control also allows you
to re-use tasks (if they are performed at various points in the cycle). The task sequence defined in the Task
Sequence table is used for sorting and reporting purposes.
You can add tasks to the Task Sequence table by selecting the task ID in the drop down menu in the ID
column, or by double-clicking on the row header in the Task Summary table of the task you would like to add.
The following fields are included in the Task Sequence table:
ID: The ID of the task, as set by the user in the Task Summary table and selected using the drop down in
the Task Sequence table.
Description: The task description from the Task Summary table corresponding to the selected ID.
Sequence: The order in which tasks are displayed on the vertical axis of the Gantt Chart and the order
tasks are displayed in the Task Sequence table when a save is called.
Frequency: The number of times a task occurs within a given cycle. The default setting is 1.
Resource: This is a user-defined name for the resource performing the task in the given sequence
(Operator 1, Operator 2, Machine A, Machine B, etc.). This information is used in correlation with the
Man/Mach/Misc to be displayed on the Man Machine Utilization Report.
Obs. Time: The observed time for each task is displayed for reference purpose.
Calc. Time: The calculated time for each task is displayed for reference purpose.
Est. Time: The estimated time for the task is displayed for reference purpose.
Predecessors: List the row number(s) of any tasks listed in the Task Sequence table that must be
performed before the selected task can begin.
Note: In the Man-Machine Utilization Report 318 , a timeline will be shown for each resource individually, then a
timeline will be shown for all resources collectively. Vertically, the order of the tasks is defined by the Sequence
values set in the Task Sequence table. Horizontally, the order of the tasks in the timeline is determined by the
Predecessors defined in the Task Sequence table.
Below is an example of Task Sequencing and the resulting output generated when a Time Study Report is run.
To demonstrate the correlation with which the Proplanner tools complement each other, the tasks included in
the example are from Proplanner's Mixed Pump ProBalance Tutorial. The Line Balance information from
ProBalance can be brought into Assembly Planner. A portion of the precedence network corresponding to the
ProBalance Mixed Pump tutorial is included. The tasks included in the Mixed Pump Tutorial precedence
network have been used in the Assembly Planner Task Sequencing Example below. No resource has been
specified in this example because the process is completely manual. If you were generating a Man-Machine
chart, you would want to specify the individual machines and operators responsible for each task listed in the
sequence.

ProBalance Mixed Pum ps Tutorial Precedence Netw ork

The corresponding Task Sequencing window using the Assembly Planner Time Estimation Module is shown.

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Task Sequencing Table in Assem bly Planner

When a Time Study Report 318 is run, the sequence of the tasks is used to display the order of the tasks along
the vertical axis of the Gantt chart, and the Predecessors information is used to determine the order that tasks
are displayed along the horizontal time axis. The corresponding Gantt Chart generated when a Time Study
Report is run is shown below.

Gantt Chart w ith Task Sequence Populating the Vertical Axis and Predecessors inform ation determ ining the location
of tasks along the Tim e Axis

8.2.4

Observed Time

The observed time control allows the user to record stopwatch time. The user can do a stopwatch study by
either observing the operator live or by tagging frames from a video.

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Performing an Observed Time Study

To perform an observed time study, open an existing study by going to File>Open, or create a new one.
1. Open the application and go to File>New.

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2. Enter the study properties. A Study ID is required; the other fields are optional.

3. You can begin by entering your list of tasks in the Tasks 272 tab, or go to the Observed Time tab
immediately. Note that if you are working with an existing study, your task list will already be populated.
4. If you wish to study activities that already exist in the database, you can right-click on the Tasks table and
select Import Activities. Use the search control and select all activities on which you wish to perform the
study. Their IDs and Description will appear in the Tasks table when you click Add.

5. Continue to the Video Observation Method 277 or Stopwatch Observation Method 282 instructions to proceed.
8.2.4.1

Video Observation Method

1. Click on 'Add' to select a video from which to record observations. You can add and use multiple videos for a
single study.
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Note: Avoid moving the file path of a video file before completing a time study that uses that video file. A study
that references a video file that is moved can be opened and used, but times recorded will no longer be
associated to the video file.
2. Click the Play button to preview the video. Note: For .wmv video files, you may choose to increase or
decrease the speed of the video and the stopwatch will adjust accordingly. This control does not work if the
video file is in any format other than .wmv.
3. As you watch the video, you can create a list of tasks in the Tasks list by providing an ID for each. If you
leave the ID column blank, but add a description for example, an ID will be automatically generated. Note that
if you are working with an existing study, your task list will already be populated.
4. To begin recording observations, click the play button
and the record button
. Note: These
buttons do not need to be click ed simultaneously. If, for example, your video file contains content at the
beginning that does not pertain to the current study, you can play the video until the first task begins, then
click the record button. The 'stopwatch' time will then begin.
5. When the current task is completed, double click on the row header of the appropriate task in the Tasks list
to add it to the Observations list. The start and end time of that task will be recorded, and the observed time
for that task will be calculated and displayed. Note: You can add observations while the video is still playing,
or you can pause the video, mak e the observation, then click the play button to resume.
6. Repeat Step 5 until you have finished recording all of your observations for that video. At that point you may
choose to select another video and repeat Steps 4 and 5.
There are additional features to enhance your observed time study including observing multiple operators in the
same study, ignoring part of a video that may not be relevant to the task or study, and adjusting the start and
ends times of your task observations. Please see the proceeding sections for more detail.

Observed Tim e Tab

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8.2.4.1.1 Multiple Operators

You can choose to observe multiple operators in a single time study. To do so, first specify your operators.
1. Click on the Operator button to add or edit operators.

Multiple Operators Dropdow n List

2. Edit the spreadsheet until you have all desired operators and ratings included. You must use the Delete
button to remove anything from the spreadsheet you no longer wish to be there. When you are finished, click
Close and your changes will be saved.

To quickly add an operator in the middle of observing, you can also simply type the name into the
Operator drop-down field.
3. Before recording an observation, you can select an operator from the drop-down menu, then make the
observation. The operator and his or her rating will be included in the task observation.
4. You can also edit the operator after an observation is made by selecting from the drop-down in the Operator
column. The Rating column will change to reflect the operator's rating.
8.2.4.1.2 Ignoring Time

If your video includes content that does not pertain to you or you wish not to include in your study (operator is
interrupted, operator leaves for a break, etc.) you can ignore that time. To do so, allow the video to continue
playing, but click on the Ignore Time
has reached content you wish to record.

button. Click the Record Time

button again when the video

8.2.4.1.3 Breakpoint Adjustment

You may not always record a task observation exactly when the task was completed. However, you can make
adjustments to the end time of the task either manually (by typing a new time in the End column) or by using
the breakpoint adjustment tool.

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If you manually change the Start or End time of an observation that includes Ignore Time and has a consecutive
observation before or after it, you will be prompted to indicate whether your change should add or subtract to the
actual task time or to the ignored time. Basically, it is asking whether you are changing the length of the
observed time or changing the amount of time that should be ignored. By selecting 'Ignored', you are saying that
the ignored time falls at the end of the first task and the beginning of the second task.

Breakpoint Editor

1. To use the Video Breakpoint Editor, right-click on any cell in the row of the task whose breakpoint you want
to adjust. Select either "Edit Start Time" or "Edit End Time." A window will appear displaying a video clip. If
you have selected "Edit Start Time," the time cursor will be set at the start time of the selected task and the
description of the selected task will be displayed on the right. If you have selected "Edit End Time," the time
cursor will be set at the end time of the selected task and the description of the selected task will be
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displayed on the left.

2. Move the cursor forward or backward and review the video to edit the breakpoint. It may also help to slow
down the speed of the video.
3. Once you have made the adjustment and the cursor and breakpoint is set, you can click 'Save' and either
'Close' or the Next or Previous arrow buttons to adjust the breakpoint of preceding or subsequent tasks.
4. If you made an adjustment, notice that the End time has changed as has the Start time of the subsequent
task to reflect the adjustment. (Two sequential tasks cannot overlap in time, so the end of one task is the
start of another.)
8.2.4.1.4 Changing ID of Observation

If, while you are watching the video and recording observations, you click the wrong task ID to record, you can
change the ID for that observation once you have completed all of your observations.
To do so, simply right-click on the ID and select "Reassign Observation to Different Task." Select the correct ID
and click "OK."

Reassign Observation Window

8.2.4.1.5 Required Observations Calculation

ProTime Estimation will automatically calculate the required number of observations that you would need to
collect in order to attain a normal time within a given confidence level.
To calculate the required number of observations, enter the desired confidence level (ie 85%, 90%, 95%) for
each task in the Confidence Interval column in the Observations tab's Task table. If multiple observations have
been recorded for a task, its required number of observations will be displayed in the next column. Note: Since
the calculation requires a standard deviation between observations, if you have zero or one observations
recorded, the required number of observations cannot be calculated and will display as 0.

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8.2.4.2

Stopwatch Observation Method

1. Select 'Stopwatch' as the Study Type from the drop-down menu.

Study Type Dropdow n

2. Create the tasks in the sheet by providing an ID for each. If you leave the ID column blank, an ID will be
automatically generated as you perform your study. Note that if you are working with an existing study, your
task list will already be populated.
3. To begin recording observations, click the play button
4. When the current task is completed, double click on the row header of the appropriate task in the Tasks list
to add it to the Observations list. The start and end time of that task will be recorded, and the observed time
for that task will be calculated and displayed. You can pause the stopwatch during the middle of the study if
you would like to resume later or you can stop the stopwatch if you have completed the study or would like to
reset the timer.
Please see the Observed Time Tab Details 286 for more information about other columns and features in this
control. See Multiple Operators 279 to learn how to observe multiple operators in the same study.
8.2.4.3

Pasting Existing Time Study Data

If you would like to paste task observations that were taken outside of ProTime Estimation, please note the
following rules. You need not create the tasks in the Tasks table prior to pasting observations; any new tasks
will be automatically created when a new observation is manually entered for that task.
Before pasting data, mak e sure that the order of the columns in your Excel file match the order of the
columns in ProTime.
Use the right-click menu to Copy and Paste. The Windows k eyboard shortcuts do not work in this version of
the application.
Rules for each field
Order This is a system-generated field that simply keeps track of the order in which observations are
recorded in ProTime. It can never be edited by the user.
ID A new or existing ID can be pasted into this field. If the ID needs to be changed, you must right-click on
the cell and select Reassign Observation to Different Task.
Description A description can be pasted if associated to a new task ID. If the ID already exists in the Tasks
table, the description on the new observation will match the description existing in the Tasks table. The
description of any existing task must be edited in the Tasks table, and then will be reflected in the
Observations table.
Comments This field can be edited at any time by the user.
Rating This field will be populated to the default rating for the selected Operator, but can be changed at any
time by the user.
Start A start time of the task must be pasted by the user and can be edited at any time.

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End An end time of the task must be pasted by the user and can be edited at any time.
Ignore Time An ignore time can be pasted, although it may not be valuable because there is no video
associated with this observation.
OT This is a calculated field and cannot be edited by the user. OT = Start End Ignore Time. If you paste
a value in OT that does not match the calculation from those three columns, the value will be overwritten
when you Save your study.
NT This is a calculated field and cannot be edited by the user. NT = OT * Rating If you paste a value in NT
that does not match the calculation from those two columns, the value will be overwritten when you Save your
study.
Operator An existing operator name can be pasted into this field. If no operator is defined with the paste, or
if the name pasted does not existing in the operator list, this field will be populated by default to the name
displayed in the Operator drop-down list. If a new Operator is to be assigned to an observation, that Operator
must be created through the Operator edit menu 279 first.
Vid File This field will be populated by the default -- Stopwatch Study --, indicating that the observation
was made outside of ProTime.
8.2.4.4

Manually Entering Existing Time Study Data

If you would like to manually insert observations that were taken outside of ProTime Estimation, please note the
following rules for each of the fields in the Observations table. You need not create the tasks in the Tasks table
prior to pasting observations; any new tasks will be automatically created when a new observation is manually
entered for that task.
Order This is a system-generated field that simply keeps track of the order in which observations are
recorded in ProTime. It can never be edited by the user.
ID A new or existing ID can be typed into this field. If the ID needs to be changed, you must right-click on
the cell and select Reassign Observation to Different Task.
Description A description can be typed if associated to a new task ID. If the ID already exists in the Tasks
table, the description of the task must be edited in the Tasks table instead of the Observations table.
Comments This field can be edited at any time by the user.
Rating This field will be populated to the default rating for the selected Operator, but can be changed at any
time by the user.
Start A start time of the task must be entered by the user and can be edited at any time.
End An end time of the task must be entered by the user and can be edited at any time.
Ignore Time An ignore time can be entered when manually entering an observation, although it may not be
valuable because there is no video associated with this observation.
OT This is a calculated field and cannot be edited by the user. OT = Start End Ignore Time

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NT This is a calculated field and cannot be edited by the user. NT = OT * Rating
Operator This field will be populated by default to the name displayed in the Operator drop-down list, but
can be changed at any time by the user. If a new Operator is to be assigned to an observation, that Operator
must be created through the Operator edit menu 279 first.
Vid File This field will be populated by the default "-- Stopwatch Study --, indicating that the observation
was made outside of ProTime.
8.2.4.5

Video File Formats

It is recommended that .wmv (Windows Media Player) files are used when performing video observed time
studies. ProTime Estimation will play the file formats listed below, but will not have the full functionality of
altering the play speed that .wmv files have. If you have issues playing videos, you should consider upgrading
your Windows Media Player to version 10. To do so, download the necessary codecs at http://www.microsoft.
com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=06fcaab7-dcc9-466b-b0c4-04db144bb601. If you do not currently
have a version of Windows Media Player on your system, you can download it at http://windows.microsoft.com/
en-US/windows/downloads/windows-media-player.
Supported Video File Formats
.asf, .wmv, .wm, .asx, .wvx, .wpl, .dvr-ms, .avi, .mpg (MPEG-1), .mpeg (MPEG-1), .m1v, .mpe, .mpv2, .ivf
Note: Depending on your version of Windows, you may be able to play additional file formats.
Unsupported Video File Formats
.rm, .ram, .mov, .qt, .mp4
Video File Converter
If you would like to convert your existing video files into .wmv, we suggest using My Video Converter. You can
download a trial version of the program at http://download.cnet.com/MyVideoConverter/3000-2194_4-10485691.
html?tag=contentMain;contentBody;2d. The trial version has full functionality, but will place a watermark over
the video; you can purchase the full version for a marginal fee. (At the time of this documentation, it was $35.)
You can also download Windows Live Movie Maker for free to save your files as .wmv. Visit http://explore.live.
com/windows-live-movie-maker?os=other to download. Beware of the extra packages it will try to install,
however (you can opt out of everything except Movie Maker).
High Definition Video File Formats
Hi-Def video formats such as .mht and .m2ts are not natively supported in Windows Media Player (thus ProTime
Estimation), but can be played by installing independent codec packs such as K-Lite or others.

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Post-Observation Analysis Tools

After completing your study, there are several tools you can use to analyze or improve your operations. Some of
these tools include performing a value-added vs. non value-added analysis, viewing two task video clips at once,
and capturing a single image of a task. Details of each tool are explained in the following sections.
8.2.5.1

VA/NVA/SVA Analysis

After you have added a task to the Observed Time Task table, you can define the breakdown of value-added,
non value-added, and semi value-added time for each task.
You have two options to do this:
1. You can enter a value directly in the VA/NVA/SVA cells for each task (to change the preference for time or
percentage values, go to Tools>Options>Time Estimation Tab 45 >Then check or uncheck "Use Percent for VA/
NVA/SVA"), or you can specify specific classifications.
2. To specify specific classifications, you can double click on any of the VA/NVA/SVA columns (or right-click
and select View Time Classification Data) for a particular task in the Tasks list. If an observation has been
made, your total time will be displayed, and you can type in the time that the task fills for one or more LEAN
categories in the Time column on the right. You can watch the video clip for that task as you do so. The
categories will appear as they have been set in the Edit MUDA Classifications menu within Tools>Options>
Time Estimation Tab 45 .

MUDA Editor

Note: If no video loads, set a default video in the Task s Tab 272 .

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8.2.5.2

Compare Two Videos

ProTime can help you understand the differences in operator performance or ways to improve an operation by
allowing you to view two task video clips at once. The videos will be played side-by-side so you can see the
similarities and differences between multiple observations of the same task.
To do so, select exactly two rows in the Observations table. Then right-click and select 'Compare Two Videos.'
Use the video controls to adjust playback for one video at a time or both videos at once.

Video Com parison Control

8.2.5.3

Task Image

From a video, you can capture and store single image of each task observed in that video. Note: The study
must contain at least one observation of the task before an image can be captured for that task .
To capture an image, play the video. When the video displays the image you would like to capture for the
current task, click the Capture Image button. (You can do so when the video is playing or paused.) Continue
playing the video until you have captured the desired image for each task. Once an image is captured, a
thumbnail of it will be displayed in the appropriate cell. Double click on the thumbnail to view a larger image.
Note: The image is captured based on the current playback time of the selected video and which task was
observed at that time. Only one image will be stored for each task ; if there are multiple observations of the
same task , or multiple images are tak en for the same observations, the most recent one will be saved.
When your study is applied to the database, the images you have captured can be found in the Media tab of the
activity to which they belong.

8.2.6

Observed Time Tab Details

The observed time tab contains two data tables: the Tasks table and the Observations table. You will notice a
feature of all table columns is the ability to sort and filter row data. You can filter row data by clicking on the
filter in any column header and selecting an entry to view all occurrences of that entry. You can also choose to

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sort and display rows in the table in ascending or descending order based on the column you are sorting. Do
this by clicking on the up and down arrows in the column header.
See details of all columns and menu options below.

Options
In the Options section, you can define the operator performing each task, select the Study Type (Video or
Stopwatch), and Reset the study data.

Options Section

Allowances
You can set a personal, basic fatigue, variable fatigue, and/or delay allowance for the study as a whole.

Allow ance Section

Personal: Accounts for maintaining general well-being of the employee.

Basic Fatigue: Accounts for monotony or energy expended while performing tasks.
Variable Fatigue: Accounts for physical or mental strain or fatigue, caused by environmental conditions or
nature of the work (temperature, posture, tediousness, etc.)
Delay: Accounts for interruptions, material irregularities, machine interference, etc.

Observations Table
Order: The order in which observations were recorded.
ID: The ID of the task, as entered by the user. If no entry is made here, the row is given a default "New Task"
ID.
Description: More detail about the task may be entered here, if desired.
Rating: The rating is a factor that allows the observer to adjust time based on the skill level of the operator
performing the task.
The value entered in the rating column is divided by the Labor Rating, a default setting that may be changed
in Tools > Options. Suppose the Labor Rating value is 100 (which is typical), and an average operator is
observed. This operator would likely be given a rating of 100; there would be no net change in the time. If the
worker is slower than average, assign him or her a rating less than 100. If they are significantly faster than
average, assign him or her a rating higher than 100.
Start: The stopwatch time at which this element began.
End: The stopwatch time at which this element ended.
Ignore Time: If time was ignored during an observation of a task, the total ignored time for that task will be
displayed.
OT: The observed time, which is the difference between the End time and the Start Time, excluding any ignored
time.
NT: The normal time, which is the observed time multiplied by the operator rating.
Operator: Displays the operator that performed the observed task.
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Vid File: Displays the video file from which the observation was made.
Comments: This field can be used to make any note related to the observation recorded.

Tasks Table
Task Index: A non-editable field that displays the order in which the tasks were organized at the time of the
last save.
ID: The ID of the task, as entered by the user. If no entry is made here, the row is given a default a "New Task"
ID.
Description: More detail about the task may be entered here, if desired.
VA: Displays the value-added time of the task as defined by the double-click menu of the cell.
NVA: Displays the non value-added time of the task as defined by the double-click menu of the cell.
SVA: Displays the semi value-added (non value-added but necessary) time of the task as defined by the doubleclick menu of the cell.
Has Classification: This signals to the user how VA/NVA/SVA values have been edited previously. If the box is
checked, there is data stored in the Task Classification window. If the box is unchecked, values have only been
edited in the spreadsheet directly.
Standard Time: The standard time for a task is calculated as the average of all normal time observations for
that task, multiplied by any allowances that are defined for the study or the task.
Snapshot: Displays the most recent snapshot taken of the task. Double click on the cell to see a larger image.
Allowance: The user can specify an individual allowance for each task using an allowance code. The allowance
associated with that code is displayed in this cell.
Allowance Code: There is a set of allowance codes loaded; if you wish, you can select an allowance code to
be applied to a task. The corresponding allowance value will be populated in the Allowance cell.
Confidence Interval: The confidence interval set for each task helps determine the required number of
observations. You can reset the default confidence interval in Tools>Options.
Req. Observations: This column displays the number of observations required to achieve the confidence
interval set for each task. See Required Observations Calculation 281 for more details.

Right Click Menu

Undo: Reverses your most recent task.
Redo: Reverses your Undo action.
Cut: Copies and cuts the information from the selected cell or row.
Copy: Copies the selected cell or row.
Paste: Pastes the copied data.
Insert Row: Adds a blank row above the selected row.
Remove Selected Rows: Removes the selected rows and the data they may contain.
Clear Selected Data: Deletes the selected cell(s) or row(s).

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Customize View 21 : A window will appear like the one below. Columns in the selected table can be hidden,
shown, or moved up and down to each user's needs.

Custom ized View

Compare Two Videos (Observations table only): A window will appear that allows the user to view video clips
of any two task observations for analysis and improvement purposes. Please see Compare Two Videos 286 for
more details.

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8.2.7

Calculated Time Tab

The Calculated Time tab allows the user to perform a time study based on a predetermined time system.
To perform a calculated time study, open an existing study by going to File>Open, or create a new one.
1. Open the application and go to File>New.

Creating New Study

2. Enter the study properties. A Study ID is required; the other fields are optional.

Study Details

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3. You can begin by entering your list of tasks in the Tasks 270 tab, or go to the Calculated Time tab
immediately. Note that if you are working with an existing study, your task list will already be populated.

Calculated Tim e Tab

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4. Enter your list of tasks in the Time Data table on the left by entering an ID for each, or a task description.
Note: If you add a task description without a task ID, an ID will be automatically populated for you.
5. Next, select the desired predetermined time system from the time standard drop-down.

Tim e Standard Dropdow n

6. Once the standard is selected, the editor format at the bottom will change. For example, MTM-B is a textbased system whereas MODAPTS is a code-based system, so their respective editors look different.

MTM-B Display Form at

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7. The next step is to select the task for which you want to perform your calculated time study. You can choose
to perform a calculated study on some or all of the tasks in your task list. Simply double-click on the row
header of the task you would like to start with (or select a cell in the task's row and choose 'View Calculated
Time Study' from the right-click menu).
8. If you have selected MTM-B, you can simply type in the element text to perform your study. If you have
chosen a code-based system, you can use the lookup sheet that appears. Simply double-click on the bold
blue text codes you would like to use. The information related to the chosen element code will be added to
the spreadsheet below, which is the time list for the task.
9. Once all elements have been defined, the user can fill in details about the element frequency, instructions
and value/non value added time. You can expand the Time Data control on the left to view the roll-up of
element times for the task (displayed as the Normal) and to set allowances for each task as a whole.
10. Some time systems allow specification of internal elements. These are elements that occur at the same
time, and therefore, both times should not contribute to the total time. If the internal column ("Int") is provided,
it displays the row number of the element to which the task is internal. The time for the element in the
internal column is compared to time of the current element and the element with the higher time determines
the effective time.
In the example shown below, Element 1 is 150 Time Measurement Units (TMU) and Element 2 is 40 TMU.
Element 2 is defined as being internal to Element 1. By setting Element 2 as internal, net time of the two
elements is calculated at 150 TMU.

11. When you are finished with the study for one task, return to the Time Data table on the left and select your
next task to perform a calculated study.
For more detailed instruction in any of the time systems, please contact the publishing organization for the
standard. Their documentation will give you a better idea of the specific formatting provided for that method.
8.2.7.1

Calculated VA/NVA/SVA Analysis

As with Observed studies after you have added a task to the Calculated Time Task table, you can define the
breakdown of value-added, non value-added, and semi value-added time for each task.
You have two options to do this:

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1. You can enter a value directly in the VA/NVA/SVA cells for each task (to change the preference for time or
percentage values, go to Tools>Options>Time Estimation Tab 45 >Then check or uncheck "Use Percent for VA/
NVA/SVA"), or you can specify specific classifications.
2. To specify specific classifications, you can double click on any of the VA/NVA/SVA columns (or right-click
and select View Time Classification Data) for a particular task in the Tasks list. If an observation has been
made, your total time will be displayed, and you can type in the time that the task fills for one or more LEAN
categories in the Time column on the right. You can watch the video clip for that task as you do so. The
categories will appear as they have been set in the Edit MUDA Classifications menu within Tools>Options>
Time Estimation Tab 45 .

MUDA Editor

Note: If no video loads, set a default video in the Task s Tab 272 .
8.2.7.2

Calculated Study Video Mode

If you have performed a video observed study on a task (meaning you have recorded time observations for that
task), you can also use that video observation to assist you in performing your calculated time study. To do so,
take the following steps:

1. Make sure you have recorded a video observation of a task in the Observed Time 277 tab.

2. Go to the Tasks tab and select the video from the drop-down menu in the Video column for that task.
(You can consider this step to be a way to benchmark your tasks. If, for example, you have performed
observations of a task from several different videos, you can select the video observation here that best
represents how the task should be performed. This video will then be used to play in the Calculated time study.)
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3. When you go to the Calculated Time tab and open the calculated study for the task, you will see the video
player displaying the video you have chosen.

Calculated Tim e Tab

4. Click the play button to view the video clip for the task. You can watch the video as many times as you would
like to make sure you capture all of the time elements in your calculated study.
8.2.7.3

Predetermined Time Systems

Several predetermined time systems exist and can be used to calculate times. Predetermined time systems
provide key words that are used describe all of the elements that make up an activity. Each system is at least
slightly different; the following sections are devoted to describing the setup of each of those that Assembly
Planner supports. In this section, we will cover commonalities between many of the systems.

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Specifying Frequency
Element frequencies may be specified as Real Floating Point numbers (i.e. 6.5 or 0.2) or they can be entered
as fractions (i.e. 1/2, 1/10). Element 2 in the screenshot below has a fractional frequency. You will still see the
full time for the element in the Left Time column, but the Total Time column will have a time that has been
factored by the frequency (the Frequency Factored Time). Fractional frequencies typically correspond to tasks
which are not performed for every cycle of the overall Activity (i.e. replacing an empty tub of parts with a full
one).

Changing Frequency

Specifying Process Time

Time study templates usually allow the user to specify a process time.
By default in all time standards, when the element type "Process" is specified, the user can simply enter a
numeric value in the element code field which will represent a quantity of base units for that time standard (i.e.
TMU's for MTM and MOST, or MOD's for MODAPTS).
Process time can also be specified in several other units, but this formatting is consistent for all time standards
in Assembly Planner.
To specify a process time in a unit that is not the base unit, you simply enter the numeric time value followed
by a dash and the name of the time unit (i.e. 20-sec would be 20 seconds). Please reference the table for valid
time units. Times codes are NOT case sensitive.
The suffixes must be preceded by a real number time value, and the time value and time unit should be
separated by a dash (i.e. 18-sec or 1.5-days)

min
sec
tmu
hours
days
mu
mod

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TIME UNIT CODES

Minutes
Seconds
TMU's (0.036 seconds)
Hours
Days
MU's (0.0036 seconds)
MOD's (0.129 seconds)

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A MODAPTS example is shown here:

MODAPTS Calculated Time Example

Each standard has an Element Type code for specifying process times; please see the documentation for your
chosen standard for the appropriate code.

Specifying LEAN Value Added, Non-Value Added and Non-Value-AddedBut-Necessary Percentages

The time study templates usually allow the user to specify a Value Added (VA) percentage and/or a Non-ValueAdded-But-Necessary (NVBN) percentage. The Value Added and Non-Value-Added-But-Necessary times will
be subtracted from 100%, calculating the Non-Value-Added percentage (100 - VA - NVBN = NVA).
All templates include default Value Add percentages for each code. These percentages are easy to change by
editing a particular code's XLS lookup file.
The format for specifying Value Add percentages in either a code lookup file field or in the actual template editor
field is as follows:
1. Percentages are specified in whole number integer values from 0 to 100 in the "VA" column.
2. The number entered in this field is considered the Value Add percentage.
3. A number in this field that is prefixed by a slash (/) is a Non-Value-Added-But-Necessary percentage.

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The screenshot below shows an example of VA/NVA entries within the code lookup file field. The entity in row
one of the spreadsheet at the bottom would be 85% Value-Added and 5% Non-Value-Added-But-Necessary.
This leaves 10% as Non-Value-Added. After hitting the 'Calculate' button at the top, these values will appear in
the VA%, NVA% and NEC% boxes.

VA Example
The following table provides a few more examples that illustrate the way that entries are interpreted. This is not
an exhaustive list of possible entries, but is intended as a reference.
VA

Interpretation

25

25% Value Added and 75% Non-Value-Added

25/30
0 or Blank
0/60

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25% Value Added, 30% Non-Value-Added-But-Necessary, and 45% Non-Value-Added

100% Non-Value-Added
60% Non-Value-Added-But-Necessary, and 40% Non-Value-Added

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8.2.7.3.1 MODAPTS

MODAPTS was developed by Chris Heyde in the 1960's based upon his experience with the MTM-2 time
system. MODAPTS is currently supported via the International MODAPTS Association or IMA (www.modapts.
org). The IMA is a non-profit organization headquartered in the United States.
A complete manual on the MODAPTS language for work can be located on and purchased from the IMA
website. A list of courses provided by certified instructors is also available.
A default set of MODAPTS templates are included with Assembly Planner, as is a MS Excel lookup data file
that can be easily modified by any user.
MODAPTS codes consist of a letter followed by a number. The letter indicates the type of the activity being
performed (typically a movement of a body appendage) and the number indicates the time associated to that
movement as measured in a unit called a MOD (1 MOD = 0.129 seconds).

MODAPTS Element Types

MODAPTS has two element types:
M: for code-based element strings
P: User-specified process times. Simply enter a quantity of MOD's in the Left Code field, or enter a
time value followed by a dash and the time unit.
L: for literal means to ignore the line because it represents a comment
The MODAPTS parser supports basic one-handed motions (use the LEFT hand code column), or two-handed
motions. In addition, the parser supports segmented code multiplication, or internal exclusion. Examples of
these formatting options are shown below.
Multiplication of codes can be accomplished by using the Frequency column for applying the multiplication to
the entire element line, or by simply prefixing a string of MODAPTS codes contained within parenthesis by an
integer factor. Similarly, codes can be ignored by the parser by enclosing them within angle brackets. In the
following example, the first element line is repeated 3 times and code segment (M2P5 M1P0) is repeated 2
times within that. As such the total time for the element becomes 72 MODS. On the second element line of this
example, you can see how the code W5 is ignored from the parser, which typically indicates that the operator
is walking while performing the M3P5 task twice.

Another way to address internal tasks (two tasks performed concurrently) is to specify the tasks in the right
and left hand code fields. When using codes for both hands concurrently, the parser will assume that those
tasks can actually be performed simultaneously and will simply use the time associated with the longer
element hand. This is considered a High skilled task, which is the default for the application, although the user
could specify an "H" in the special codes field to indicate this explicitly. Optionally, the user can specify an "L"
in the special codes column to indicate that the task is performed by a Low skilled operator, and thus the times
for each hand would be added together.

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8.2.7.3.2 MOST

MOST (Maynard Operation Sequence Technique is a language that was developed by HB Maynard and is
copyrighted by the HB Maynard Company. It was designed based upon Maynard's experience with developing
the MTM-1 predetermined time system. The base time unit for MOST is the TMU. One TMU is equivalent to
0.036 seconds.
MOST is currently supported via the Accenture company which owns the HB Maynard group (www.hbmaynard.
com). MOST codes consist of a letter followed by a number. The letter indicates the type of the activity being
performed (typically a movement of a body appendage) and the number indicates the time associated to that
movement. A complete manual on the MOST language for work can be purchased from the HB Maynard
website.
A default set of Basic-MOST templates is included with Assembly Planner, as is a MS Excel lookup file that
can be easily modified by any user. To use MOST, select BMOST from the pull-down menu.
The MOST parser supports basic one-handed motions (use the LEFT hand code column), or two-handed
motions. In addition, the parser supports segmented code multiplication, or internal exclusion. Examples of
these formatting options are shown below.
The internal column displays the task number which is internal to the element where this value is entered. The
time for the task in the internal column is compared to time of the given task and the task with the higher time
determines the effective time.

MOST Element Types

MOST has four element types:
DM : Allows the user to type in an ABG code in the ABG code column. Click calculate and the code
will get parsed and the time should show up in the Unit TMU and Total time column.
SO and PT : Allows the user to directly edit a process time value. Simply enter a quantity of MOD's in
the Left Code field, or enter a time value followed by a dash and the time unit.

* : The asterisk symbol (*) allows the user to type in text in both the Title and the ABG code columns.
Essentially, this makes the element into a comment. Anything in the code field will be ignored.
Multiplication of codes can be accomplished by using the Frequency column for applying the multiplication to
the entire element line, or by simply prefixing a string of MOST codes contained within parenthesis by an
integer factor. Similarly, codes can be ignored by the parser by enclosing them within angle brackets.
In the following example, the second element line has a code segment (A1 B0 G1) that is repeated 3 times. As
such the total time for the element becomes 130 TMU's. On the first element line of this example, you can see
how the code B6 is ignored from the parser < >.

Frequency In BMOST

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In addition to the main interface above, Proplanner allows for MOST codes to be directly entered, using preexisting and user-edited code tables as a reference. To use the tool, right-click in the lower Element
spreadsheet, and select "Insert MOST Codes." You will see the window shown below.

BMOST Code Editor

First, select the type of codes you are looking to add by typing in a number next to the letter corresponding to
the code (type a 6 next to A for A6). In the drop-down menu in the lower right hand corner, select from
"General," "Controlled," "Crane," and "Equip." Based on your selection, you should see the following MOST
Code entry forms:

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General MOST Code

Controlled MOST Code

Crane MOST Code

Equipm ent MOST Code

Clicking on the code description within the top sheet will also populate the MOST Code sheet below. For a
simple example, if you select General from the drop-down, go to the General Move tab, and select cells in the
order of the form (A, B, G, A, B, P, A). The form will be populated appropriately.

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MOST General Exam ple

At this point clicking OK and the codes would be added as an element to your study and the codes/time would
be shown.
In each drop-down in the form, you can manually select (,),<,> to surround a code. If this is done, you will need
to set the FREQ column. The value in the FREQ column should be contained in parentheses and should match
the number of code groups surrounded by parentheses. In the selected cell of the example below, the first (2)
corresponds to a frequency of 2 for the A3 element.

MOST Frequency Exam ple

You can also enter the given FREQ for a code in the FREQ row that matches with the given code column. By
doing this the parentheses will automatically go around the code once you click out of the cell. Once you do
this FREQ column to the far right will be populated for the code that has been updated. If you click the ignore
check box the angel brackets will automatically go around the code or you could put a 0 in the FREQ row that
matches the given code column. For example, typing a 2 in the FREQ row sets the parenthesis and FREQ
column automatically. The example is shown below.

Freqeuncy Autofill Exam ple

There are pre-existing tables, but the user can import a custom table as well. To do this, create an .xls file
called BMOST-UserCodes.xls. The format must follow what is shown below (alphabetical codes across the top
row, and numerical values along the side.

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Sam ple Custom Table

Next, an administrator must load the .xls file into the Time Estimation portion of the Template Manager. Once
templates are refreshed and the application is restarted, the "User" tab will appear MOST Code Generator.
8.2.7.3.3 MTM-1

MTM-1 is one of the original predetermined time standards. It is the oldest standard that is still in use. Since
MTM-1 is a very detailed time standard, it is most often used for processes that are less than one minute in
length.
Formal training on how to use this time standard is highly recommended. Courses and textbooks are available
from the MTM organization at www.mtm.org.

MTM-1 Element Types

MTM-1 has two element types:
M : for code-based element strings
P : for user-specified process times. Simply enter a quantity of TMU's in the Left Code field, or enter a
time value followed by a dash and the time unit (e.g. 30 SEC).
Manual codes (Reach,Move, etc.) are case sensitive, especially with reference to Move and Reach In-motion.
Because of this, the code letters should always be upper case, and the "m" In-Motion modifier (prefix and suffix)
should always be lower case.

Special Codes
MTM-1 has several different element special codes
/, //, \ or ; will cause the entire element line to be ignored (i.e. a comment line)
V or O: 'V' indicates that this element is inside the field of vision for the user. Otherwise if this is not
specified, or if an 'O' (capital letter O for Outside) is specified, then the application assumes that the
element task is Outside the field of vision for the user. The setting of this special code for an element is
only relevant when that element has BOTH a Left hand code and a Right hand code, and the parser is
trying to determine how to combine the two times into an overall concurrent task time. The (within/
outside) normal vision special code is used by the parser when encountering Reach, Move and Grasp
elements.
D or E: 'D' indicates that this element involves a part that is Difficult to handle. Otherwise if this is not
specified, or if a 'E' (for Easy) is specified, then the application assumes that the part being handled is
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Easy for the user. The setting of this special code for an element is only relevant when that element
has BOTH a Left hand code and a Right hand code, and the parser is trying to determine how to
combine the two times into an overall concurrent task time. The (easy/difficult) to handle special code
is used by the parser when encountering Position and Disengage elements.

Reach and Move Location Accuracy

The Reach and Move codes in MTM-1 are defined as being A, B or C codes, which represent the accuracy at
which the Reach or Move is required.
A = Reach to an object at a fixed location
B = Reach to an object in a variable location
C = Reach to an object jumbled with others

Weight with Move

When moving an object with a weight greater than 2 pounds, the time in MTM-1 is increased to allow for the
additional effort. To specify the weight of an object with a move, simply append the weight in pounds after the
code and use the comma as a separator. For example, to specify a 6 pound object that is moved 18 inches to a
fixed location (i.e. code A), you would enter: M18A,6

Vision and Practice

A checkbox in the lower left hand corner of the spreadsheet indicates whether the user "Is Practiced." As with
the Special Code for "V - Within Normal Vision", the value of this checkbox is used by the parser to determine
the total time for an element line that contains BOTH a Right and Left hand code. Checking this box means that
the entire list of elements are performed by a user many times a day, and therefore it is to be assumed that the
user has significant practice and skill in performing those tasks.

Simultaneous Motion
The Simultaneous Motions Table in MTM involves the technique for computing the total time of an element that
involves movement of both hands concurrently. According to the MTM Association, when a MOVE-MOVE,
MOVE-REACH, REACH-MOVE or REACH-REACH two-handed element is encountered, then the parser will
take the largest of the two times (right and left hand) provided that the tasks can be performed simultaneously.
Otherwise the parser will add 2 TMU's to the longest of the two times. If any other combination of element
codes is encountered between the hands, then the application will EITHER take the LONGEST of the two times
(provided that they can be performed concurrently) or ADD the two times (if they cannot be performed
concurrently - regardless of the codes appearing in the left and right hand fields of the element).
Please reference the MTM-1 Simultaneous Motions table for more information on this topic.
8.2.7.3.4 MTM-UAS

MTM-UAS is a time standard from the MTM organization that is used extensively in Europe. The detail level in
the standard is mid-level; it is most applicable to process that last from one to five minutes.
Formal training on how to use this time standard is highly recommended. Courses and textbooks are available
from the MTM organization at www.mtm.org.
MTM-UAS has a basic set of codes and a more advanced set that is referred to as the Standard Data
Additions. MTM-UAS codes are included by default.

MTM-UAS Element Types

MTM-UAS has four element types

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P (Process Time): Enter a quantity of TMU's in the Left Code field, or enter a time value followed by a
dash and the time unit.
R (Retrieval): This is what you will use for all standard UAS Codes
L (Literal): This tells the calculator to ignore the line because it represents a comment

The Internal field for an element allows you to specify another element that this particular element is performed
concurrently with. In this version, the Internal field is not implemented for MTM-UAS.
The Allowance% field allows the user to specify an allowance for this specific element line.
8.2.7.3.5 MTM-B

MTM-B is one of the newer time standards from the MTM organization. It is targeted for processes with long
cycle times and for task descriptions for which a LEAN Benchmark is desired (i.e. Comparison of Current State
versus Future State). MTM-B is designed to be a quick and simple key-word based language of work. One
difference between MTM-B and the other MTM-based time standards is that MTM-B will report in MU's by
default, where the others have a base unit of TMU.
Formal training on how to use this time standard is highly recommended. Courses and textbooks are available
from the MTM organization at www.mtm.org.
To see a list of the MTM-B key words, press F5 (function 5) while the MTM-B standard is selected. After the list
is open, keywords can be selected from the list with the mouse.

As the process is described, the editor automatically color-codes keywords and keyword modifiers (quantities
of distance or time). This makes it easy to determine if the keyword-code has been recognized. The process
time and corresponding value-add analysis will be computed by the application.

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The list of keywords and their associated value-add percentages can be modified by the user.

8.2.8

Estimated Time Tab

The estimated time control allows the user to enter an estimated (typically historical) time value for a given task.
To perform an estimated time study, open an existing study by going to File>Open, or create a new one.
1. Open the application and go to File>New.

Create New Study

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2. Enter the study properties. A Study ID is required; the other fields are optional.

Study Details

3. You can begin by entering your list of tasks in the Tasks 270 tab, or go to the Estimated Time tab
immediately. Note that if you are working with an existing study, your task list will already be populated.
4. Enter your list of tasks by entering an ID for each, or a task description. Note: If you add a task description
without a task ID, an ID will be automatically populated for you.
5. Type (or paste from an outside spreadsheet) a Normal Time and Allowance, if desired, for each task. The
standard time of each task will be calculated and displayed for you.

Estim ated Tim e Tab

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6. You can also define each task as value-added, non value-added, semi value-added, or a combination of each.
Type in a time value in the appropriate cell, or double click on the VA, NVA, or SVA cells for a particular task
row to open up a detailed task classification interface in which to enter these values.

VA/NVA/SVA Classification

Note: The Task Index is a non-editable field that displays the order in which the task s were organized at the
time of the last save.

8.2.9

Ergonomics Time Study

The following explanation of the Ergonomics Time Study is done using the Empowered MURI system. The
Standard vs Empowered 314 section will explain the differences between the two. While in the Time Study
module, or in the Activity Time tab, ergonomics can be analyzed for activities. To enter the ergonomics editor,
the ergonomics tab must be selected. While under the Calculated time mode, a time standard must be
selected (MTM, BMOST, etc.), and a video is not able to be loaded. While in the Observed time mode, a video
may be uploaded and used in both Observed and Calculated time modes. In order to complete an ergonomic
study, elements must be created within the Time tab of the Time Study first.

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Ergonom ic Tab

In this tab, a time standard must be selected and activities must be present in the time tab or time study. Once
the activities are present, an ergonomic study can be performed. With a video playing, the
buttons can be
clicked to record a start time and end time. The weights of objects, force that must be applied, and steps that
must be taken within activities are added within the sheet along with any notes.

Ergonom ics Sheet View

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The Set Baseline button can be clicked to set all values to the minimum ergonomic impact in the row.

Set Baseline Button

The boxes can be manually checked in most columns to represent the ergonomic impact. The impact is judged
by standards that are automatically uploaded into the Code Lookup section as an ergonomics code.

Code Lookup Section

When these boxes are checked, the bars under the rows automatically change as a visual representation of the
ergonomic impact in that particular area of study.

Aggregate Bars

Notice that some check boxes are automatically filled as a result of the information filled in the weights of
objects, force that must be applied, and steps that must be taken within activities. These sections have certain
criteria and the box checked can only be changed by altering the data that it references. They are grayed out to
show that they are not directly able to be changed.

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Auto-checked Boxes

On the right side of the spreadsheet, the total score for the activity is added up and a visual representation of
the severity of the activity is created.

Total Score

There are ways to control what data is shown by the spreadsheet using checkboxes located directly above the
sheet. When "Hide Score Columns" is checked, the numerical values are not shown for each box.

Hide Score Colum ns

When "Use Standard Score" is checked, only scores relevant to the calculation of the standard score are
displayed. This also reduces the overall scores, as some of the catagories have been removed.

Use Standard Score Box Checked

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8.2.9.1

Standard vs Empowered

While largely similar in use, the way that information is presented and entered into the system is very different.
This section is meant to show the differences between Standard and Empowered MURI. The previous section
was done as an Empowered system, and this section shows what is different when using the Standard system.
The main difference is in how the information is entered into the system.

Operation Level
The picture below shows the sheet view in the standard format. It is based on the counting of the different
actions. As you can see, there are numbers entered into the sheet that correspond to the number of times an
ergonomic activity must be performed within an Assembly Planner Activity. For example, in the 'Bend' motion
type for the activity 220, there is a two, indicating that within activity 220 a level 1 Bend is performed twice.
These numbers are then multiplied by the weights set in the Ergonomics Tab 58 in Options to come up with an
overall score for the activity and for the sum of the type of Muri (Bend, Twist, etc.). There are nine types of Muri
within the Standard Ergonomics setup.

Frequency based Ergonom ics

In contrast to the frequency driven Standard Muri, the Empowered is largely check box based. Rather than
count the amounts of time that a Type of Motion happens, the Empowered Muri uses check boxes to see if the
type of motion occurred within a Work Step. The frequency of the entire work step is automatically set by the
amount of times it is recorded in the activity during the calculated or observed time study. In the Operation
Editor, a summary of the study is displayed. Notice that the value of the Motion is shown rather than the
frequency (this can be seen in 00000027 Bend and Twist). There are seventeen types of Muri in the Empowered
Ergonomics Setup.

Operation Editor Ergonom ics Sum m ary Table

Activity and Time Study Level

While the principle is the same, this is the level where the information is put into the system, so the changes
are more evident. The Standard Ergonomics sheet looks the same, but now the fields are editable, and the IDs
are the work steps within the activity and not the activities within the operation. The boxes can be filled with
numbers signifying frequency and these frequencies are used, along with the weights set in the Ergonomics Tab
58 , to create a full study and reports.
The real difference is in the simple nature of the check box format. This format is shown throughout the
Ergonomics Time Study section and is most commonly used as it is more user friendly, and contains more
fields. Rather than count the frequency of occurrences manually, all work steps are automatically counted and
the frequency is updated. This allows a user to simply check a box to show the level of the motion type.

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315

OCRA Ergonomics

OCRA Ergonomics is an Italian-Metric ergonomic standard that calculates a total score on the routing level
based on the ergonomic data within activities. The description below shows the interface within time study, but
it can be seen through the activity level as well. The first thing to do is populate the calculated time tab with
time codes.

Populated Tim e Codes

With the ergonomic tab selected within the calculated time tab, the task/activity highlighted in green shows
which task/activity is being shown in the detailed view (within the activity module, it is always the activity that
has been selected). The detailed view is shown with the descriptions and times recorded in the Time tab.

OCRA Ergonom ics Main Interface

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Similar to the other Ergonomics controls, with a video playing, the

time and end time.

buttons can be clicked to record a start

Setting Start/End Tim es

With certain time standards (BMOST shown) an ability to choose right, left or both hands being used.

Left/Right Choice

The boxes to the left can be checked to indicate that type of ergonomic violation was being observed. If the box
has an associated time that must be filled, a violation will be show by highlighting all related cells red. When the
time is filled in, the violation will go away. There are also boxes that are a strict present or not present value,
and do not require a time.

Tim e Violation

Many of the boxes are related, and only one per section may be chosen. The final 8 columns are related, and
only one may be selected; if two boxes in the section are selected, the most recently selected will be the only
one shown. Time must be filled when requested, and must be zero if the box is not checked.

Only 1 May be Selected per Section

The report must be run from the routing level and can be filtered by operator, model, or option.

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OCRA Report in Routing Level

Report Filter

The OCRA report is an Italian free form report (called Check List OCRA) that can be as long as needed to show
all information within the routing. It aggregates all information under each activity to create a score for each

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activity. It is shown within the report viewer.

8.2.10 Reports
Assembly Planner will generate time study summary reports for you after you have completed your time
studies. Go to the Reports menu to select the report you would like to generate.

*Note: Some users will see a Posture Allowance category in the pie charts of these reports. In this case,
Posture Allowance represents the sum of the time attributed to any allowance the user has defined. If the
Posture Allowance category is not seen, and allowance has been defined, the sum of the time attributed to any
allowance has been added to the sum of time in the 'NVA' category in the chart. What is seen is dependent
upon a preference setting that can't be changed from the user interface. If you would like to learn more or have
the preference in your system changed, please contact your Proplanner representative.

There are four types of reports available:

1. Time Study Report - To summarize task classification results of Observed, Calculated, or Estimated
studies. Pie charts, Pareto charts, and a Gantt chart are used to relay summarized information. You can
also choose the Time Standard Rank option, which will generate graphs based on the Time Rank preference.
This report will look at the time study data for the highest priority time standard. If times are missing from
some tasks, it will then look to the second priority time standard, and so forth. Note: You must define a task
sequence before running this report.

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Tim e Study Report Page 2

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Tim e Study Report Page 3

Tim e Study Report Page 4

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2. Observed Time Report - To summarize Observed (stopwatch) time studies.

Observed Tim e Report Page 1

Observed Tim e Report Page 2+

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3. Calculated Time Report - To summarize Calculated (predetermined) time studies.

Calculated Tim e Report

4. Man/Machine Utilization Report - To document the utilization and work sequence of multiple resources.
Please see the Time Estimation Options 44 section and Tasks Tab 272 for details on generating this report.

Man Machine Report Gantt Chart

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5. View Man/Machine Utilization Chart - This report can be generated to compare Man/Machine charts. This
tool creates a chart that can be minimized in order to create new/updated charts. These charts can the be
brought up at the same time and compared. The tool is primarily used as a quicker check then the original Man/
Machine Report, and is also useful for visual comparison.The charts are automatically updated when the original
data is saved, but before saving, clicking on the Refresh button in the top right corner can update the chart with
the current data without having to save and overwrite the original data.

Man/Machine Chart w ith 3 Resources

This chart also has options for its use, it is the only report that is easily customizable without having to
completely re-run the report. The available customization is shown on the next page.

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Man/Machine Chart Filters

The Resources dropdown is used to filter resources out of the chart, usually resulting in resource idle time to be
shown instead. Check the boxes to be shown and uncheck what is not needed.

Resource Dropdow n Filter

Similarly, the Activities dropdown can be used to filter activities.

Activites Dropdow n Filter

Where the times are being pulled from (Observed, Calculated, Estimated) can also be chosen in the Time Type
dropdown.

Tim e Type Filter

There are also buttons that can show/hide the legend and labels, copy the image to your clipboard, and pin the
screen to the top of your Proplanner Application to stop it from being minimized.

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Report Controls
Printing and Exporting Reports is accomplished via the File menu at the top left corner of the report. Reports
can be saved and exported as PDF, HTML, MHT, RTF, XLS, XLSX, CSV, Text, or Image file.
Page Setup (from the File menu) allows users to change the margins and orientation of the report.

Report Page Setup

The View and Background menus have tools to alter the way the report is viewed, saved, or printed.
The menu bar, as shown below, contains shortcuts to each menu item. If you hover your cursor over each
button, a message will display its function.

8.2.11 Actions
Up to this point, the time study you have created has been saved as a standalone file - it has not affected your
data in the Assembly Planner database. Once you have completed your study and wish to apply the standard
times to activities in your database (or create new activities in the database), you can use this menu option.
1. Go to Actions>Apply Time Study.
2. You will see the tasks you have studied listed as activities in a window like the one shown below. By default,
all activities will be "check marked" to be applied. If you wish not to apply any tasks as activities in the
database, uncheck the boxes next to those tasks.
3. Then check the box(es) next to the type(s) of time standard data you wish to apply (Observed Time,
Calculated Time, Estimated Time, Observation Videos).
4. Next decide if you want to apply the activities to a particular operation. If so, search for an select the
operation, then select either "Merge new activities with existing" or "Replace all existing activities with new."
If activities already exist under the selected operation, and you wish to update the existing activities'
times and/or add new activities and their times, select Merge new activities with existing.
Note: Your Task IDs in your time study must match the Activity IDs under the Operation if you want the
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data to be merged.
Select Replace all existing activities with new if you wish to clear the activity list completely for the
selected operation, and replace it with the activities in your study.
Note: If you do not apply the activities to an operation, the time data will simply be applied to the activity,
wherever it appears in the database.
5. Click Apply.

Apply Tim e Study Tool

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8.3

Sequence Planner

The Sequence Planner module provides management a view of manpower requirements at each station at any
point of a scheduled production run. This advance view helps management see potential bottlenecks ahead of
time, allowing them to dispatch relief operators to the correct location at the correct time. Sequence Planner
was designed to use Assembly Planner line balances and order details from an external database or
spreadsheet.

8.3.1

New Study Wizard

For step-b y-step directions and an example, see the tutorial 551 .

To create a new Sequence Planner study, go to File and select 'New Study'. The Sequence Planner Wizard
consists of three simple windows: Study Details, Order Details, and Station Details. The four buttons found at
the bottom of the frame allow the user to navigate through the Sequence Planner Wizard. "Next" will advance
the user one frame if all required information is filled in on the current frame. If required information is missing,
an error message will appear when the user clicks Next. "Back" allows the user to review previous pages and
make changes before creating the study. "Cancel" will exit the wizard. "Finish" creates the study, but the
button is not activated until all necessary information has been entered in all frames.
Any information entered in the wizard can later b e changed using the edit menu. The user has the option to edit Study
Details 330 , Order Details 330 , and Station Details 330 after the study has b een created.

Study Details
The first frame of the Sequence Planner Wizard is where the user specifies study details, such as the name of
the study, a description, and the line balancing scenario to be used.

Study Details

Study Name: The user can name the study as they wish. Special characters, numbers and spaces are
allowed. Study names can also be changed later with the Study Details Editor 330 .
Description: This section provides space for the user to provide fairly detailed notes describing the study

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if they choose.
Line Balancing Scenario: The Line Balance that will be used for this particular sequence study is
specified here. All saved studies are displayed in the Scenario Manager when the user clicks "Open".
A click on the name of the line balance scenario selects it. "Open" tells the Sequence Planner Wizard to
use the selected scenario.

Order Details
If you used a schedule-driven line balance with a spreadsheet order file to create the study, the orders will
automatically appear in this window.
When Fetch orders from schedule database is selected
Schedule Dates: Checking the single-day study box automatically sets the schedule to one work day.
(The length of one work day is specified by the user in Tools=>Options=>Sequencing.) For studies
covering more than one work day, dates can be selected from the drop-down calendars.
Assembly Line: A specific assembly line must be selected.
Get Orders From Build List only: Causes the get orders button to return only build list items and not all
orders present.
Get Orders: This retrieves the orders from the database for the dates specified.
When load orders from excel file is selected
Select Excel File: Allows an external excel file containing orders to be loaded, as long as it is in the
specified format 431 .
In either case
Spreadsheet section: This displays information about the retrieved orders.
If a row is clicked on (selected), the three buttons at the right of the spreadsheet are enabled. "Move Up"
will move the order ahead. "Move Down" is the opposite; it moves the order down the list. "Exclude"
indicates to Sequence Planner that a certain order will not be used in this sequence study. Excluded
orders appear in gray in the order details.

Station Details
The Station ID and Station Description are pulled from the line balancing scenario which the user chose for the
study in the Study Details frame. The only information the user can change in this frame is the station offset.

Station Details

The station offset specifies the order that work enters the stations. It begins at the station with offset zero, then
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goes to one, then to two, and so on. The user can change station offset values, and is also allowed to enter the
same offset for multiple stations. This accommodates stations that are doing subassembly work and have the
same Takt time as the same line. For example, if STN03 is building a subassembly in parallel with work on the
main assembly on STN02, they could each have 1 as station offset.
The station offset numbering must begin at 0 and is not allowed to skip numbers.

8.3.2

Menus in Sequence Planner

8.3.2.1

File menu

Open Study
Selecting Open Study will take the user to the Study Manager. The user can open and modify an existing
sequence study.
The Study Manager displays all saved sequence studies. It displays the name of the study, the ID of the user
that user modified it last, when it was last modified, and if the study is currently in use. The check mark to the
left of the name indicates that the scenario is currently in use; a lock indicates that it is not in use.
Six buttons on the right assist the user in managing the scenarios.
Open: This opens the selected study in Sequence Planner.
Rename: The user can rename the study here.
Delete: This deletes the selected study.
Clone: The clone button makes a copy of the selected study. The copy is easy to pick out of the list
since the automatic name is "Clone of (study name)". In the screenshot below, "Clone of
SequenceStudy1" is a copy of SequenceStudy1.
Import: Users can import Sequence Planner studies done by other people. The import and export
functionalities allow users to send sequencing studies back and forth.
Export: This allows users to send Sequence Planner studies to other people. It also enables the user to
create a copy of the sequencing study that is saved outside of Assembly Planner.
Move: Allows the user to move a study within the Folders.
Folders: Allows the user to organize studies into folders for organization of different areas, routings, etc.
The seventh and final button on the right, Close, allows the user to exit the Study Manager.

Study Manager

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Print Preview
In print preview, the user can see how the current Chart or the Sheet view will print on paper.

Print
The user can print the current Chart or Sheet view.

Export to Excel
This function exports the sheet view portion of the study to Microsoft Excel. The directory the file is exported to
is chosen by the user.
8.3.2.2

Edit Menu

Study Details
This page functions like Study Details 328 in the New Study Wizard 328 .

Edit Study Details allows the user to change study names, modify descriptions, and change the line balancing
scenario used.
Study Name: The user can name the study as they wish. Special characters, numbers and spaces are
allowed.
Description: This section allows the user to modify or add detailed notes describing the study.
Line Balancing Scenario: The Line Balance that is to be used for this particular sequence study is
specified here. All saved studies are displayed in the Scenario Manager when the user clicks "Open".

Open a Line Balance

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Order Details
This editor functions like Order Details 328 in the New Study Wizard 328 .

The user can modify the schedule for the study, retrieve orders from the database, change the sequence of
orders (Move Up and Move Down), exclude orders from the study, and add new or existing orders one at a
time.
Clicking the "Get Orders" button retrieves the orders looks through the database and retrieves the orders for the
days you have selected. If you used a spreadsheet order file 428 in the line balance scenario, the order details
will automatically appear. It is also possible to import orders directly from excel. When this box is checked, the
order file must be selected using the load button, browsing to it, and selecting open.
If a row is clicked on (selected), the three buttons at the right of the spreadsheet are enabled. "Move Up" will
move the order ahead. "Move Down" is the opposite; it moves the order down the list. "Exclude" indicates to
Sequence Planner that the selected order will not be used in this sequence study. Excluded orders appear in
gray in the order details.

Order Details

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Station Details
This editor functions like Station Details 328 in the New Study Wizard

328 .

The stations in a Sequence Planner study are the same stations that exist in the line balancing scenario used
for the study. They may be a one-to-one match with the currently existing plant stations (see the Plant editor in
the Library menu), or the line balance may have created new stations. Since the Station ID and Station
Description are pulled from the line balance scenario, the user cannot edit them in Sequence Planner.
In the Station Details editor, the user can choose to change the station offset. The station offset specifies the
order that work enters the stations. It begins at the station with offset zero, then goes to one, then to two, and
so on. The user can change station offset values, and is also allowed to enter the same offset for multiple
stations. This accommodates stations that are doing subassembly work and have the same Takt time as the
same line. For example, if Station 130 is building a subassembly in parallel with work on the main assembly on
Station 120, they could each have 1 as station offset.
The station offset numbering must begin at 0 and is not allowed to skip numbers.

Station Details

Refresh Study Data

Refresh Study Data updates the information in the sequence study with the current information in the line
balancing scenario. If any changes have been made in the line balancing scenario used for the study, Refresh
Study Data will retrieve and apply the changes.

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Time Schedule
This editor allows the user to modify the work day start and end times, as well as add and delete breaks.

Tim e Schedule

Clicking "Breaks" tab will bring up the break window. The user can enter the scheduled break times.

Break Editor

After entering the break time, "Save" will save the new time data, and "Close" makes the changes in sequence
planner.

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Looking at a Study

When a study is open in the Sequence Planner Module, the main window looks something like the screenshot
below. There are two sections: the chart and the sheet view. Since the chart is based on the sheet view, sheet
view will be discussed first.

Sequence Study

Sheet View
To expand the sheet view, hide the chart with the collapse button
view will expand to fill the space.

at the top right of the chart view. The sheet

Station Utilization and Display Value Options

The Station Utilization can be measured in time segments (By Time of Day), as shown above, or by unit
names (By Unit). The user can select their preference from the drop-down menu.
The values in the spreadsheet can be displayed by the length of Time required at each station or as a
Percentage of Takt time. In the screenshot shown above, the cells show how many minutes are required at
each station. The time units can b e set or changed with the Options tool 44 .
Changes made to Station Utilization and Display Value will be reflected in the chart.

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Alerts (Colored Cells)

Cells in the sheet that are yellow or red indicate that the work at that station exceeds a user-specified
percentage of Takt time. Yellow cells are a warning flag, and red cells are an alarm. The user can set the
desired levels in Tools > Options > Sequencing. In the screenshots in this section, the warning level is set at
100% of Takt, and the alarm is set at 110% of Takt.
This view show s By Unit station utilization w ith Tim e as the display value.

This view show s station utilization By Tim e of Day and displays the values as percentages.

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Double Click Functions

Double clicking on a cell in the sheet view will display a list of the tasks and parts for that cell's unit
configuration.

Double clicking on a unit serial number in the sheet view will bring up the model and options codes for that unit.

Chart
The chart section provides a visual indicator of how each station is meeting Takt time. The chart is generated
based on the information displayed in the sheet view.

Possible Chart Views

The chart can have four different configurations or can be hidden to allow for a larger sheet view. To hide the
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chart, use the collapse button

at the top right of the chart view. The sheet view will expand to fill the space.

There are two main modes for the chart: By Time of Day or By Unit. The user can switch from one to the other
by changing the Station Utilization selection in the sheet view.
The x-axis of the chart always displays stations. The y-axis value changes depending on the Display Value
selection in the sheet view. Possible y-axis values are time and percentage.

By Time Of Day Chart View

Tim e Of Day View

Time Selection
Sequence Planner breaks all of the time in the study down into increments with the length of the specified Takt
time. Each of these increments is displayed in the "Time" drop-down menu. In the situation above, the third
time-segment of the day is selected. The study begins at 8:00 AM, and Takt time is 3.5 minutes. The user can
also select a time of day by clicking on a row in the sheet view.

Chart colors
The bars on the by-time-of-day graph are color-coded so the user can easily picture how the segment relates to
the currently selected time:
Blue indicates a time segment that occurred before the selected time.
Red indicates the currently selected time segment.
Green indicates a time segment that occurs after the selected time.
If there is a break or no production for some other reason, no bar will appear.

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Cycles Before, Cycles After and hover

Sequence Planner allows the user to specify how many cycles before and after the current time segment are
displayed.
Any of the individual values on the graph will be displayed if the user hovers over the bar with their mouse. For
example, the 201(1) is hovered over, making the rest of the stations transparent; this indicates that the mouse
is hovering. The value for the bar appears to the right in the text box. It has a value of 71.4 seconds.

Hover Tool

By Unit Chart View

The By Unit chart view displays a station-by-station view of the work that goes into building selected units. In
this mode, the user selects the unit or units they wish to see from the sheet view, and the information is
displayed in the graph.
To select a unit, click on the row in the sheet view. To select multiple consecutive rows, click and drag from the
first unit name to the last unit name OR click the first desired unit, hold shift, and select the last desired unit.
Currently, only rows that are next to each other can be selected. Rows in the sheet view can be rearranged by
clicking on the row number and dragging.

Unit Chart View

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To select multiple consecutive rows, click and drag from the first unit name to the last unit name OR click the
first desired unit, hold shift, and select the last desired unit. Currently, only rows that are next to each other can
be selected. Rows in the sheet view can be rearranged by clicking on the row number and dragging.

Selecting Row s

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Sequencing Orders

You can choose to re-sequence your orders by hand with Sequence Planner, or you can use the automatic
Sequence Orders tool.

Manual Sequencing
You can change the order of units coming down the line through the By Unit view.

Changing View

Right-click on the unit you wish to move, and select either Move Up or Move Down.

Automatic Sequencing
To use the automatic tool, go to Actions > Sequence Orders. You will see a window similar to the one shown
below.

Sequence Orders

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Schedule Type
The schedule type lets you indicate your preference as to how the orders will be sequenced.
Balanced Labor Content will order units to balance the work content at the selected stations evenly
throughout the day.
Ascending Labor Content will order units according to ascending labor content times. Units with shorter
labor content times will come before units with longer labor content times.
Descending Labor Content will order units according to descending labor content times. Units with longer
labor content times will come before units with shorter labor content times.

Schedule Range
Single Day: Selecting this will include all orders within the study, but will sequence orders within the date
they have been assigned.
Entire Study: Selecting this will include all orders within the study, and will sequence orders across all dates
in the study.
Note: The Entire Study option will only function properly if you have designated your study as Manual. (Go to
Tools > Options > Sequencing > Schedule Type and verify that Manual is selected). See Sequencing > Tools
Menu > Options 44 for an explanation of Manual vs. Automatic studies.

Station List
You can select the stations to consider when re-sequencing your orders. If you want the tool to consider the
labor content at each station when sequencing them, leave all stations selected. If the balance of labor content
only matters for certain stations, only select those stations.

Model Sequence
If you check the Group Orders by Model-Option, you can specify the order of the models by using the Move UP
and Move Down buttons. They can also be automatically sequenced by labor using the balance, ascending, and
descending labor buttons.

Grouping Orders By Models

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Sequence Planner Reports

Sequence Planner data can be displayed in several different reports.

Daily Labor By Worker: Graphs the total time worked at each station for the selected workday, visually
displays the total time available in the workday, and reports productivity. An example of this report appears at
the end of the section.
Daily Labor For Orders By Worker: Graphs the time spent on specific orders (by Unit Serial Number) in a
given workday, broken down by workers (Stations). The user can select the stations and orders that will be
reported. The report also includes a table summarizing the visual data. The table includes the Operator ID,
Description, Unit Serial Number, Model, and Time.
Operator Task List by Order: Compiles tasks required by the selected worker for any selected orders. Tasks
for different Unit Serial Numbers are on different pages.
Operator Labor By Day: Graphs the amount of time worked per day for a given (user-selected) operator and
displays the total time available during a workday. This graph is different from the Daily Labor By Worker graph
because Operator Labor By Day reports only a single station and has the ability to report that one station over
multiple days.
Average Labor By Worker: The user selects multiple days and the operators to be included in the report. The
report shows a graph of the average labor time at each station, includes the amount of time available per day,
and reports the average productivity and average time assigned per worker.
Assembly Labor Summary Report: Sums up the amount of labor spent on each Assembly for each order.
Station Unit Details Report: This report is generated for a specific station. The units appearing at the station
for the selected day will be displayed by Order Number. The Labor Content and Start Time will be displayed for
each unit. The Start Time is calculated using the Labor Content and any scheduled breaks. Note that the
Station ID must be entered in the filter exactly as it appears in the Sequence Planner study.
Depending on the type of report selected, various options and combinations of options are available to
customize the report.
Dates:
For the Daily Labor reports, the user can select which single day will be reported from a drop-down menu. For
other reports, the user can select multiple days to be reported using the checkboxes. For ease of selection, the
section has both 'Select All' and 'Deselect All' commands.
Operators:
For the Operator Task List or Operator Labor reports, the user can select the single operator for the report from
the drop-down menu. For other reports, the user can select the operator or operators using the checkboxes.
The section has both 'Select All' and 'Deselect All' commands.
Orders:
For the reports that require order selection, the user can do so with the checkboxes. The section has both
'Select All' and 'Deselect All' commands.

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8.4

Work Instruction

The Work Instruction Module in Assembly Planner allows users to create operator instructions with more than
just text. The user can insert images, videos and hyperlinks to other documents. Work instructions in
Assembly Planner are HTML-based. Editing work instructions is done using the built-in HTML editor which
allows for customizing the formatting, adding bullets, attaching pictures and also including text colors and
fonts.
Work instructions can be defined for Routings, Operations, Activities and Resources.
*Note: your Proplanner representative may recommend using an alternative way to generate work instructions
183 .

Features
Work instructions can have documents attached, including images, video, audio, text, and spreadsheet
files.
The templates used to create the Work instructions can be user-defined (they need to be saved in HTML
format). Special formatting codes are available for creating header and footer information. Note: Multiple
work instruction templates can b e loaded in the system. The user can create a different template for different
processes. Please contact your Proplanner representative for more information.)

Work instructions can be generated (aggregated) for a Routing. Process-based instructions aggregate all
of the Activity, Operation, and Resource instructions necessary to create the component.
Distribution of work instructions to the shop floor is simple. Instructions can be delivered to the shop floor
over the company intranet. The instructions may also be printed and displayed with traditional methods.

8.4.1

Creating and Editing Work Instructions

Creating work instructions can be summarized in four steps:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Select the routing.

Open the editor via the "Edit" button at the bottom right corner of the screen.
Enter appropriate keywords.
Associate images and documents with the instructions.

Clicking "Select" in the module header will allow you to search for the routing that the work instructions will be
associated with. Note that the routing and all of its operations and activities should b e checked out to you b efore you
create work instructions.

After selecting the routing, the routing tree is loaded in the Tree View at the left of the screen. Clicking "Edit" at
the bottom right of the work instruction screen opens the editor and associates the default template with the
routing.

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WI Designer

To populate your work instructions, you can can associate database information by using keywords and
images.

Keywords
The use of keywords in Assembly Planner allows the user to insert database records into work instructions
without having to manually enter them. The Work Instruction template can be designed with these keywords in
place.
Work instructions are built using the information you have stored with activities. Using keywords, you specify
what information you want to include and where it should appear. After entering keywords, the appropriate
information appears when the work instructions are published. The keyword system is helpful because the work
instruction changes when changes are made to the activity in the Activity Editor. Think of an activity that is
used in multiple places in your facility; when some part of the activity changes, you would normally need to
change all work instructions manually. With Assembly Planner, you make the change once to the activity, and
the work instructions automatically update when they are republished.
[@keyword] - The @ keywords rolls up data for the field. (It summarizes or aggregates data for the field.)
[@Process] - For a routing, the @Process keyword will roll up the work instructions of all the operations
under that routing. For an operation, the @Process keyword will roll up the work instructions for all of the
activities under the operation.
[@Resources] - The @Resources keyword will roll up the work instructions of all the resources being
used by the operation.
[@Components] - The @Components keyword will roll up the work instruction of all the components
being consumed by the operation.
[@Elements] - This keyword will roll up all of the time study elements for the task (the activity).
[#keyword] - The # keyword displays the data for the given field. There is only one data entry for this field; no
aggregation takes place. If the work instruction is associated with an operation, it will pull from the operation
information. If the work instruction is associated with an activity, it will pull from activity information.
[#ID] - Displays the Proplanner ID of the operation (or activity).
[#Time] - Displays the preferred time of the operation (or activity) based on time standard rank
preferences.

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[#Description] - Displays the description of the operation (or activity).
[#EffectiveFromDate] - Displays the date the operation (or activity) began being used, which is the
timed-in date.
[#EffectiveToDate] - Displays the date the operation (or activity) will cease being used, which is the
time-out date.
[#OpSeqNo] - Displays the operation sequence number of an operation. Displays the activity sequence
number of an activity.
Other: The user can include any field in the database in the work instruction. Any custom fields you have
defined can be included as long as the field name is preceded by a # sign in the work instruction.

Images and Documents from Operations and Activities

Images that have been associated with operations

82

or activities

90

(uploaded to the Documents tab) can be

included in work instructions. Clicking on the image icon

in the work instruction editor will open a list of all
of the documents associated with the currently selected operation or activity. You can also see a preview of the
images.

When you find the correct image, click on it to select. You can define the image size as well. (You could also
insert a hyperlink to the image if you prefer). Click "OK" to return to the editor.
Inserting a hyperlink to another document (such as a CAD drawing or a video) is also done using the image
icon. Select the appropriate document from the list and "OK" to insert the link into the work instructions.

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Multiple images and documents can be added to each work instruction.

Images from Excel

Assembly Planner also supports the insertion of work instruction images from Microsoft Excel. This tool is
designed to help users who have done past work instructions in Excel. Instead of importing all of the old
images, the past pictures can be inserted from the Excel file. Additionally, if there are existing work instructions
in Excel, you could insert entire work instructions as an image if you choose.
To import portions of an Excel file as an image, click on the Excel icon
. Browse for the correct Excel file
and open it. Next, select the cell range that contains the image to insert. Click "OK". A picture of the cell range
is inserted in the work instructions.

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8.4.2

Previewing Work Instructions

Once you have designed your work instruction, you can preview it with the populated data by clicking on the
Preview tab at the bottom left of the work instruction.

WI Preview

8.4.3

Approving Work Instructions

Some versions of Assembly Planner offer an approval mechanism that will allow work instructions to be printed
only after they are approved. The following is the work flow for the approval process.
8.4.3.1

Instructions for Administrator

To assign a user the role of Work Instructions Approver, follow these steps:
1. Log into the application.
2. Click on the Admin Tools tab.
3. Click on Users.
4. Modify the role of an existing user to WorkInstructionsApprover or add a new user to assign the role.

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Approval Roles

a. To modify the role, double click on a user and select the Approver role in the Role drop-down menu.
b. To add a new user, click on the Add button at the bottom of the screen and provide the new user details.
Set the role to WorkInstructionsApprover.
Note: By default, all administrators also have 'Approver' rights.
8.4.3.2

Instructions for Engineers

1. Check out the appropriate routing. Then check out the operations and activities to be edited.
2. Then click on Modules and Work Instructions and select the routing. At this point, please note that the
status of the Work Instructions is WIP. By default, all routings in the database are in the WIP status.
The Engineer cannot print work instructions in the WIP status.

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3. Select the activity to be edited and click Edit. Make the necessary changes and Save the work instructions.
4. Once all work instructions have been modified, right-click on the top routing within the Work Instruction
Module and select Open. This will open the Routing Editor.
5. Check in all Activities, then Operations, then the Routing that were checked out for editing the work
instructions. (This order is important).

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6. Once the processes are checked in, go back to the Work Instruction module and click on the Refresh button.
This will bring in the latest CHECKED IN routing.

7. Next, right-click on the Routing in the Work Instruction tree and select "Submit for Approval."

Note: If the ME has not check ed in all their work , the following message is shown.

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8. Now the status of the work instructions moved to PENDING. The Engineer cannot print work instructions
in the pending status.

9. At this point, the ME should inform the Approver of the modified instructions.
10.The approver can now go in the review the changes and inform the Engineer.
a. If the work instructions are approved, the status will show APPROVED. The Engineer can now
print the work instructions.
b. If the work instructions are rejected, the status will move back to WIP.
11. Check the History tab of the routing for reasons for Rejection or Approval.
12. Check the routing custom fields tab for the status of the routing:
a. WI Approval Status - The Status of the Routing (WIP, Pending, or Approved)
b. WIP Approved By - The most recent approver for the routing.
c. WIP Approved On - The most recent approval date.

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Instructions for Approvers

1. Log into the Assembly Planner application.

2. Click on Modules and Work Instruction.
3. Next click on the Select button and search fr the routing.

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4. Once the routing is found, expand the folder and click on the routing node inside and click the Add button.
5. The work instruction tree will now show the complete routing. Note: The status of the routing will be Pending.

6. Click through the tree to review the work instructions for the routing.
7. When finished reviewing, right-click on the Routing node and select either of the options - Reject or Approve.
Based on the selection, the status of the routing will change to Approved or WIP.

8. For either case, a comment window will pop up. The user can type in reasons for rejection or approval here.
This is not mandatory; the user can simply simply click Approve or Reject without typing any text.

9. Once the instructions have been approved, the routing status will change to APPROVED. The Approver
should then notify the Engineer of the completion of his or her review.

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Ergonomics

The Ergonomics module allows the user to attach Ergonomics Assessment sheets to different activities and
perform an ergonomic assessment on any or all routings, operations or activities that have been entered. In
order to do this, an assessment template must have been uploaded via the template manager 468 . The default
template that is provided is a simple checklist, but Proplanner can help you upload other specific templates.
When a template is available, the user can perform an assessment for any activity desired. After the
assessment has been performed, Assembly Planner will store assessment results with that activity.
Furthermore, the software uses the assessments on individual activities to sum to an ergonomic assessment
for an operation, and operation assessments sum to the routing score.
Even within the same company, you may want to use different ergonomic assessments for different areas of the
plant. The association of a specific assessment template happens in the Ergonomics editor.

Using the Default Ergonomic Assessment

In the header section, the "Select" button allows you to find the routing, operation or activity you want to
assess. Clicking "Select" will open a search window similar to the Component/Routing/Operation/Activity lists
in their respective editors. Type in the entity you are looking for, making sure you have selected the correct
entity type from the "Select Entity Type" drop-down. Also check the selected Plant ID to make sure you are
searching in the right plant. When you see what you are looking for on the list, select it and click add. This will
bring up the ergonomic assessment worksheet for that entity. Note: You must check the entity out b efore you will
b e allowed to edit the assessment.

After you have selected the entity, click "Edit". This allows you to make selections in the worksheet. When you
have completed the assessment, "Save" records the assessment. "Cancel" allows you to discard changes.
"Preview" shows what it would look like printed.

Ergonom ics Risk Factor Checklist

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8.6

PFMEA

Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) is a tool that allows the user to detect and prevent
failures. PFMEAs can be performed for Routings, Operations, or Activities.

About PFMEA/Basic Structure

The basic structure for the PFMEA is described in the figure below. Remember that a PFMEA can have multiple
functions, a function can have requirements, a requirement can have multiple failure modes, a failure mode can
have multiple effects of failure, and an effect of failure can have multiple causes of failure. A PFMEA usually
looks more like a branched tree than the graph of a linear equation.

PFMEA Tree

To begin the FMEA, a process is given a function. As an example, an activity 00000174 is to secure the seat of
a chair to the base. The requirement for this function is that four bolts are used to secure it. Possible failure
modes include using a gun with improper torque to tighten the bolts or using bolts with sub-standard material.
Either of these modes may cause the back to fall off of the chair. The effect of failure is certainly customer
dissatisfaction and possibly physical injury to the customer. The engineers of this chair determine that the
ultimate causes of the failure are improper operator training and a poor inspection plan. Process control
possibilities include enhanced operator and inspector training to prevent the failure, and a new test to detect
faulty seat-back attachment to detect failure. The engineers recommend a plan to enhance operator training and
new inspection policies. Both actions are being taken.
After performing a PFMEA, a Risk Priority Number (RPN) is generated, which helps the user determine which
issues need to be addressed first higher RPNs are more important to address.
Assembly Planner calculates the Risk Priority Number with RPN = Severity x Occurrence x Detection. As the
PFMEA is performed, the user will assign
a Severity value to each "Effect of Failure"

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an Occurrence value to each "Cause of Failure"

a Detection value to each "Process Control"

RPN Calculator

Clicking the
button after Severity, Occurrence, or Detection will bring up the respective standard set of
values that Assembly Planner provides. Note that the values and buttons will not be able to be changed unless
in Edit mode.
All three standard sets are shown below.
Severity

Occurrence (Probability of Failure)

Detection

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8.6.1

PFMEA Header

To get started with a PFMEA, click the "Select" button in the PFMEA header. This will bring up a window that
allows you to search for the activity, operation, or routing on which to perform the analysis. When you are
searching for an operation or activity, you will first need to select the correct routing using the select button and
Searching 14 for it.

Header

Each PFMEA has header information, which can be edited by selecting any of the PFMEA nodes (when in edit
mode). Note: The header information remains the same regardless of which node the user has selected.
The header displays the process with which this PFMEA is associated, at which plant the process occurs, and
additional information about the type of process as well as a brief description.

8.6.2

PFMEA Editing Views

The PFMEA Module can be viewed in two different ways: with the tree view or the spreadsheet view. Each of
these have different advantages, and the mode of operation is slightly different between the two. The Sheet view
is easier for importing from excel, and form more experienced users. The Tree view is very visual and easy to
follow. Many users choose which to use on a situation by situation basis.

Tree View

Sheet View

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Tree View

To get started with a PFMEA, click the "Select" button in the PFMEA header. This will bring up a window that
allows you to search for the operation, activity or routing to perform the analysis on. When you are searching for
an operation or activity, you will first need to select the correct routing. Make sure you open the editor by
clicking the "Edit" button at the bottom right of the screen.
When working with tree control, new functions, requirements, failure modes, effects of failure, and causes of
failure are added by right-clicking on the next higher item in the tree. For examples, see the screenshots below.
The screenshots above show a PFMEA for activity 00640, which requires the assembler to attach a leg to the
chair base. In the tree view, a right-click on the activity icon allowed the engineer to add the function line and
label it "Secure leg". After this, he moved on to adding a failure mode.

Tree Control Icons

Function
Requirement
Failure Mode
Effect of Failure
Cause of Failure

Functions (Adding, Renaming & Deleting)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Click on the FMEA (Root Node) for a Process.

Hit the Edit Button and then right-click on the selected node.
Select Add Function menu, this adds the Function tree node.
To change the name of the function, right-click and select Rename.
To add details to this function, type in the given fields or the empty text box below the Header. Note: The
header information remains the same regardless of which node the user has selected.

6. To delete the requirement, right-click and select Delete.

Requirements (Adding, Renaming, & Deleting)

1. Right-click on the desired function node.

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2.
3.
4.
5.

Select Add Requirement; this will add the new Requirement tree node.
To change the name of the requirement, right-click and select Rename.
To add details to this requirement, type in the empty text box below the Header.
To delete the requirement, right-click and select Delete.

Failure Modes (Adding, Renaming & Deleting)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Right-click on the desired requirement node.

Select Add Failure Mode; this will add the new Failure Mode tree node.
To change the name of the failure mode, right-click and select Rename.
To add details to this failure mode, type in the empty text box below the Header.
To delete the failure mode, right-click and select Delete.

Effect of Failure (Adding, Renaming & Deleting)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Right-click on the desired failure mode node.

Select Add Effect of Failure; this will add the new Effect of Failure tree node.
To change the name of the effect of failure, right-click and select Rename.
To add details to this effect, type in the empty text box below the Header and RPN tabs.
Click on the RPN tab, the user can now assign a severity value to effect. Click on the button next to the
severity and select a rating. Once the rating is selected, click on the OK button.

6. To delete the effect of failure, right-click and select Delete.

Cause of Failure (Adding, Renaming & Deleting)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Right-click on the desired Effect of Failure node.

Select Add Cause of Failure; this will add a new Cause of Failure tree node.
To change the name of the cause of failure, right-click and select Rename.
To add details to this cause of failure, type in the empty text box below the Header and RPN tabs.
Click on the RPN tab; the user can now assign an occurrence frequency for that cause. Click on the
button next to the occurrence and select a rating. Once the rating is selected, click on the OK button.

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Process Control Editing

1. Once the user has added a cause, Process Control (Prevention), Process Control (Detection),
Recommended Control, and Action Control are automatically added.
2. Click on Process Control (Prevention) and type in the prevention description in the empty text box below
the Header and RPN tabs. The Occurrence rating in the RPN tab can also be edited when the Prevention
node is selected.
3. Click on Process Control (Detection) and type in the detection description in the empty text box below the
Header and RPN tabs.
4. Click on the RPN tab; the user can now assign a detection value for that control.
5. After adding the detection value an initial RPN is calculated and displayed in the RPN text box under
Before.
Note: RPN or the Risk Priority Numb er is a product of the Severity, Occurrence and Detection values.

After Analysis
1. The final step in FMEA is the After Analysis. This is done by defining the recommended action and the
action taken.
2. Once the process control has been defined, click on Recommended Action, and then Action Taken.
3. The user can assign new severity, occurrence, and detection values for these changes; this is done in the
after section of the RPN tab.
4. The rating tables are the same for both after and before, the objective is to lower the RPN in the after
analysis.
5. Hit the save button and OK to save all the changes.

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8.6.2.2

Sheet View

Performing a PFMEA in the spreadsheet view takes a similar approach to the tree control, in that you first add a
function, move on to the requirement, then the failure mode, then the effects of the failure, the cause, and finally
to recommended actions. Instead of a vertical arrangement of the information, the cells fill in horizontally. To add
a new level in the tree control, click on the 'parent' icon. In the sheet view, the concept is the same; to add the
next level of information, click on the cell containing its 'parent'. For example, clicking on the Item # cell will
allow you to add a new function to the adjacent cell.
To get started with a PFMEA, click the "Select" button in the PFMEA header. This will bring up a window that
allows you to search for the operation, activity or routing to perform the analysis on. When you are searching for
an operation or activity, you will first need to select the correct routing. Make sure you open the editor by
clicking the "Edit" button at the bottom right of the screen.

Add a Requirem ent

Editing the data

In the spreadsheet view, editing the data becomes much simpler. The user can copy one or multiple cells and
paste them. This allows for copying an entire function (with all the corresponding fields) and pasting under a new
process.
The right-click menu contains several helpful functions for editing the data in the spreadsheet view:
Copy: Duplicates the data from the selected cells. You can then paste it elsewhere.
Cut: Takes the data from the current cell and allows you to move (paste) it elsewhere.
Delete: You can delete a certain cell or an entire row. Deleting an item will also clear any cells in the
same row that are to the right of that item's cell.
Paste Data: The paste data function gives you two options. You can either paste the contents into one
cell or you can paste the entire field along with all of the cells that are dependent on it. The format that
data is pasted in depends on the destination cells.

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Replace Selected Item: This function allows you to overwrite the structure of the destination cell with
whatever structure you have copied. The pasted data will retain the structure of the source and will overwrite
the structure of the destination cells.

Look up: This feature allows you to maintain a library of functions, requirements, failure modes, effect of
failures and causes. As you create new fields, they are saved into the list of existing fields, providing a
robust library. FMEA fields can be re-used across different processes and items this can make the
language consistent and more easily understood. Clicking on Look up brings up a new window with a
library inside. Make sure that the FMEA is saved b efore accessing the look up data.

Look Up Library

In order to add a entry from the look up list, right-click on the field. Select the look up option. Select an
entry from the list that appears. Click "OK".
Collapse (and Expand): Collapse allows you to reduce the spreadsheet view and see only certain rows.
When the view is collapsed, the expand function appears on the right-click menu to undo the collapse.

Copying from Excel

Instead of entering and editing all FMEA information in Assembly Planner's editor, you can create the file in
Excel and then copy it into Assembly Planner all at once. Once the file is created in Excel, you must follow the
steps on the next page to import the data correctly.

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1. Add one new function to the item (process) you have selected.
2. Make sure the order of your columns in your Excel file exactly match the order of the columns in Assembly
Planner's editor.
3. In Excel, select and copy all cells you wish to import.
4. In Assembly Planner, highlight the New Function cell and right-click to select Replace Selected Item.

Replace Item

5. Check for errors (see below).

6. Click Save once errors are corrected.

Error Checking
The spreadsheet alerts the user whenever the structure is out of sync. The system highlights the cell in red and
the cell tip describes the error. An example error is shown below.

Error Checking

This error occurs because the potential effect of failure is missing, even though it has a cause. As the tip
describes, enter an effect of failure or delete the effect, which will remove all information in cells to the right of
the error. Make sure to save after correcting any errors.

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365

PFMEA Reports

To generate a report, go to the Reports menu. You can either create a report specific to an operation or activity
or you can create a report for an entire routing. Each type of report will allow you the options shown in the
image below when creating the report.

Report Options

To create a report for a single operation or activity, select PFMEA Report. A report similar to the one below will
be generated and can be printed out. To create a report for all FMEA analyses under a routing, choose the
Compiled PFMEA report.

Example Report
PFMEA Report: The PFMEA Report summarizes the potential failure modes and their effects that have been
recorded for a process.
PFMEA Compiled Report: The PFMEA Compiled Report is available for operations or routings. It rolls up and
summarizes the PFMEA data for the processes under it.

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8.7

Control Plan

A Control Plan is a description of the characteristics, measurements, and evaluation and control methods for
each part or process during a phase of manufacturing. A Control Plan serves as a living document that helps
mitigate or reduce potential failures identified in the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA). In Assembly
Planner, Control Plans can be developed for activities, operations, and routings.
To begin creating or editing a Control Plan, first Check Out the process you wish to edit in the Assembly
Planner Library. Then select the appropriate activity, operation, or routing in the Control Plan Module by clicking
the Select button. Then click the Edit button at the bottom right hand corner of the screen. From there, header
details can be filled in and the spreadsheet can be used to develop the plan. The header details include Control
Plan Number, Key Contact/Phone Number, and Core Team as seen in the figure below.

Control Plan Sheet View

The Control Plan spreadsheet follows a standard Control Plan format. Enter in the information pertinent to the
Control Plan, this information usually includes the critical inputs or key outputs for a process. Data can be
typed in or copied in from another application such as Excel. If copied from Excel, make sure the columns in
your file are in the same order as the columns in the Control Plan module spreadsheet. After the Control Plan
has been created, make sure to click Save when you are finished. Once a Control Plan is saved for an activity,
operation, or routing, that Control Plan can always be accessed by returning to the Control Plan Module and
selecting that activity, operation, or routing.
Certain details can be pulled into a Control Plan from other Assembly Planner modules, as listed in the table
below.
Other Module Data/Field Control Plan Field
Activity Resource tab

Machine, Device, Jig, Tools for Mfg.

FMEA Function

Process Name/Operation Description

FMEA Requirement

Product/Process/Specification/Tolerance

Machine, Device, Jig, Tools for Mfg.

If you have mapped resources to activities 105 , you can populate the Control Plan's Machine, Device, Jig,
Tools for Mfg. field with those same resources. To do this, right click on the Machine, Device, Jig, Tools for
Mfg. field (make sure you're in edit mode), and select 'Lookup' from the menu.
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Note: If you have selected an activity, you will see all resources mapped to that activity. If you have selected an
operation, you will see all resources mapped to all activities in that operation. If you have selected a routing,
you will see all resources mapped to all activities in that routing.

Process Name/Operation Description

If you have completed an FMEA for the selected process, you can populate the Control Plan's Process Name/
Operation Description with entries made in the FMEA's Function field. To do this, right click on the Process
Name/Operation Description field (make sure you're in edit mode), and select 'Lookup' from the menu.
Note: You will only see entries made for the selected process's corresponding FMEA.

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Product/Process/Specification/Tolerance
If you have completed an FMEA for the selected process, you can populate the Control Plan's Product/Process/
Specification/Tolerance with entries made in the FMEA's Requirement field. To do this, right click on the
Product/Process/Specification/Tolerance field (make sure you're in edit mode), and select 'Lookup' from the
menu.
Note: You will only see entries made for the selected process's corresponding FMEA.

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369

Control Plan Reports

To generate a Control Plan Report, select Reports from toolbar at the top of the screen and select Control Plan
Reports. Assembly Planner will generate a Control Plan Report for the Routing, Operation, or Activity selected.
An example Control Plan Report is shown below.

To generate a Compiled Control Plan report, select Reports from toolbar at the top of the screen and select
Compiled Control Plan Reports. This report is only enabled if you have selected and opened an operation or
routing within the Control Plan module. Assembly Planner will generate a Compiled Control Plan Report for the
Routing or Operation selected. This means that if a routing is selected, the report will display any control plan
completed for the routing itself, and for operations or activities that fall underneath that routing. If an operation is
selected, the report will display any control plan completed for the operation itself, and for activities that fall
underneath that operation.

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8.8

Cost Estimation

The Cost Estimation module generates an estimation of cost for each component. The cost rollup includes
material cost for all items under an assembly and the corresponding manufacturing cost. To calculate the
manufacturing cost, the user MUST map a routing to the component being costed.
Some custom fields (e.g. Item total price, Item quantity, Operation labor hours, Direct cost per hour, Variable
overhead, Fixed overhead, etc.) may need to be created and populated before running the cost estimation.
Please consult your Proplanner representative before using the Cost Estimation module, as customization will
likely be required to accommodate company-specific costing requirements.

Item/BOM Fields:
Total Price: Supplier material costs plus any other ongoing charges (i.e. packaging) per unit of measure. Price
by part number, revision, and using location.
QTY: Quantity of component per unit of measure of the parent
Apply Freight: Flag set by Engineer to indicate if freight would typically be paid for the part
Routing/Operation Fields
Direct Hours: Total direct labor hours required to complete an operation
Plant/Workstation Fields
Freight%: Annual percentage established by plant Finance to approximate inbound freight costs from suppliers
(Plantwide field)
Direct Cost Per Hour: Plant hourly labor cost of production employees while on direct labor. Updated annually.
(Workstation field)
Variable Overhead %: Percent of direct labor cost needed to cover variable overhead expenses. Updated
annually. (Workstation field).
Fixed Overhead %: Percent of direct labor cost needed to cover fixed overhead expenses. Updated annually.
(Workstation field)
Formulas
The fields above are used in the following formulas to calculate final output values.
Total Manufactured Cost = Total Variable Cost + Fixed Overhead
Total Variable Cost = Material + Freight + Direct Labor + Variable Overhead
Material = ? (Total Price)*(QTY) for all MBOM components of the assembly and all subassemblies having
stocking types designated
Freight = ? (Total Price)*(QTY)*(Freight%) for all MBOM components of the assembly and all
subassemblies having stocking types designated (and with Apply Freight flag set)
Direct Labor = ? (Direct Hours)*(Direct Cost Per Hour) for each routing operation
Variable Overhead = (Direct Labor)*(Variable Overhead %)
Fixed Overhead = (Direct Labor)*(Fixed Overhead %)
To run a cost estimation, first click the Select button to search for the desired Item ID. Next, select a
costing method, and click Calculate. Once the cost is calculated, you can generate a Cost Estimation
Report by going to the Reports menu.

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PFEP
The Plan for Every Part (PFEP) is a structure and concept within the Assembly Planner database that deals
with the complete definition of in-plant logistics and storage for all parts from receiving to consumption. Every
part has a logistics plan that connects Locations, Containers, Delivery Methods, Delivery Quantity, etc.
PFEP can be used on its own, simply as a record of all in-plant logistics data, but can also be used with two
main transactional systems: eKanban and eKitting. eKanban is a materials replenishment method for small,
low cost, bulk parts when containers become empty. eKitting is a system that deals with part picking and
delivery of unit-specific parts in the sequence they are required to support the assembly line.
The database is also designed to export logistics data to Proplanner's Flow Planner application. This will allow
evaluation of a plant layout and aisle networks to see how material flows throughout the plant.
Each section of PFEP is described in a subsequent section.

e-Kanban
The diagram below illustrates the workflow involved in using the PFEP e-Kanban system.

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Just-in-Sequence Part Kitting

The diagram below shows the work flow for the Just-In-Sequence Part Kitting tool.

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373

Work Schedule Maintenance

When you are setting up PFEP data for eKanban or eKitting, the administrator must set up shifts, breaks, and
holiday information. Proplanner will create the work schedule based on this information. This initial shift, breaks
and holiday information is initially set up in Tools>Options>PFEP tab or Tools>Options>Sequence Planner tab.
Proplanner will create a work schedule based on the administrator's input. The only time you will have to make
any changes in the work schedule is when you come across special cases or deviations due to weather or
other emergencies as mentioned below.

Sequencing Options

PFEP:
The PFEP Work Schedule is created in Tools > Options > PFEP
managed in Tools > Work Schedule Maintenance.

44

; any special cases or deviations are

In the Work Schedule, you may add holiday shut-down days that do not occur on the same date each year (e.
g. Memorial Day or Thanksgiving).
The Work Schedule screen is also designed to handle any days that do not follow the standard schedule;
overtime Saturdays or catch-up Fridays where the shift times are different should be handled here.
Sequence Planner:
The Sequence Planner Work Schedule is initially created in Tools>Options>Sequence Planner; any special
cases or deviations are managed in Tools > Work Schedule Maintenance.
In the Work Schedule, you may add holiday shut-down days that do not occur on the same date each year (e.
g. Memorial Day or Thanksgiving).

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The Work Schedule screen is also designed to handle any days that do not follow the standard schedule;
overtime Saturdays or catch-up Fridays where the shift times are different should be handled here.

Work Schedule Maintenance Screen

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375

Containers

The Containers Editor

represents two main types of containers used to store and transport parts.

Containers are used for Kanban only. Within containers there are two subcategories that are meant for the
users to organize and define containers as desired.
Container Class: Plastic, Wood, Metal, etc.
Container Type: Tote, Pallet, Basket, etc.
Carts are devices used to deliver Kitted parts. Carts are grouped into types. Each Cart Type is typically
mapped to one delivery location (station). The cart type is further classified as a single unit or multi unit cart
(capacity of more than one i.e. holds parts for more than one unit). There can be many cart types mapped to a
delivery location. A cart is a unique instance of a cart type. For example, the cart type H (designed to hold
hydraulic pipes) is always delivered to the station installing hydraulics. There are 10 carts in circulation within
the type H and each cart has a unique identifier tagged to it.
The following sections detail the fields within the Containers Editor corresponding to containers and carts.

9.2.1

Containers Tab

The Containers Tab is where containers are specified. You may enter details about the container dimension,
weight, stacking properties and color. The container may also be classified with a Container Type or a Container
Class selected from the drop-down menu (the container type or class is created in the tab for the respective
option).
Field
Name

Requ Edita Details

ired? ble?

ID

Unique identifier of the container

Description N

Container description

Container
Type

The type of container, if any. Generally categorizes containers by material or brand.

Selected from the list created in Containers > Container Types tab.

Container
Class

The class to which the container belongs, if any. Generally contains a certain set of
containers, such as 'Plastic Tubs', for tubs of various sizes. Selected from the list
created in Containers > Container Classes tab.

Length

Width

Height

Dimension N
Unit

Max Weight N

Empty
Weight

Weight Unit N

Group ID

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Container Dimensions

This field is used by Proplanner's Flow Planner application. Flow Planner flow diagrams
can be color-coded by container groups, if this Group ID is defined.

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Full Stack N
Quantity

The maximum number of this container allowed in one stack when full of parts. Note
that for each part plan, the maximum height to which a container may be stacked
could be different than the full stack quantity; you may restrict the container stack
height to less than the full stack quantity if desired.

Empty
Stack
Quantity

The maximum number of this container allowed in one stack when the container is
empty.

Color

This field is used by Proplanner's Flow Planner application. This color field should
correspond to the container's Group ID.

Created On Y

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By Y

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On Y

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

Modified By Y

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

Containers Tab

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377

Container Classes Tab

A Container Class is a way to classify the containers. The class is a larger category that groups a certain set of
containers. For example, plastic tubs of varying sizes may all be united in the Plastic Tubs class. Examples of
other possible classes include Pallets, Wire Baskets, Custom Fixtures, Expendable Cardboard Boxes, etc.
This is one suggested way to use container classes, though the user can use it anyway to help organize
containers.
Field
Name

Requ Edita Details

ired? ble?

ID

Unique identified of the container class

Description N

Container class description

Created On Y

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By Y

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On Y

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

Modified By Y

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

Container Classes Tab

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9.2.3

Container Types Tab

A Container Type is a way to classify different containers by material or brand. For example, in the case of a
pallet, applicable types may include wooden and plastic. In the case of a plastic tub, the brand or manufacturer
may be used as the type. This is one suggested way to use container types, though the user can use it
anyway to help organize containers.
Field
Name

Requ Edita Details

ired? ble?

ID

Unique identified of the container type

Description N

Container type description

Created On Y

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By Y

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On Y

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

Modified By Y

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

Container Types Tab

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379

Carts Tab

The Carts Tab is used to create carts for part kitting.

Field
Name

Requ Edita Details

ired? ble?

ID

Unique identifier of cart. There should be an ID for every physical cart that is being
used. The ID of each cart should be of the format Cart Type nn. For e.g. the first
cart of type CRT01 should be named CRT01-01. Once the Cart IDs have been created,
the user must match every cart ID to a cart Type.

Description N

Cart type description

Type

Map the type of cart, using the drop-down list populated by the entries in the Cart
Types tab.

Created On Y

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By Y

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On Y

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

Modified By Y

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

Carts Tab

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9.2.5

Cart Types Tab

The Carts Types Tab is used to create carts for part kitting. For every Cart Type, the user must type in an ID
and the type in the first station ID where the cart will be used on the line. The station ID must match the station
ID in the Plants tab.
Field Name

Requi Editab Details

red? le?

ID

Unique identifier of the cart type

Delivery
Location

Location to where the cart type will be delivered

Sector ID

An identifier of which area (sector) of the plant the cart serves. The text entered
here should be matched with the sectors mapped to the workstation-type
locations in the Locations Editor.

Capacity
(Units)

Number of units that will be kitted on this particular cart type

Models

Models kitted on this particular cart type

Created On

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

Modified By

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

Cart Types Tab

9.2.6

Groups

The groups tab is used to create groupings of Kanbans or Kittings.

Field Name

Requi Editab Details

red? le?

ID

Unique identifier of the group type

Description

Group description

Group Type

Defines group as either Kanban or Kitting.

Groups Tab

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9.3

Locations

The Locations Editor

deals with the physical areas where parts are stored. The types of storage areas
include work stations, docks, supermarkets, and warehouses. Racks that hold parts exist in each area.

Location Types
Work Stations are typically delivery/using locations for a kanban container or a kitted cart.
Supermarkets are typically source areas for kanban or kitted parts. Parts can be sent to the supermarket from
another supermarket or a warehouse as kanban or part of a kit.
Warehouses are source areas for kitted or kanban parts. Parts can be sent to the warehouse from a dock.
Docks are initial delivery locations for all parts coming in.
Racks are line side devices that hold multiple part containers. The rack has a location mapped to it and a
location can have multiple racks mapped to it. The user can also define a sequence of racks within the
location.
Route: Documentation will be coming soon.

9.3.1

Locations Tab

Locations are physical areas where parts are stored. The fields that can be used are listed below.
Field Name Require Editabl Details
d?
e?
ID

Unique identifier of the location

Description

Location description

Location Type Y

Dock, Supermarket, Warehouse, Work Station

Kanb ans must b e sourced out of a supermarket; if you intend to use the
location as a source area for a kanb an replenishment system, you must
choose SuperMarket as the Source Area Type.
In-transit locations must b e docks; if a location will b e used as a scan point for
in-transit parts, the Source Area Type must b e Dock.

Position

Sequence, relative to other locations, in which the location must be visited

within an area or line

Group ID

This field is used by Proplanner's Flow Planner to map flows by location

groups.

Color

This field is used by Proplanner's Flow Planner to color code flows by area or
location group.

Sector ID

This is the field where text can be entered to identify a sector; the sector
represents an area of the line replenished by certain part kitting carts. This
should match the text entered in the Cart's Sector ID (see PFEP>Containers >
Carts).

Created On

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

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Modified By

383

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

Locations Tab

9.3.2

Racks Tab

Racks are line side devices that hold multiple part containers. The rack has a location mapped to it and a
location can have multiple racks mapped to it. The user can also define a sequence of racks within the location.
The fields that can be used are listed below.
Field Name Require Editabl Details
d?
e?
ID

Unique identifier of the rack

Description

Rack description

Parent
Location

The location in which the rack exists

Parent
Y
Location Type

The Location Type of the parent station

Position
Sequence

Sequence, relative to other stations, in which the rack must be visited in that
station

Created On

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

Modified By

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

Racks Tab

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9.3.3

Route

Documentation coming soon.

Route Tab

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385

Supply Systems

Supply Systems
deal with how parts are replenished and connect parts to a particular replenishment
system type, source area and notification output methods.
Output methods deal with the way in which notification is sent that replenishment is necessary.
There are 5 main replenishment system types in PFEP. Each of these types (can also be thought of as delivery
methods) incorporates a certain logic to enabling replenishment of parts.
Kanban - These are parts that are replenished based on MIN-MAX logic. Typically there are two or more
containers being maintained line side; once one (or another specified number) of containers reaches the MIN
mark, a request for a new container is made.
Kitting - These are parts for sequenced units that are put on carts and delivered to the line. A single cart can
contain parts for a single unit or multiple units. The carts are typically loaded well ahead of the units reaching
the line. The list of parts to be placed on the cart is calculated by looking at the production schedule and order
configuration.
Direct - These are parts that are delivered directly to the line upon being received. Typically these are vendor
managed parts, where the replenishment is handled by the part vendors.
Sequenced - These are parts for multiple sequential units put on a single cart, arranged in sequential order of
use. This system operates like the Kitting system, but with the added factor of specifically arranged parts.
Unit Kitting - A unit kit is one that contains parts for one unit, is delivered to a particular location on the line,
and then moves with the unit. Parts are consumed from the cart as it moves along the line.

9.4.1

Replenishment Systems Tab

This tab is used to create and define replenishment systems using the fields below.
Field Name

Requi Edita Details

red? ble?

ID

Unique identifier of the replenishment system

Description

Replenishment system description

Replenishment Y
System Type

Kanban, Kitting, Direct, Sequenced, Unit Kitting, None. 'None' indicates the
origin of the part in the plant.

Source Area

The source area from which parts for the replenishment system originate.

Output Method Y

Printer name or email address tied to the system. drop-down list populated by
entries in the Output Methods tab.

Parent Source
Location

Used for high level grouping of supermarkets.

Color

This field is provided to allow color-coding in reports and labels.

Created On

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

Modified By

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

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Parent Source
Location

Location of the Parent Source.

Method

Method by which replenishment takes place.

Replenishm ent Tab

9.4.2

Output Methods Tab

This tab is used to create ways to output need for replenishment so that they may be associated with a system
or specific part plan. The fields below can be used to specify output.
Field Name

Requir Editabl Details

ed?
e?

ID

Unique identifier of the output method

Description

Output method description

Printer Name

Full name of the network printer

Email Addresses

Email address(es) of the person to be notified for the particular

replenishment system

FTP Share Name

FTP share to which you would like output files to be saved

FTP Address

FTP address to which you would like output files to saved

FTP Username

Username to access FTP

FTP Password

Password to access FTP

Created On

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

Modified By

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

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Output Methods Tab

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9.5

Vendor Management

The Vendor Management Module

currently is being populated from the BOM and Item Master data
from the Assembly Planner Components module. The Components module can receive item master data from
ERP/MRP systems, including primary supplier fields and details. Costing data can also be received from other
systems.
The vendor management module displays relevant supplier and costing information for easy access, though
users do not typically edit or manipulate data in the module. If the data is not automatically received from other
systems, the spreadsheet is editable so data can be copied and pasted from Excel.
The Suppliers tab is used to create the specific suppliers using their ID as well as information about location,
contacts, and lead time.

Suppliers Tab

The Supplier Item Mapping tab is used to associate Item IDs (importable from a .txt or .csv file using the
button) with their Suppliers.

Supplier Item Mapping Tab

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9.6

389

Part Plans

Part Plans
incorporate all of the logistics data (containers, locations, replenishment systems, etc.) to
detail the transportation of all parts within the plant. The Component Location Mapping Search can be used
along with the import

button to search for and help create the needed data.

Part Plans Header

The rest of the data can be filled out within the sheet. Part plans for kanban and kitted parts require some
different fields. These required fields are shown below.

9.6.1

Kanban Part Plan Fields

The Part Plan allows you to see the information on a given part and all the specifications that go with it.
Field Name

Requir Editab Details

ed?
le?

Part ID

Unique identifier and description of part. Must be loaded into Assembly

Planner's Component/Item Master before creating a part plan record.
Description is automatically retrieved from the item master into PFEP based
on the part number given. New part number can be created in PFEP as well,
but descriptions will not be associated.

Description

Description of part (populated by description maintained in Components Editor

From System

System from which parts are replenished. Select from previously created
systems in drop-down menu for this field.

From Rack

Rack ID in which part is stored

From Slot

Slot ID in which part is stored

To Location

Warehouse, supermarket, or work station to which the part will be delivered.

Select from previously created systems in drop-down menu for this field.

To Slot

Slot ID, corresponding to To Location, in which part is stored upon delivery to

To Location

Container

Container used to store this part. Select from previously created containers in
drop-down menu for this field.

Max Qty Per

Container

Maximum number of parts allowed in the container

No of Containers Y

Number of containers that will be used to store and transport this part

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Full Stack
Height

Maximum height to which this container, when full, may be stacked in To

Location.

Empty Stack
Height

Maximum height to which this container, when empty, may be stacked in the
To Location.

Dimension Unit N

Units in which full and empty stack heights were given. Choices include
inches, feet, miles, centimeters, meters, and kilometers.

Created On

Date on which this entry was created.

Created By

User ID for the person that created this entry.

Modified On

Most recent date that changes were made to this entry.

Modified By

User ID for the person that most recently changed this entry.

Cart Type

The type of cart being used.

Kitting Quantity N

The number of parts that are included in a standard kit when this part is
kitted. User can determine specific model/option quantities. (See below
Kitting Quantity)

Commonality

Specifies how common this part is against the current model mix. If part is
used on most models then High, few units then Low, Medium otherwise.

Recommended N
Delivery Method

The delivery method that is recommended.

Full Container
Weight

The weight of the container when it is full.

Weight Unit

The unit of measure for weight.

Route

The current route/path followed by the material handler to resupply the part.

Route Stop

The current stop on the route/path followed by the material handler to resupply
the part.

Verified

If checked user has validated that the part has physically been placed/does
exist at the location specified.

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Kitting Quantity:
This column can be edited by right clicking in the column and going to the edit kitting quantities.

Kitting Quantity Right Click Menu

Once this is done a new window will appear that will allow the user to specify the different Model ID's for kits
and the quantities that go with those. It also allows the user to apply an Option ID/Group and the quantities that
apply those Options or Groups. Effective From/To Dates can be applied to the Options and Group too. The base
quantity shown in the top of the picture below is the number that has been specified in the original Part Plans
table before the editing.

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Edit Kitting Quantity

The user can look up specific options that are desired for a certain kit. The same process is done for a model or
group too. Once the user has chosen the model, option, or group the quantity needs to be determined and
entered into the table. For the option or group the effective from/to dates can be added. Once all the details are
added and filled out and complete hit the "OK" button on the Edit Kitting Quantity window. This will direct the
user back to the main Part Plans table.

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Option Search

9.6.2

Kitting Part Plan Fields

The required fields that need to be populated for Kitting Parts.

Field Name Requi Edita Details
red? ble?
Part ID

Description

Cart Type

2013 Proplanner

Unique identifier and description of part. Must be loaded into Assembly Planner's
Component/Item Master before creating a part plan record. Description is
automatically retrieved from the item master into PFEP based on the part number
given. New part number can be created in PFEP as well, but descriptions will not
be associated.
Defines location-specific cart for this part. Since each Cart Type is tied to a
location, select from the previously defined list of cart types in the drop-down menu

394

for this field.

KittingQty

Number of this part in the kit

ModelQty

Number of this part in the kit for specific models. Use this field if part quantities
vary by model. Right-click on the part plan row and select "Edit Kitting Quantities."
Use the interface to enter models and quantities.
Otherwise type a comma-separated list directly in the cell in the following format:
ModelA=Qty, ModelB=Qty, ModelD=Qty

OptionQty

Number of this part in the kit for specific options (or option groups). Use this field if
part quantities vary by option. Right-click on the part plan row and select "Edit
Kitting Quantities." Use the interface to enter options or option groups and
quantities.
Otherwise type a comma-separated list directly in the cell in the following format:
ID1+ID2+ID3=Qty, ID3+ID4=Qty, ID1+ID2+ID5-Qty

From System Y

System from which parts are replenished. Select from previously created systems
in drop-down menu for this field.

From Rack

Rack ID in which part is stored

From Slot

Slot ID in which part is stored.

To Location

Work station to which the part will be delivered. This should match the
consumption location (work center) mapped in the Assembly Planner process
database. Select from previously created systems in drop-down menu for this field.

To Rack

Rack ID, corresponding to To Location, in which part is stored upon delivery to To

Location

To Slot

Slot ID, corresponding to To Location, in which part is stored upon delivery to To

Location

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395

Kanban Reports

Time values used in these reports take into account the work schedule (see Tools: Preferences - PFEP
Work Schedule Maintenance 373 ). The reports exclude any scheduled breaks and down days.

44

and

1. Kanban Transaction Log

Shows all kanban scans made within the specified date range.
This report can be filtered by Part ID(s), Location ID(s) or kanban card ID(s).
2. Kanban Transaction Duration
Shows Kanban transactions for transaction types Requested, Delivered, Released and Hold. Shows time
to complete each transaction. Alerts user to status of times using stoplight images and color-coding.
This report can be filtered by Part ID(s), Location ID(s) or kanban card ID(s), and date, and transaction
type, and duration value (stoplight color).
3. Kanban Transaction Count
Returns the number of transactions in the log for the selected transaction types (Requested, Delivered,
Released, Hold). These values are sorted by stoplight color.
This report can be filtered by Date and by Part ID(s), Location ID(s) or kanban card ID(s).
4. Kanban Cycle Summary
Shows summary statistics for a given Kanban ID. This report can be filtered by Part ID(s), Location ID(s)
or kanban card ID(s), as well as by date, and by stoplight values for both cycle and idle time.
Cycles: The number of times this kanban has cycled in the selected period. A cycle is defined as
a container being requested and then being delivered.
Avg. Replenishment Time: The mean time required for this kanban to go from Requested to
Delivered. Color-coded by stoplight value.
Max Replenishment Time: The longest recorded time between requesting that the kanban be filled,
and the kanban being delivered. Color-coded by stoplight value.
Min Replenishment Time: The shortest recorded time between requesting that the kanban be
filled, and the kanban being delivered. Color-coded by stoplight value.
Standard Dev. of Replenishment Time: The standard deviation of all cycles (time between
requesting that the kanban be filled, and the kanban being delivered).
Average Idle Time: Mean of time between the delivery of the kanban ID to until the next time that
kanban ID is requested.
Max Idle time: The longest time between a delivery and subsequent request for the given kanban
ID. Color-coded by stoplight value.
Min Idle time: The shortest time between a delivery and subsequent request for a given kanban ID.
Color-coded by stoplight value.
Std Deviation Idle Time: The standard deviation of the time between a delivery and subsequent
request for the given kanban ID. Color-coded by stoplight value.
Alert Column: Flags Kanban card according to worst stoplight value found for type of time.
5. Kanban Issues
A. Kanban Issues, by Location
Shows any Part IDs at a given location for which no kanban cards are idle. These are cases where all of
the kanbans for that part and location have been Requested, but none have yet been Delivered.
Kanbans in this report could also be in the "Hold" or "Released" status if there was an issue with the
request.

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B. Kanban Issues, by Kanban ID

Shows any Kanban ID that has been requested but not yet delivered. Any Kanban ID that is in the
"Requested," "Hold," or "Released" status will appear in this report. This report does not take into
account whether or not other Kanban cards for the same part are active or not.
6. Part Kitting Transaction Log
Shows all kitting scans made within the specified date range. There will be a row entry for each part in
the kit.
This report can be filtered by Part ID(s) or Location ID(s).

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397

Kitting Report Dashboard

In the Shop Floor Viewer, there is a special supervisor report designed to allow the Just-In-Sequence (JIS) kits
to be monitored: the JIS Part Picking Supervisor Dashboard.
This report is accessed by clicking the 'Kitting Dashboard' link in the menu. It will only be available for those
who have a Supervisor or Administrator role in the Shop Floor Viewer.
The Shop Floor Viewer is accessed through an internet b rowser; if you are unfamiliar with the application, please
contact the main Assemb ly Planner user at your facility.

The JIS Supervisor Dashboard displays each unit in the build list for which there are kitted part plans in one
column. Each unit has a row, with different columns corresponding to the different sectors, or areas of the plant,
where kitted parts are delivered.

The Dashboard will begin to show information as soon as parts begin being picked for a unit. The different status
values possible for a given unit's kits are:
X: Part Picking completed for the sector
O: Part Picking started but not yet completed for the sector.
S: Part Picking completed but some parts have been Skipped.
The user interface will automatically refresh every ten seconds; this means that you will have the latest
information on the status of different picked carts.

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Dashboard Setup
Before using the kitting dashboard, the data must be set up and published to the Shop Floor Viewer. To do so,
make sure the following steps are taken.
In Assembly Planner:
1. Create Part Plans. The part plans should be mapped through Kitting replenishment system types, with the
station IDs mapped to the carts matching the station IDs on the assembly line, and a kitting quantity should be
set.
2. Create a Line Balance. Even if you do not have process data, you need to create a line balance scenario
that sets a Takt time and specifies that station setup on the line.
3. Create a Work Schedule. Use the Work Schedule Maintenance under the Tools menu to define the
production work schedule.
4. Load orders in the Order Data Management Build List.
5. Create a Sequence Planner Study. The study should contain only orders in the build list. If you do not
have process data, the sequence planner study still serves the purpose of providing a schedule for the kitting
dashboard (what unit is in what station at what time).
6. Publish the Sequence Planner Study.
7. Publish the PFEP Data.
8. Publish the PFEP BOM Data. There are specific field names that must be used; contact Proplanner for
details.
In the Shop Floor Viewer:
1. Set up Initial Conditions.
2. Set the Takt offset (number of cycles prior to when the order is needed in the station that the picker should
be picking the parts).
3. Set up Kitting Dashboard Views (assignment of carts to a specific viewer)

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399

PFEP Mobile Application

The PFEP Mobile Application is created for use on handheld scanners. Material handlers will use this
application to perform e-Kanban scans, in-transit scans, hold and release scans, as well as supermarket
picklist scans. The data collected from these scans is transmitted (to warehouse, etc for filling, and such) as
well as being recorded in a database to be available for later review.

The Mob ile App uses the information stored in the Shop Floor datab ase. After information is entered in the Assemb ly
Planner desktop application (the authoring datab ase), it needs to b e pub lished b efore the material handling scanners
can access the data.

There are several types of scans available in the PFEP Mobile Application. The list below provides a brief
overview, and each of them is covered in more detail in the following sections of the manual.
Types of Scans
Request 400 : The Kanban ID card of an empty container is scanned to request replenishment.
Delivery 400 : The Kanban ID card and Location ID are scanned to confirm delivery of a replenishment
container.
Transit 402 : As a Kanban container is moved through docks en route from the supermarket to the
workstation, transit scans record the presence of the Kanban at the dock.
Hold 405 : A Kanban ID of a requested part is scanned to indicate that replenishment is currently
unavailable.
Release 405 : A Kanban ID of a part on hold is scanned to indicate that replenishment is available again;
this takes the item off of hold.
Supermarket Picklist 406 : Scan parts chosen to fill a picklist order.

9.9.1

Log in and Home Screen

The first screen that appears after launching the Proplanner PFEP application on a handheld device is the log in
page. After login, the user is taken to the Home screen. From the home screen, the user can easily navigate to
the specific area of the application required for their task.

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Log In
Material handlers will need to log in to the application. The username is captured with each transaction.
Note: The material handling usernames and passwords must b e created in the Shop Floor application. A user who has
administrator rights on the Shop Floor application should go to Shop Floor Administration > Users and set up the
appropriate user accounts.

The Log In screen prompts you to enter your user

name and password.

Home Screen
The Home screen allows users to navigate to the
appropriate section of the application.

9.9.2

Kanban Scans

The Kanban Scan screen is used for Request scans (scanning empty Kanban containers) and Delivery scans
(scanning the full replenishment containers).
Request scans require the Kanban ID. Delivery scans require the Kanban ID and the Location ID.
Kanban scans toggle the state of the Kanban ID in question--if the Kanban ID is in the 'Requested' state, the
application will assume that the Kanban scan is a delivery scan. If it was formerly in the 'Idle' state, the

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application will assume that the scan is a request scan.

The Kanban Scan screen is the platform from which both

Kanban request and Kanban delivery scans will be
performed.

If the Kanban ID is not scanned during a request scan,

an alert will be shown.

If a delivery scan does not include the location ID, an

alert will be shown. Delivery scans are not processed
without the location ID.
If the "To Location" of the Kanban card does not match
the Location ID that is scanned, an alert will be shown
and the scan will not succeed.

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A successfully scanned Kanban ID is displayed in gray

below the Kanban ID cell; it will be replaced when the
next Kanban ID is scanned successfully.

Undo Kanban Scan

There is a default three minute delay before request

scans are sent to print. If you have scanned in error, you
have the three-minute window to cancel the scan. The
"Undo" button allows you to cancel the request.

9.9.3

Transit Scans

As a Kanban container is moved from the supermarket to the workstation, it may pass through a dock. Transit
Scans record the presence of the kanban at the dock.
To perform a Transit Scan, select the appropriate dock from the Location ID drop-down menu. Then scan the
Kanban ID on the container.

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The Transit Scan screen allows users to select a

dock location from the drop-down, and then scan the
Kanban ID (or Group ID). Transit scans record the
movement of Kanbans through docks.

See b elow to learn how grouping can reduce the numb er of scans necessary at each dock.

Grouping Kanbans for Transit Scans

Setting up a Kanban group allows one scan to capture 'Transit' transactions for several Kanban IDs at once. If
you have several Kanban containers traveling together, or if the containers will pass through several transit
(dock) locations, grouping is an easy way to cut total time spent scanning.
The diagram below helps illustrate how multiple transactions are logged based on one group scan.

Group IDs are designed to be re-used; the group is essentially a container for Kanban IDs. The list of which
Kanban IDs belong to a given group will likely change from one delivery trip to the next.

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The Group Management screen provides all of the

options necessary to create and manage groups.

Open Group clears all prior entries from the group.

Enter the group ID, and then click "Accept" to clear the
group.

Add To Group allows you to enter Kanban IDs for new

group members. This takes place after the group has
been cleared-you begin adding to an empty group.

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Remove From Group allows Kanban IDs to be removed

from a group prior to closing the group.
Rememb er that it is not necessary to remove old group
memb ers--'Open Group' did that.

9.9.4

Hold/Release Scans
The Hold/Release Scan screen allows users to place
a Kanban Card on hold (indicate that it is unable to be
filled) or to release a Kanban Card from hold.
This scan toggles the state of the Kanban Card; if the
Kanban is in 'Hold' the application will infer that the
next scan is a 'Release', and vice versa.

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9.9.5

Supermarket Picklist
The Supermarket Picklist screen is the entry point
for all of the Just-In-Sequence Part Kitting
functionality.
The user may select the appropriate supermarket from
a drop-down list, and then move to Open Cart, Close
Cart or Deliver Cart.

The Open Cart screen allows the user to scan the

barcode or enter the ID of the cart for which parts are
being picked.

The Kit Info screen prompts the user to pick parts and
load them in the cart. As parts are picked, the location
ID should be scanned. This will mark the parts as
'picked'.
Scan or enter the location for the part ID displayed to
indicate that it has been picked.
The 'Skip' button should only be used if a part is not
available to be loaded in the kit.

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If the 'Skip' button is selected, enter the shortage

quantity and click 'Yes.' You will be returned to the Kit
Info screen.

When all of the parts have been picked, scan or enter

the cart ID in the Close Cart screen. This will log that
the kit has been completed.

When you are back to the Supermarket Picklist, you

can choose to generate and open a Cart Group. A Cart
Group is one or more carts that can be tracked and
scanned together during transit. Click on 'Groups' to
open a Cart Group.

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On the Kitting Group Mgmt screen you can choose

to 'Open Group,' which allows you to identify a new
cart group ID (which may already be defined in the
Groups tab of the PFEP Containers Editor.
You can 'Add To Group,' which allows you to add cart
IDs to cart groups.
You can also 'Remove From Group,' which allows
you to separate a Cart ID from a Group.

The last button on the Kitting Group Mgmt screen is

'Close Group.' Here you can scan the location to
which the entire cart group has been delivered. This
creates a transit scan for all the child carts in the
group to this location.

If you are on the Supermarket Picklist screen, you

will also see an option to perform a Transit Scan. On
this screen you will scan the location of the cart, and
scan the Cart or Cart Group ID. This enables tracking
of the carts when it is en route to its delivery location.

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The Deliver Cart screen allows the material handler

who delivers the cart to scan the cart ID and enter the
location ID, which will mark the cart as delivered.
Note that a cart cannot be re-opened unless it is in the
delivered state. That is, you will not be able to re-load
a cart until the system has a record of the previous
load being delivered.

The Supermarket Picklist work flow for a material handler is as follows:

1. Scan the cart barcode.
2. The cart has a fixed number of units that will have kits loaded. For the appropriate number of units, the serial
number(s) will be displayed on the screen. These serial numbers will be the next units in the build list, for the
sector to which the kit is assigned.
3. Parts to be picked for the units will be displayed.
4. For each part picked, scan the location/rack.
5. When all parts have been picked, close the cart by scanning the cart barcode again.
6. Scan the next cart's barcode.

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10

Data Management

Aptly titled, Data Management allows you to keep all of your data up-to-date. Here we find the import tools,
custom list management, an order management utility, publishing to the Shop Floor database, and the mass
update tool.

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10.1 Import Data

Clicking on the Import Data icon
opens the data import editor. Entering data is a very important step in
the Assembly Planner process. This is where information enters the database via a spreadsheet file (e.g.
Excel). There are different types of files that can be imported, and each type has different data field and format
requirements. To import a file, it must be selected via the browse button. Data can also be copied and pasted
directly into the import editor spreadsheet.

Important: Before the user is able to import data, a default plant must be set.
Important: All column headers in the import file should have a corresponding field in Assembly Planner. A
mismatch in the column header of the import file and the Assembly Planner custom field names or a missing
custom field will prevent data from being loaded. Before importing, please make sure that all necessary custom
fields have been created, and all headers match the standard fields 493 .
Make sure the file is closed before attempting to import any files into Assembly Planner.

Import Options

Select Import Type

In the Import Options section, the user can Select Import Type. The drop-down menu allows three different
types of data to be imported:
Item 413 is a flat file that deals with specific items (parts/components). Each unique ID number will be
imported as its own entity.
BOM 414 (Bill of Materials) is a structured list that shows how items are interrelated. A BOM file reflects
the relationship between parent and child items (like an exploded BOM).
Resource 417 is for tools, equipment, and fixtures that need to be tracked in Assembly Planner.
Consumption 418 is used to specify which activities consume which items.
ProcessResource 419 is used to map resources to activities that use the resources.
Process 421 allows you to create routings and activities en masse.
ProcessStructure 422 allows you to create operations and activities within operations en masse.
Worksteps 423 allows you to import worksteps into activities en masse.
See the sub-sections for more information.

Select Import Mode

When importing either items or resources, the user needs to specify the import mode. The drop-down menu
provides two choices:
Add New for items or resources that are new to the system. The program will not allow users to "Add
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New" items with identification numbers that match existing items.
Merge allows users to update fields on existing items and import the changes. This means if the ID
already exists in the database, the existing properties of that entity will be replaced with the properties in
the import file.
BOM imports are automatically set to Merge, and the Import Mode cannot be changed. Also, if the user
attempts to update fields for existing IDs and import the data under the Add New mode, an error message will
appear. For updates, the mode must be Merge.
Please see each Import Type's details for additional information about how the different import modes work.

BOM Type
When importing a Bill of Materials (BOM), the BOM type needs to be selected. The drop down menu gives two
choices:
eBOM, or engineering Bill of Materials
mBOM, or manufacturing Bill of Materials

Auto-Numbering Scheme
If an auto-numbering scheme has been created for the selected entity (this must be done before any data is
entered into the database), the scheme can be selected from the drop down menu. Then the Generate IDs
button will generate IDs for any row in the spreadsheet (this will ensure that values are unique). This feature is
available for items, BOMs, and activities.

Replace Blank Item Revisions with Current Item Revisions

If you are unsure of the current item revision of an item you're going to import, you can let Assembly Planner
determine it. If the Import Mode is Add New and you leave the Revision field blank, Assembly Planner will
assign the first available revision to the item. If the Import Mode is Merge and you leave the Revision field blank,
Assembly Planner will find the current revision and update its properties with the data you import.

Routing ID, Type, and Plant

If you select the Consumption or ProcessResource Import Type, you will need to select a routing to tell
Assembly Planner where the activities in your import file belong.

Select Import File

Clicking the Browse button allows the users to look through folders for the upload file. Note: The file you
upload must be in .xls format and must be closed before importing. If you try to import a different file format
or an open file, you will see a blank import sheet, which means no data will be imported.

The Import Worksheet

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Spreadsheet view
The bottom of the Import Data editor is in a spreadsheet format. After an import file has been selected, the
information contained in the import file will be displayed in the spreadsheet. This is a preview of the data that
will be imported.

Import button
This is the button that actually loads the import file into Assembly Planner. When the data has been imported
successfully, a window will pop up saying that the import was successful. If the system finds any errors in the
sheet, it will throw an error specifying the issue(s) and affected row(s), and the row(s) will then be highlighted in
red so you can fix them before trying to import again. No data will be imported until all errors are fixed.

10.1.1 Import Item

The Item import allows you to bring all items (parts) into the database. This imports items as unique entities
without reflecting any of the relationships between different items. If you would like to use product structure in
Assembly Planner, the bill of material (BOM) can be created within the system after importing items or the
product structure can be entered separately by importing a BOM 414 file. Furthermore, if an item in a BOM
needs to be updated, the Import Item feature can be used to change that time without having to bring in the
entire BOM again.
There are certain fields that must appear in the spreadsheet file used to import items. The table below lists the
standard fields provided in Assembly Planner; each of these fields needs to be a column heading in the
spreadsheet file. The fields described as not mandatory do not need to be included as columns in the sheet.
In addition to the standard fields, the import file must also have a column that matches each user-created
custom field.
Item Standard Fields
Field

Description

Mandatory to
Import

ID

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Each item must have an ID that is unique. It can be alphanumeric.

YES

414

Revision

Each Item must have a revision. The revision rules section

130 explains what revisions are supported.

YES

Description

A description for the item being imported. This field can be

up to 512 characters long or left blank.

NO

ItemType

Proplanner has seven item types. The default item type is

Assembly.
Assembly
EndItem
Item
Manufactured
Purchased
RawMaterial

NO

Each of these item types has a different icon that will be

associated with the item in the Assembly Planner system.
PrimaryUnitOfMeasure

The default unit of measure is EA (each). Possible units of

measure are:
EA - EACH
PC - PIECE
IN - INCH
FT - FEET
BF - BOARD FEET
OZ - OUNCE
KG - KILOGRAM
GR - GRAM
LT - LITER
SC - SQUARE CENTIMETER
SM - SQUARE METER
MM - MILLIMETER
ML - MILLILITER
M - METER
LB - POUND
IG - IMPERIAL GALLON
GA - US GALLON
QT - QUART
PT - PINT

NO

If you would like to add different units of measure, please

contact Proplanner.

10.1.2 Import BOM

Importing a Bill of Materials (BOM) file allows users to create a structure between items in Assembly Planner.
The BOM shows how items (parts or components) are structured under other items (parents or assemblies).
Unlike an item import, an individual part number may be repeated in the BOM multiple times, since components
are often used in multiple operations. For clarification, please see the example at the bottom of this page.
Merge is the only import mode allowed for importing BOMs. Items within the BOM will be merged, meaning
that if the item already exists in Assembly Planner, the import can still be completed. However, if the import
includes a parent items that already has a BOM structure (children) in Assembly Planner, that structure will be
replaced with what is in the new import file.
Notes:

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In the ab sence of a structured BOM file, a BOM structure can b e created in Assemb ly Planner without doing a BOM
import. Simply perform an Item import and then create the structure manually.
Assemb ly Planner does not support level-b ased BOMs; instead, the parent of each item needs to b e specified with
the parent's ID. See the b ottom of the page for an example of the BOM structure that Assemb ly Planner uses.
The BOM that is imported is added to the default plant assigned to the user who imported the file. If a user at "Ames"
does an import of 2 BOMs and then tries to run a BOM compare for those 2 BOMs at "MyPlant", the BOM will not show
up in the report (even though we can see the components and the BOM structure in the component editor). Take
special note if you are working in an environment where there are multiple plants in use, or if you are signed in as
'Administrator', which is an account that may not have a default plant.

The Import File

There are certain fields that must appear in the spreadsheet file used to import the BOM. The table below lists
the standard fields provided in Assembly Planner relevant to this import type; each of these fields needs to be a
column heading in the spreadsheet file. The fields described as not mandatory do not need to be included as
columns in the sheet.
In addition to the standard fields, the import file must also have a column that matches each user-created
custom field to be imported.
BOM Standard Fields
Field

Description

ID

Each item must have a unique ID. However, since items are
often used in multiple operations, Assembly Planner allows
the item IDs to be repeated in the BOM import file.

Revision

Each Item must have a revision. The revision rules section

130 explains what revisions are supported.

Mandatory
to Import

YES

YES

If no revision is specified, Assembly Planner will use the

current revision of the item.
Description

A description for the item being imported. This field can be

up to 512 characters long or left blank.

NO

ParentID

Each Parent item must have an ID.

YES

ParentRevision

Each Parent item must have a revision. The revision rules

section 130 explains what revisions are supported.

YES

If no revision is specified, Assembly Planner will use the

current revision of the item.
ItemType

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Assembly Planner has seven item types. The default item

type is Assembly.
Assembly
EndItem
Item
Manufactured
Phantom
Purchased
RawMaterial

NO

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Each of these item types has a different icon that will be

associated with the item in the Assembly Planner system.
PrimaryUnitOfMeasure

The default unit of measure is EA (each). Possible units of

measure are:
EA - EACH
PC - PIECE
IN - INCH
FT - FEET
BF - BOARD FEET
OZ - OUNCE
KG - KILOGRAM
GR - GRAM
LT - LITER
SC - SQUARE CENTIMETER
SM - SQUARE METER
MM - MILLIMETER
ML - MILLILITER
M - METER
LB - POUND
IG - IMPERIAL GALLON
GA - US GALLON
QT - QUART
PT - PINT

NO

If you would like to add different units of measure, please

contact Proplanner.
EffectiveFromDate

The date FROM when the item becomes effective under the
parent. The default date is the same as the import date.

NO

EffectiveToDate

The date TO when the item stays effective under the parent.
The default date is December 31 2030.

NO

Quantity

Quantity of the child under the parent. The default value is 1.

NO

The BOM file can serve a dual purpose and also be used to import Item data. A BOM file with all of the standard
fields and user-created custom fields for both the Bill of Materials and Items allows users to combine Item and
BOM imports. Assembly Planner recognizes and separates the information. Note that any item that is
independent of the Bill of Materials should not have a ParentID or ParentRevision in the BOM file.

The Bill of Materials An example

A description of a chair assembly will help explain the concept of "Parents" and "Children". This chair has four
legs, two arms, a seat and the back. The chair is the parent or end item. The legs, arms, seat and back are
children under this parent. Perhaps the spreadsheet file looks something like this (fields that must be filled in
shown in boldface):
ID

Revision Description

C350
107

A
A

Chair
Leg

ParentID ParentRevision ItemType PrimaryUni EffectiveFrom EffectiveTo Quantity

tOfMeasur Date
Date
e
C350

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245
300
420

A
A
A

Arm Assembly C350

Back
C350
Seat
C350
Assembly

A
A
A

417

2
3/14/2010 1
1

Assembly Planner will read this file as follows: the parent item is chair model C350, since it has no parents.
The leg (part number or ID 107), the arm (ID 245), the back (ID 300) and the seat (ID 420) are all parts that go
into chair C350, revision A. The quantity column does not need to be filled in, but in this case is helpful. After
importing the file shown above, Assembly Planner will know that four legs, two arms and only one seat and one
back are required for each chair. If this field had been left blank, the default quantity of one would be assumed.
Now suppose that the design team has made slight revisions to the back for chair C350. The changes are minor
enough that the part still has ID 300. Instead, the change will be reflected by updating to revision B. In the
sample file shown below, the manufacturing engineer has updated the BOM file.
ID
C350
107
245
300
420

Revisio
n
A
A
A
B
A

Description

ParentID ParentRevision ItemType PrimaryUnit EffectiveFrom EffectiveTo Quantity

OfMeasure Date
Date

Chair
Leg
C350
Arm Assembly C350
Back
C350
Seat Assembly C350

A
A
A
A

4
2
1
1

3/14/2010

Note that the old back will be used until March 14, 2010 (EffectiveToDate), which is when revision B begins
being used (EffectiveFromDate). Assembly Planner will automatically update to revision B on March 14, 2010;
including these dates saves the engineer from needing to manually update the change later.
When this file is imported, the item data for Item 300 will be updated and the change in the BOM reflected.

10.1.3 Import Resource

Resource imports allow users to bring in information about tools. The required fields in the import file are ID and
description; the spreadsheet file needs to have at least these two columns, as well as any user-created custom
fields 464 .
Resource Standard Fields
Field

Description

Mandatory to
Import

ID

Each resource must have a unique ID.

YES

Description

A description for the item being imported. This field can be

up to 512 characters long or it may be left blank.

NO

Once the resource information has been imported, it can be mapped to process steps or workstations, allowing
the user to track the movement of tools as part of the line balance. The resources are mapped to workstations
in the Plant Editor. The resources can be mapped to activities in the Resource Tab of the Activity Editor, or
process-resource mapping can be imported 419 from an Excel file.
It is especially important to import monumental resources, which are resources that cannot be moved or are
fixed to a particular workstation. Examples include a pit in the floor or a fixture anchored to the ground. Both of
these are resources that would be difficult (and expensive) to move as part of a standard line balance; the user
will want to tie these resources to workstations and flag them as monumental so Assembly Planner knows they
need stay in the same place.

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10.1.4 Import Consumption

The Consumption import allows users to mass import information about which activities consume items (parts).
Two options exist for the Consumption import: Add New or Merge.
Selecting Add New will overwrite any existing items mapped to the selected activities. The only items
that will be mapped to those activities are those included in the import file.
Choosing Merge will add to or update current item mapping. The items in the import file will be added to
the current item mapping; if the activity already has an item mapped to it and that item is not included in
the import file, the mapping of that resource will not be affected by the import.
There are certain fields that must appear in the spreadsheet file used to import items. The table below lists the
standard fields provided in Assembly Planner that are relevant to this import type. Each of these fields needs to
be a column heading in the import spreadsheet file. The fields described as not mandatory do not need to be
included as columns in the sheet.
In addition to the standard fields, the import file must also have a column that matches each user-created
consumption custom field to be imported.
Consumption Standard Fields
Field

Description

OperationSeqNo

The Operation Sequence Number (OpSeqNo) of the

operation to which the consumption mapping applies.

OperationEffectiveFromDate

The Effective From Date of the operation. It is not

mandatory to make an entry in this column.
May be useful in cases where there are multiple
operations with the same OpSeqNo that have different
effectivity dates.

OperationEffectiveToDate

YES

NO

The Effective To Date of the operation. It is not

mandatory to make an entry in this column.
May be useful in cases where there are multiple
operations with the same OpSeqNo that have different
effectivity dates.

ActivitySeqNo

Mandatory to
Import

The Activity Sequence Number (ActSeqNo) of the

activity (under the specified OpSeqNo) to which the
consumption mapping applies.

NO

YES*

Either the ActSeqNo or the ActivityID is required.

ActivityID

The Activity ID of the activity (under the specified

OpSeqNo) to which the consumption mapping
applies.

YES*

Either the ActSeqNo or the ActivityID is required.

ActivityEffectiveFromDate

The Effective From Date of the activity. It is not

mandatory to make an entry in this column.

NO

May be useful in cases where there are multiple

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419

activities with the same ActSeqNo that have different

effectivity dates.
ActivityEffectiveToDate

The Effective To Date of the activity. It is not

mandatory to make an entry in this column.
May be useful in cases where there are multiple
activities with the same ActSeqNo that have different
effectivity dates.

ItemID

The ID of the item (part) that is consumed.

The import will work even if the item ID does not exist
in the database; it is up to the user to ensure that valid
items are mapped to the activities.

ItemRevision

NO

YES

The revision of the item specified. The revision rules

section

130

explains what revisions are supported.

NO

If no revision is specified, Assembly Planner will use

the current revision of the item.
OpSeqNo

ParentID

ParentRevision

This is the OpSeqNo stored in the BOM, if applicable.

Some clients store an OpSeqNo in the Bill of
Materials, which is then matched to the OpSeqNo of
the operation to build consumption (e.g. with the
AutoBuild feature).

NO

Specifying a Parent ID for the item allows consumption

to be added from the BOM. This may be import if you
are also using the Automatic Model-Option Mapping
149 tool.

NO

The revision of the parent item specified. The revision

rules section 130 explains what revisions are supported.

NO

If no revision is specified, Assembly Planner will use

the current revision of the item.
Quantity

The quantity of the item consumed by the process.

NO

Units

The units in which the item is consumed (EA, PC, IN,

FT, OZ, etc).

NO

*Either the ActSeqNo OR the ActivityID is required for the import. You only need one of the two, b ut you are allowed to
use b oth.

10.1.5 Import ProcessResource

The ProcessResource import allows you to map resources to activities. Doing an import allows you to bypass
adding resources to the processes one-by-one.
Two options exist for the ProcessResource import: Add New or Merge.
Selecting Add New will overwrite any existing resources mapped to the selected activities. The only
resources that will be mapped to those activities are those included in the import file.
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Choosing Merge will add to or update current resource mapping. The resources in the import file will be
added to the current resource mapping; if the activity already has a resource mapped to it and that
resource is not included in the import file, the mapping of that resource will not be affected by the import.
There are certain fields that must appear in the spreadsheet file used to import resources. The table below lists
the standard fields provided in Assembly Planner that are relevant to this import type. Each of these fields
needs to be a column heading in the import spreadsheet file. The fields described as not mandatory do not
need to be included as columns in the sheet.
In addition to the standard fields, the import file must also have a column that matches each user-created
ProcessResourceMapping custom field to be imported.
ProcessResource Standard Fields
Field

ResourceID

OperationSeqNo

Description

Mandatory to
Import

The resource ID must be specified. The resource ID

must already exist in the resource library; you may only
map resources that have already been imported or
otherwise added before doing a process-resource
import.

Yes

The Operation Sequence Number (OpSeqNo) of the

operation to which the resource mapping applies.

Yes

OperationEffectiveFromDate The Effective From Date of the operation. It is not

mandatory to make an entry in this column.
May be useful in cases where there are multiple
operations with the same OpSeqNo that have different
effectivity dates.
OperationEffectiveToDate

The Effective To Date of the operation. It is not

mandatory to make an entry in this column.
May be useful in cases where there are multiple
operations with the same OpSeqNo that have different
effectivity dates.

ActivitySeqNo

No

The Activity Sequence Number (ActSeqNo) of the

activity (under the specified OpSeqNo) to which the
resource mapping applies.

No

Yes*

Either the ActSeqNo or the ActivityID is required.

ActivityID

The Activity ID of the activity (under the specified

OpSeqNo) to which the resource mapping applies.

Yes*

Either the ActSeqNo or the ActivityID is required.

ActivityEffectiveFromDate

The Effective From Date of the activity. It is not

mandatory to make an entry in this column.
May be useful in cases where there are multiple
activities with the same ActSeqNo that have different
effectivity dates.

No

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ActivityEffectiveToDate

The Effective To Date of the activity. It is not

mandatory to make an entry in this column.
May be useful in cases where there are multiple
activities with the same ActSeqNo that have different
effectivity dates.

Quantity

421

The quantity of the resource required for the process.

For example, if two torque guns are required, enter a
'2' in this column.

No

No

*Either the ActSeqNo OR the ActivityID is required for the import. You only need one of the two; you are allowed to use
b oth.

10.1.6 Import Process

The Process import allows you to create processes en masse. If you are setting up a new database or adding
several processes to your existing database, this import may speed things along. The Excel sheet used for the
import needs to have the standard fields listed below, as well as any user-created Routing custom field or
Activity custom field.
Process Standard Fields
Field

PlantID

Description

Mandatory to
Import

The process is added to the plant whose ID is specified.

Many users only have one plant set up in their Assembly
Planner system; if you are unsure as to the ID, check in the
Library > Plant Tab.

Yes

ID

The ID of the process being imported.

Yes

RoutingType

Routing Type is valid only for a Routing. For activities,

do not provide a value here.
Users typically create routings with a Routing Type of
M. However, other values (such as A) will be valid as
well. The list of available Routing Types may have to be
configured for different clients.

ProcessType

OperationText

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The process type field indicates the level at which the

process is added. You may add either a Routing or an
Activity. (Operations should not be imported; create
Operations via the Library > Routing Editor.)

Yes

Though this field is called 'OperationText', it is applied to

Activities in this case. OperationText is a text field that
allows more lengthy operator instructions than does the
Activity Description field.

No

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10.1.7 Import ProcessStructure

The ProcessStructure import is used to import operations and activities within a structure of a routing. There are
two different sub import types of ProcessStructure imports, Operation and Activity. Each has different standard
fields that must be satisfied to complete the import. The Activity import must have a Routing selected using the
Select button above the sheet to import correctly. Other fields may be added, such as Description, but the
fields shown are mandatory.
Operation Standard Fields
Field

Description

Mandatory to
Import

RoutingID

The process is added to the Routing that is specified in

RoutingID

Yes

RoutingType

Users typically create routings with a Routing Type of

M. However, other values (such as A) will be valid as
well. The list of available Routing Types may have to
be configured for different clients.

Yes

OpSeqNo

The Operation Sequence Number (OpSeqNo) of the

operation to which the mapping applies.

Yes

OperationEffectiveFromDate

The Effective From Date of the operation.

May be useful in cases where there are multiple
operations with the same OpSeqNo that have
different effectivity dates.

OperationEffectiveToDate

No

The Effective To Date of the operation.

May be useful in cases where there are multiple
operations with the same OpSeqNo that have
different effectivity dates.

No

Activity Standard Fields

Field

Description

Mandatory to
Import

ActSeqNo

The Activity Sequence Number (OpSeqNo) of the activity

to which the mapping applies.

Yes

OpSeqNo

The Operation Sequence Number (OpSeqNo) of the

operation to which the mapping applies.

Yes

OperationEffectiveFromDate

The Effective From Date of the activities.

OperationEffectiveToDate

May be useful in cases where there are multiple

activities with the same OpSeqNo that have different
effectivity dates.

Yes

The Effective To Date of the activities.

Yes

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May be useful in cases where there are multiple

activities with the same OpSeqNo that have different
effectivity dates.

10.1.8 Import Worksteps

The Workstep import is used to update one or more Activity's worksteps en masse. Many fields are not required
to import worksteps, but are used to show details within the activity.
Workstep Standard Fields

Field

Description

Mandatory to
Import

ActivityID

This is used to map the workstep to an existing activity

by ID number.

YES

Description

A description for the item being imported. This field can

be up to 512 characters long or it may be left blank.

NO

PlantID

Used to identify the Plant that the workstep takes place

in. If left blank, it will automatically fill in the default
PlantID set in Assembly Planner.

NO

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10.2 Export Data

The Export Data module is designed and customized for specific users. It is a way to manually "push" data out
of the system, and is accompanied by backend logic to send data to another system. The options you see in
the drop-down menu for Data Export may vary depending on your system configuration.
The exception to this is the Flow Planner export. If you use the PFEP database, you will be able to export your
part plan routings to a file that can be used by Flow Planner to create flow diagrams and perform material flow
calculations.
*ECR, Item, Container, BOM, and exports
If you are a user who needs WPS exports, you can perform PPR, RFPI and PTN exports from the system.
1. Select the type of export from the drop-down list.
2. Next provide the items to be exported. The user can type the part numbers or use the Add Items button to
search for the items to be exported.
3. Once the list is ready, the user should click on the Export button and this will send data to WPS.
4. A report is available to view the data being exported - the user needs to provide a date range and the type of
export. Click on the Reports Menu and select the WPH History Report.
If you are a user who needs MAPICS exports. Follow the steps below:
1. Click on the Data Mgmt menu.
2. Open the Export Data module.
3. Use the Select Export Type drop-down menu to choose MAPICS Export.

4. When the Models sheet loads, enter models you wish to export by one of the two options below:
a. Click on the Add Models button and search for and select the models.
b. Type in the Models manually.

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10.3 List Management

Clicking the List Management icon

opens the list management editor.

Every Custom Field can have a drop-down list associated with it. A list restricts possible entries in the custom
field to those in the list. If there is no list associated, the field is open for users to enter information as they see
fit. If it is important to control what is entered, a list needs to be associated with the custom field.
For example, it may be important to have a list in a situation where information for an MRP system is going to
be extracted from Assembly Planner. This would restrict the user to information that is correct and usable by
the MRP system. However, a list would typically not be appropriate for something like the description of
activities on an assembly line. In this case, it would be important to give users the freedom to enter information
without a list.
There are two areas of interest in the List Management editor, the first of which is the List Area.

The second area is the List Values area

List
Select List is where you choose the list you want to view or edit.
DataType displays the type that was selected when the list was created. This cannot be changed after
creating the list. The data type of the list and the custom field it modifies should be the same. Possible
data types include string (for text), integer (for numeric lists), double (also for numeric lists) and date/
time.
Sort By Value can be modified using the Edit button. When selected, the List Values will be sorted in
ascending order.
The Add button creates a new list. The user specifies the List Name and Data Type and whether or not
the list should be sorted by value. The List Name and Sort By Value can be changed later, but the Data
Type cannot be edited.

Delete allows a list to be removed. Assembly Planner will ask if you want to delete the list.

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Edit lets the user make changes to the List Name or change the Sort By Value setting. However, the
Data Type cannot be changed after creating a list.

List Values
The List Values section of the List Management editor is laid out like a spreadsheet. Entries in the List Value
column are what users will see in the drop-down list of a custom field. There is also a Description column with
space for a more detailed explanation of the list value. Changes are made in the spreadsheet section by
selecting the correct list from the List drop-down and clicking the Edit button at the bottom of the screen. To
keep the changes made, click Save. To discard the changes, click Cancel.
For a tutorial on creating and associating a list, see the tutorials, Create Lists 510 and Associate Lists 512 .

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10.4 Order Data Management

The Order Data Management screen allows users to bring orders into the Shop Floor database and move orders
to the build list. The build list orders should be sequenced as the units will appear on the line.
The build list is used to drive schedule-based line balances, shop floor work instructions as well as any PFEP
371 functions requiring a list of orders. The orders may be used for schedule-driven line balances or for
Sequence Planner studies.
If you do not use shop floor work instructions or PFEP, you may not have a Shop Floor (thin client) datab ase set up,
and will not b e ab le to access this module. This datab ase is separate from the regular Assemb ly Planner authoring
datab ase. Please Contact Your Proplanner Representative 3 if you wish to discuss setting a thin client datab ase.

10.4.1 Order List Management

Orders can be loaded manually or automatically. If you will be loading orders manually, please see the File
Format for Order Imports 431 section. If the order are loaded automatically, you will see them when you open
this module.
When orders first come into Assembly Planner, they appear on the order list. Note that if orders with Options
are loaded, the option list will not be shown in the order spreadsheet. This is because oftentimes, the option list
is much too long to show in a comma-separated list. However, you can select a row and either click the 'View
Order Options' button on the right or right-click on the spreadsheet and select View Order Options from the
right-click menu. A popup window will appear that will display the options in a new spreadsheet. Options cannot
be edited in this window - they must be a part of the order files that are loaded.
The order list has several sort and filter features available on the worksheet view (the triangle and filter icons in
the column headers), as well as an advanced sort and filter feature that allows you to build a custom multicriteria sort.

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Advanced Sort and Filter for Orders

Right-click anywhere on the spreadsheet to select either Advanced Sort or Advanced Filter options.
Any sorting or filters you set will persist until Assembly Planner is closed; the sort is not saved after the
application closes.
Please see the Advanced Sort and Filter

26

section to review the details of using these features.

You are not allowed to sort by Unit Serial No, Line Unit No, or Unit Pick Status.

Move To Build List

To move units from the Order List to the Build List, you can use one of two features of the user interface.
1. You can enter either the Unit Serial Number(s) or the Order Number(s) into the text box above the
spreadsheet and click the "Move To Build List" button. The radio buttons directly above the text box controls
whether Assembly Planner moves orders based on the Unit Serial Number or the Order Number. You can enter
the Unit Serial Number(s) or Order Number(s) by a few different methods.
Type the number(s) manually
Copy the appropriate numbers by selecting and highlighting the cells, right-clicking on the cells, and selecting
Copy. Then paste the numbers by right-clicking on the text box and selecting Paste. Click on the "Move to
Build List" button.
2. You can alternatively select the rows of the orders you wish to move in the spreadsheet, then right-click and
select 'Move to Build List.'
The orders will be appended to the end of the Build List for the day of its Schedule Date, in the sequence they
were entered in the text box (or appeared in the spreadsheet). This means that you are able to move the orders
in your sorted sequence, as long as the orders are pasted in the text box in that sequence or appear in your
spreadsheet in that sequence.

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If the Schedule Date for an item already in the Build List needs to be changed, the item must first be moved
back to the Order List (see below for instructions). The Schedule Date can then be edited, and the item again
moved to the Build List.

10.4.2 Build List Management

Build List management is now available Order Data Management, which simplifies order management for the
user; previously, the Build List was only available in the Shop Floor website.
The Build List represents the line set for the assembly line. The build list indicates the sequence in which units
will be built; this affects when units are displayed in shop floor work instructions. The build list will also be used
in PFEP Part Picking 406 .

Orders in the Build List may be rearranged using Move Up and Move Down. You must select the entire row of
the order you wish to move to enable the Move Up or Move Down buttons or right-click menu options. By
selecting multiple rows, you can move orders up or down en masse.
The Delete button removes the order from the database.
Moving items from the Build List is done in the same way as moving items from the Order List (see the previous
section for instructions).
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10.4.3 File Format for Order Imports

The Order Data Management screen may be populated via an import of orders from a spreadsheet.
The file format that is used to populate orders in Order Data Management is the same format needed to import
standalone spreadsheets for schedule-driven Line Balances and for creating Sequence Planner studies.

The sequence of the data should match the sequence specified, and the header row in the file should match the
table below. If the file is not in this order, the orders will not be brought in correctly.

Both the Unit Serial Number and Order Number for each row should be unique; the database will not allow
repeat entries. Remember that this means the Unit Serial Number and Order Number need to be unique not
only for the import file, but when compared with the entire list of orders already in the database.
Make sure that the Model entries and Option entries match the Model IDs and Option IDs that exist in the
Assembly Planner Model and Option Editors.
You are required to have columns for Model Description, but you are not required to populate this fieldit may be
blank.
If you have created your import file in Microsoft Excel, please make sure to save as a .xls and NOT as .xlsx.
The import file needs to b e closed b efore it can successfully b e imported. Assemb ly Planner will not read a file that is
open.

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10.5 Publishing
Publishing is the tool that is used to move information from the Assembly Planner authoring database to the
Shop Floor database. The Shop Floor database houses the shop floor work instructions that are displayed as
well as any PFEP part plans currently in use.
Note that the Orders do not need to b e pub lished via this tool; the Order Data Management 428 tool b rings order data
directly into the Shop Floor datab ase.

10.5.1 Process Publishing

Process Publishing is used to publish work instructions to the Shop Floor Viewer 474 .

1. Select Routing opens a search window that allows you to choose the routing you wish to publish.
2. Select Models by clicking on the Add Models button and using the search window. Model IDs may also
be typed manually, using a comma-separated list. Only work instructions for the selected models will be
published.
3. Select Workstations to indicate which specific stations will have instructions published. This feature
means that the user can choose to only update the stations where work instructions have changed. Note:
Depending on system preferences, you may be required to publish all stations every time.
4. Select Assembly Line to specify the assembly line on the Shop Floor Viewer from which the new work
instructions may be viewed.
5. Publish header activities is a choice that tells the publishing tool to look for and publish activities
marked 'IsHeader'. This is a process that is unique to a few users and templates; in general, this box
should not be checked and may be disabled completely.
6. Publish Document Images is used to publish all documents in the Documents Tab of an activity to the
shop floor viewer. This is not applicable to all shop floor viewer templates; if you were not instructed to
check this box during Assembly Planner training, you may leave it unchecked.
7. Publish Model and Option Properties to Shop Floor Viewer is enabled to publish detailed model

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and option data (description, alias ID, etc.) This is not applicable to all shop floor viewer templates. If
your template does display these details, it still is not necessary to publish them every time work
instructions are published (since they don't often change). Leaving this box unchecked will increase
publishing speeds.
8. Auto-Resize Document Images allows you to choose the size of the published instruction (800 x 600,
1024 x 768, 1280 x 720, etc.)
9. Enable Logging allows you to create a log file to track what instructions are published and when. If a
log has previously been created, you can view the existing log before the new instructions are published.
10. The Effectivity Filter allows you to determine what data gets published to the Shop Floor Viewer.
Selecting None means to include all instructions in the publishing, ignoring any effectivity
dates set on individual operations or activities.
Selecting Filter By Date and selecting a date means to include instructions for activities who
are effective as of the selected date (Activity Effective From Date the same or earlier and Activity Effective
To Date the same or later than selected date.)
Selecting Filter By Date Range and selecting two dates means to include instructions for
activities who are effective between the selected dates. (Activity Effective From Date the same or earlier
and Activity Effective To Date the same or later than selected date.)
11. Enable Effectivity under Effective Dates for Published Instruction Set allows you to publish work
instructions that will only be displayed for a certain period for time. Selecting Start and End Date under
Enable Effectivity will determine on what date a work instruction set will first be available on the Shop
Floor Viewer, and after what date it will be no longer available. This allows you to publish changes prior
to implementing them on the floor. This instruction set effectivity setting should be used in conjunction
with the Effectivity Filter, which still determined what is actually published.
Click on the Publish New button when you have made all the appropriate settings to publish the new
instructions.

10.5.2 MAPICS Publishing

This tab does not apply to most users. It is used to publish files to be used by an external MAPICS system.
Desired Models, Routings, and Assembly Lines should be selected before clicking the 'Publish New' button.

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10.5.3 Scenario Publishing

Scenario Publishing is used to publish work instructions for based on a Line Balance Scenario.

Select Line Balancing Scenario allows you to chose which scenario will be used to publish work
instructions.
Select Models via a search window. Only the selected models will have their work instructions published.
Select Assembly Line lets you specify the assembly line from which the work instructions may be viewed.
Auto-Resize Document Images allows you to choose the size of the published instruction (800 x 600, 1024
x 768, 1280 x 720, etc.)

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Enable Logging allows you to create a log file to track what instructions are published and when. If a log
has previously been created, you can view the existing log before the new instructions are published.
Effectivity allows you to publish work instructions that time in and/or time out on a specified date. This
means that you can publish work instructions for next month's changes now, and just set the effectivity
appropriately. The new work instructions will automatically show up on the Start Date.

10.5.4 Thin Client Administration

The Thin Client Administration section allows you to review history and previous versions of published work
instructions. You may search by Model ID, Station ID or Scenario Name to find the instructions you are
interested in.

Update allows you to change the effectivity dates of the selected versions.
Delete allows you to remove the selected versions from the system.
Effectivity allows you to publish Sequence study that time in and/or time out on a specified
date. This means that you can publish Sequence study for next month's changes now, and
just set the effectivity appropriately. The new work sequence study will automatically show
up on the Start Date.

10.5.5 PFEP Publishing

PFEP Publishing is where part plans and BOMs are moved from the authoring database to the thin client; the
handheld devices used by the material handlers access the thin client database.
To successfully utilize the PFEP Mobile Application 399 , you need to publish both a bill of materials (BOM) and
part plans for the items in the BOM. After both of these are published, you will only need to re-publish when
there are changes. If only the BOM was changed, you only need republish the BOM; if only the Part Plan was
affected, you only need republish the Part Plans.
This version of the pub lishing process is designed specifically for users where the top level of the BOM is the Model,
and where the next level indicates the Option.

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Publishing Part Plan Data will copy all part plans from the PFEP Part Plan 389 tool into the Shop Floor (thin
client) database. Note that any time part plans are published, all previously published records are overwritten.
This means that if a part plan has been deleted in the authoring database, the Shop Floor database will not
retain that record upon re-publishing. All maintenance is done in the authoring database, and only the final
product is contained in the Shop Floor database.
You may publish BOM Data by loading an Excel file containing the BOM. The Excel file should contain a
column for each of the following headers:
Parent ID
Part ID
Description
Effective From Date
Effective To Date
Quantity
Item Type
Valid Item Types for this file include: M, B, or Z (Make/Manufactured, Buy/Purchased, or Phantom,
respectively).

Effectivity allows you to publish Sequence study that time in and/or time out on a specified date. This means
that you can publish Sequence study for next month's changes now, and just set the effectivity appropriately.
The new work sequence study will automatically show up on the Start Date.

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10.5.6 Sequence Study Publishing

Sequence Study Publishing is used to publish a sequence study.

Select Sequence Study Scenario allows you to chose which scenario will be used to publish.
Effectivity allows you to publish Sequence study that time in and/or time out on a specified date. This means
that you can publish Sequence study for next month's changes now, and just set the effectivity appropriately.
The new work sequence study will automatically show up on the Start Date.

10.5.7 Change Request Management

Change Request Management tab is to facilitate the 2 way communication between the operator on the shop
floor and the engineers who are authoring the data. When the operator on the shop floor requests any changes
to be made that he has seen on the product or process, those changes will be reflected on this screen for the
engineers to look at and implement if need be.

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10.6 Mass Update

Clicking on the Mass Update icon
opens the mass update feature, a tool that allows you to make
changes to several different processes at once.
The tool updates information directly in the database. Any activities that are checked in to the database or that
the user performing the mass update has checked out may be updated. Local copies being worked on (still
checked out) by another user will not be updated.
Information is added to the history of all processes modified so there is a record of what was updated (based on
your entries).
A word of caution: there is no 'Undo' button, so make sure that the changes are done correctly.

Global and Local Properties

Understanding the difference between global and local properties is important to understanding what fields can
be edited during a mass update. A detailed explanation of global and local properties can be found in Editing the
Process 60 >> Global vs. Local Properties 62 .

Creating a Mass Update

Creating a mass update is simple. Four tabs allow you to enter necessary information. In the first tab, Header
439 , information about the update is entered, including an update name and description. In the second tab,
Selection 440 , the processes to be updated are specified. To find the correct processes, you can build your own
search with the available parameters. The third tab, Change 445 , is where you specify what it is you want to
change in the selected processes. The fourth tab, Results 449 , shows a summary of the number of activities that
are selected for change and the number of change statements that were created. After the update is performed,
it also includes a summary of the update's success as well as a time stamp.

Notes:
Save: Mass Updates can be saved so that they may be run or re-run at a later date.
If you attempt to save an update with no title, you will be alerted and asked to provide a name before the save
will take place.
Reset: The reset button clears the current mass update, allowing you to open or create another one.

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10.6.1 Header Tab

Header Tab

Select Update Type

New Update: Create a new mass update.
Open an Existing Update: Open an update, including the processes selected and change statements,
that was previously created and saved. Choose the update by name from the drop-down list.

Other Update Header Information

Update Name: The name of the update. Up to fifty characters allowed.
If the update is saved, it will be referred to by this name.
If 'Reason for Change' is blank, the update name will be entered in the history of the processes changed.
You cannot save if the Update Name is "Untitled". You could still run the update; if you have made no
change here and no entry in the 'Reason for Change' field, you will get an entry in history that just says
"Untitled".
Reason for Change: Enter a description of the change in this cell. When the update is completed, this
description will be appended to the process history for all activities selected. However, if this cell is left
blank, the Update Name will be appended to the process history instead.
Select Entity: Select the process type that the update will be applied to.
Created By: The user ID of the person that created the mass update. Not user-editable.
Created On: The date on which the mass update was created. Not user-editable.
Status: Whether or not this update has been run. The status may be either New (not yet run) or
Completed (applied to the database).
Last Run On: If the status is 'Complete', this records the most recent date on which the update was run.
If the status is 'New', there will be no entry here.
Modified By: The last person to save changes to the update.
Modified On: The date on which changes to the update were last saved.

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10.6.2 Selection Tab

The Selection Tab is where the processes to be updated are chosen. Use the advanced search tool to build a
custom search from the criteria you select. After the search, when processes have been selected, they are
displayed in a list in this tab.

Selection Tab

Information Displayed for Selected Activities:

Status: Whether the process is checked in or checked out. You can only update those that are checked
in or checked out to your own username. You are not allowed to update activities checked out by another
user.
ID: The ID of the activity. This is a global property 60 .
Description: A description of the activity. This is a global property.
SeqNo: The sequence number. This is a local property 60 . Therefore, an entry in this cell indicates that
you have selected a 'local' copy of the activity; that is, it appears under some operation and the process
mapping information is included. If this cell is blank, you have chosen a global copy of the activity.
Parent ID: The parent process. (This applies to local activities that have process mapping)
WorkZone: The work zone for an activity. This is a global property.
Group: The group of tasks to which the activity belongs. This is a local property.

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Search Control
The "Select" button brings up the advanced search form, displaying a custom search that is based on the
criteria selected by the user.

Advanced Search Control

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Search Criteria
To add or modify the search criteria, right-click inside the advanced search window and select 'Customize
Criteria'. This will open the Add/Remove Fields window.
In the Add/Remove Fields window, the available fields are on the left. They are categorized by how the field
relates to the activity. Categories include Global, Local, Time Estimation, Model Mapping, Option Mapping,
Consumption. The individual fields can be seen by expanding the list below any of the field type titles click on
the + button to expand the lists. A list of available search criteria 451 is found in a later section.

To move a desired field to the 'Selected Fields' column on the right, click on the field to highlight it. Then use the
"Add" button to move it to the other side of the screen. If a field needs to be removed from the 'Selected Fields'
column, select it and use the "Remove" button.

When the appropriate search criteria have been added, clicking the "OK" button will return you to the Advanced
Search window.

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Performing a Search
Enter parameters in as many or as few of the search criteria cells as you wish only those with entries will be
utilized when searching through the database. The percent sign (%) is a wildcard character which can be used
in text-based cells.
If parameters are entered only in global activity property fields (e.g. description, Activity ID), only global activity
entries will be returned.
If parameters are entered only in local activity property fields (e.g. Op Seq No) or a combination of global and
local activity property fields, only local entries will be returned.
Clicking the "Search" button will execute the search. The qualifying activities will be displayed in a list on the
bottom half of the advanced search form.

Selecting Activities for Update

Processes are selected for update after they are highlighted in the search results and the "Add Selection" or
"Add All" buttons are used to add activities to the list in the main window of the Selection tab.

After adding the processes, they are shown in a sheet view that was previously blank.

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10.6.3 Change Tab

The Change Tab is where you tell Assembly Planner what changes need to be made to the entities you
selected. This is done by building a series of change statements.

Change Tab

There are two parts of this screen; the update details are specified at the top and the added update statements
appear at the bottom.
Before specifying the update details, the update type must be selected. There are different update types
depending on what was chosen as the entity in the Header tab. After the type is selected, the update details
are changed to fit the type. The available update types are a combination of:
Header Information
Copy Processes
Remove Processes
Model-Option Mapping
Calculated Time
Observed Time
Update Consumption
Copy Consumption
Update Resource Mappings
Copy Resource Mappings
Copy between Obs. Time and Work Steps
Copy BOM records

Update Details
The basic premise of building a change statement is this: Choose the field or property that needs to be changed
and enter the current value and the replacement value. The way this happens is basically the same across the

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different update types.

You can add several change statements to each mass update. Remember that the statements can only
possibly be applied to the activities that were selected in the Select Tab. The changes can be applied to smaller
subsets of the activities selected by filtering further in the Change Tab (by specifying a 'Current Value', for
example).

For Header Information Changes

The fields that may be changed are in presented in a drop-down list. See the available header information fields
449 section of the manual for a list of these fields.
The Current Value field is used to specify values for which a replacement should be made. Entering the wildcard
% will cause replacement for all current values. Leaving the Current Value cell empty will cause replacement to
be made wherever there is no current value.
The New Value field is where the replacement value is specified.

For Copy Processes Changes

This process creates a copy of the Entity selected in the Header Tab. Activities and Operations may be copied,
and are copied under the same process as the original. This can also be used in conjuncture with effectivity
dates to make a process update on a certain date. Check boxes can be used to copy model/option mapping as
well.

For Remove Processes Changes

This removes all processes selected from under its parents. If it is a child process of more than one parent, it
will be removed from all locations.

For Model-Option Mapping Changes

There are two categories of changes available with Model-Option Changes. First, there are changes to model
mapping. Second, there are changes to option mapping.
Model Mapping Change Details
Replace Model Mapping: This will replace the specified 'Existing Model ID' with the specified 'New
Model ID'. Remember that the 'New Model ID' needs to exist as a valid model in the Model Library; it
should be added before performing the mass update.
Add Model Mapping: This appends the specified 'New Model ID' to the list of models. No existing
models are removed or replaced. Remember that the 'New Model ID' needs to exist as a valid model in
the Model Library; it should be added before performing the mass update.
Remove Model Mapping: This will remove the specified 'Existing Model ID' from the list of models.
Option Mapping Change Details
Replace Option Mapping: This will replace the specified 'Existing Option ID' with the specified 'New
Option ID'. Remember that the 'New Option ID' needs to exist as a valid option in the Option Library; it
should be added before performing the mass update.
Add Option Mapping: This appends the specified 'New Option ID' to the list of options. No existing
options are removed or replaced. Remember that the 'New Option ID' needs to exist as a valid option in
the Option Library; it should be added before performing the mass update.
Remove Option Mapping: This will remove the specified 'Existing Option ID' from the list of options.
Update Mapping Properties: This allows changes to be made to properties that pertain to the process
structure relationship.
Note that when you select 'Update Mapping Properties' the Mapping Properties and Additional Criteria
areas are enabled. You can make changes to the fields shown in the drop-down (these include
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ProcessStructureOptionMapping2 custom fields).

Update Mapping Properties Enabled

Calculated Time Changes

Can be used to update the calculated times of all activities selected with a new code if the Update Time Study
Data box is checked, or to simply recalculate all predetermined time studies. To update a time study element,
its ID must be typed into the Existing Element ID field and can be replaced with new information or deleted
completely.

Observed Time Changes

This is used to update the observed time allowances for all activities selected by entering the new values into
the specified fields. The observed times for activities will be recalculated, as well as the time studies they are
present within.

Update Consumption
This can be used to update or remove a consumption record from an activity or multiple activities. The update
can also be filtered by two fields chosen from a dropdown menu to change only the activities that match the
filter criteria.

Update Consumption
This tool can be used to copy model/option mappings to a new Parent ID by checking the appropriate box and
choosing which parent to copy from by typing the Item ID in the top text box, and the new Parent Item ID in the
bottom text box.

Update Resource Mappings

This tool can be used to update or remove resource mappings to an activity or multiple activities by checking
the appropriate box and choosing which parent to copy from by typing the Item ID in the top text box, and the
new Parent Item ID in the bottom text box. The update can also be filtered by two fields chosen from a
dropdown menu to change only the activities that match the filter criteria.

Copy Resource Mappings

This tool can be used to copy model/option mappings to a new Resource by checking the appropriate box and
choosing which parent to copy from by typing the Item ID in the top text box, and the new Parent Item ID in the
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bottom text box.

For Copy between Obs. Time and Work Steps Changes

There are two types of changes that may be made between observed time data and work step data via Mass
Update.
Observed Time to Work Steps
Work Steps to Observed Time
Choose the option that is appropriate for the update you wish to make. Click the 'Add' button, then click the
'Next' button.
The details of the update are then shown along the bottom in the update statements section.

Update Statem ents section

Copy BOM Records

Creates a copy of selected BOM records under the same existing parents. Can be used in conjuncture with
TimeIn/TimeOut dates to change BOM on a specific date. It can also be used to update specific items that have
been identified as out of date.

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10.6.4 Results Tab

Results

Results Tab

This screen shows a summary of the information from the Selection and Change tabs.
Process Selection Count: The number of processes selected.
Update Statements Count: The number of change statements created.
The "Run Update" button actually performs and completes the update.
Notes:
1. If you selected checked-out (to another user) activities, you will b e alerted. You cannot perform updates on these
activities.
2. If you are attempting to make changes to a local property and do not have the correct local entity selected, you will
b e alerted.

If you see no sequence number (a local property) you have selected the global copy, which means that you will
only be able to change global properties (description, time, etc.). You will not be able to add model or option
mapping, because it is a local property.

10.6.5 Fields in Header Information Updates

The following table contains a list of the fields that may be updated via the Header Information Mass Update
type. In addition, any custom fields that have been created in the following categories: Routing, Activity,
Operation, and Process Structure.
Field

Type

DefLineSide

String

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Description

String

EffectivityEnabled

Boolean

FromDate

DateTime

IsPFMEARequired

Boolean

ModifiedBy

String

ModifiedOn

DateTime

OperationText

String

SetupTime

Double

Status

String

ToDate

DateTime

WI Approval Status

String

WI Approved By

String

BaseFrequency

Double

CrewSize

Double

EffectiveFromDate

DateTime

EffectiveToDate

DateTime

Frequency

Double

HasSplat

Boolean

IRCost

String

JobType

String

ModifiedBy

String

ModifiedOn

DateTime

OpSeqNo

Double

PayPointCode

String

PurchaseOrder

Boolean

StdRunLabor

Double

StdRunMachine

Double

StdSetupHours

Double

Supplier

String

TimeBasis

String

TypeOpCode

String

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10.6.6 Fields Available in Search Tool

Fields available to add to the custom search are shown below in tables for each respective category.

GLOBAL
Custom Fields in the 'Activity' category
Custom Fields in the 'Operation' category
Custom Fields in the 'Routing' category
DefLineSide
Description
EffectivityEnabled
From Date
ID
IsPFMEARequired
IsTimeDirty
MarkForExport
ModifiedBy
ModifiedOn
OperationText
PlantID
RoutingType
Setup Time
Status
Time
Time Unit ID
ToDate
WI Approval Status
WI Approved By
WI Approved On

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452

LOCAL
Custom Fields in the 'ProcessStructure' category
BaseFrequency
Cluster ID
Crew Size
Effective From Date
Effective To Date
Frequency
GroupID
HasSplat
IRCost
JobType
ModifiedBy
ModifiedOn
OpSeqNo
PayPointCode
PurchaseOrder
StdRunLabor
StdRunMachine
StdSetupHours
Supplier
TimeBasis
TreeOrder
TypeOpCode

TIME ESTIMATION
CalcAllowance
CalcNVA
CalcNVABN
Calc Time
Calc Time Data
CalcVA
EstAllowance
EstNVA
EstNVABN
EstTime
EstTimeDate
EstVA
ModifiedBy
ModifiedOn
ObsAllowance
ObsNVA
ObsNVABN
ObsTime
ObsTimeData

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ObsVA
TimeUnitID

MODEL MAPPING
Custom Fields in the 'Model' category
Description
ID
MixRule
TakeRate
Time

OPTION MAPPING
Custom Fields in the 'ProcessStructureOptionMapping2' category
IsNOTRule
Option ID

CONSUMPTION
Custom Fields in the 'Consumption' category
CLoc
ItemID
ItemLineNumber
ItemRevision
ParentID
ParentRevision
PLoc
Quantity
Units

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454

10.7 Advanced Tools

10.7.1 Consumption Tools Tab
In this module, consumption data can quickly be updated throughout the system. The purpose of Mass Update
Consumption is to replace one part ID with another.
1. Use the checkboxes to determine search criteria
a. If you plan on entering both Item and Parent IDs in the Item ID column, make sure both the Change
Item IDs and Change Parent IDs boxes are checked. Otherwise, check one or the other.
b. If you do not wish to change the revision, make sure the Ignore Revisions box is checked.
2.

Enter Consumed Items data by one of the following ways:

Enter Current Item information and New Item information manually.
Click on the Add button and search for the current Item ID, then enter the New Item information.

3.

Enter Routing Data by one of the following ways for each of the routings you wish to update:
Enter Routing and Plant information manually.
Click on the Add button and search for the routing information by plant.

4.

Click on Replace to update the Item information.

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455

Verify that the items have been updated by going to the Consumption tab of the Activity Editor for an
activity that consumed the updated parts.

10.7.2 Item Tools Tab

In this tab, you can replace an existing item revision with a new one. Note that this only works if there is
currently only one revision for the item in Assembly Planner.
1. Enter each Item ID and New Revision into the table similar to the one you see below. You can do this by
manually entering the Item ID, or you can search for the ID by clicking the 'Add Item' button at the bottom of the
tab.
2. When you're ready, click the 'Perform Update' button to replace existing revision(s) with the new one(s) in the
table.

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10.7.3 CWS Mass Update Tab

Documentation coming soon.

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457

Admin Tools

Administrators are granted rights to add users, create custom fields, and manage the report templates, and set
auto-numbering schemes. Proplanner suggests that companies limit the number of Administrators to the
system.

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11.1 Users
Assembly Planner user details can be created, edited, and removed by Administrators in the Users Editor,
located within Admin Tools.

Types of users
Assembly Planner requires a login for each user. An administrator sets up users accounts and assigns a role to
each user which determines the permissions the user has in the system. Depending on the role assigned to a
user, the user will be able to see different menus in the Navigation Pane 6 and will have varying levels of
freedom to edit and enter data.

Administrat Engineer
or

Viewer

Work
MCO
Restricted
Instructions Coordinat Engineer
Approver
or

View data in Library,

Modules, PFEP, and Data
Mgmt

Add and remove operations

and activities, edit times &
time studies, edit model/
option data, and edit stationto-operation mapping

Edit remaining Data Library

contents

Edit Modules contents

Edit PFEP contents

Edit Data Mgmt contents

View and Manage ECRs,

MCOs, & ECOs

Approve/Decline Work
Instructions

View Admin Tools

Upload Reports & Templates

Manage Users

Manage Custom Fields

Set Auto Numbering

Scheme

The User Editor

After selecting the User Editor, the administrator will see a list of current user accounts. The user name and

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role are displayed first. Other information includes whether the account was created by the Assembly Planner
system (IsSystemAccount column) or whether a user created the account. The default plant for each user,
user's full name, and email address are optional but recommended entries.

Add: Click this button to add a new user account.

Remove: Select an existing user account from the list and click this button to remove the account. That user
will not longer be able to sign into Assembly Planner.
Edit: Select an existing user account from the list and click this button to edit an property of the user's account,
except the Username. If the username must be changed, the existing account should be removed, then a new
one added.
Transfer Checked Out Entities: Checked out entities (process, resources, or parts) can be transferred from
one user to another. This is helpful if User A has something checked out that User B needs to check out, but
User A is out of the office (perhaps on vacation) and cannot check those entities back in.
To do this, select the user from the list who has the entities checked out and click this button. Now select the
new user to which the entities will be transferred. Click OK. The new user should be able to search for and edit
the desired entities right way. They will want to make sure they check the entities back in when they have
completed their changes.

User Editor

User Name: The specific name that the user has to sign into Assembly Planner
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Role: The role that is given to the user. This helps determine what the user can and cannot see or edit. This
can be broken down in Roles 461 .
Is System Account: If the user was already set by the system then this would be "Yes", if this person has
been added to the system then this would say "No".
Default Plant: Tells the plant that the user is located.
Full Name: Full name of the user.
Email: Email of the user.

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11.2 Roles
Assembly Planner roles can be created and removed by Administrators under Roles, located within Admin

Tools.

Role Management
The Administrator has the power to add new and delete existing roles whenever needed. Within the "Is System
Role" column if it says "Yes" then the role is a predetermined role within the system. To see what the System
Roles have access to look back at Users 458 . If this column says "No" then the role name has been created by
the administrator. The Users column tells you the number of people that have that specific role within the
system. The picture below shows that there are 6 people that are considered Administrators.

Role Managem ent Tab

Add: Select the add button to create a new role. Once the new window opens, the user can put in the role
name and the description that goes with it.

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Add New Role

Delete: Select the role that you would like to remove and click on the delete role to have it removed.

Role Privileges
Once the administrator has created a role it will show up in the "Select Role to Assign Privileges" drop-down.
The administrator can select the given role in the drop-down and check off the boxes to give the user the ability
to use the functions that fit their role. NOTE: You can not change the privileges of roles already in the
system only the ones that have been created.

Role Privileges Tab

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If the administrator would like to go into more detail on what the new role can or cannot see, the black arrows
next to the given application functions allow them to expand and show more details of what goes into each
section. As you can see from the picture below there are descriptions with these to give the user a brief
overview on what the function does. Once all the functions are check that are wanted and uncheck that are not
needed, the administrator needs to click save. After this is done the new role should have the functions that
were specified by the administrator.

Application Functions

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11.3 Custom Fields Manager

Custom Fields can be created for any of Assembly Planner's entities. Custom fields allow clients to track
information beyond the standard fields included in Assembly Planner.

Types of entities and custom field examples

Item custom fields track a property of a part that is universal to that item, regardless of the operation or
activity being performed. For example, the supplier of a certain type of bolt or the material cost for a part
are custom fields that could be created.
BOMItem custom fields are different than Item custom fields. BOMItem does not refer to the item
universally, but to the item under a specific parent. The quantity of legs used to assemble a chair is a
BOMItem, because the number of required legs is specific to the parent chair and is not an item-specific
piece of information. Possible custom fields may be PartLocation (Where is this part being stored on the
line under this particular BOM?) or OperationSequenceNumber (Which task uses this part?).
Routing custom fields track information about processes beyond the standard information that Assembly
Planner asks for. For example, suppose that the engineers at MyPlant know that they would outsource
the assembly chair legs to PlantX if cost-cutting measures dictated and union rules allowed. A custom
field could be created to track the OutsourceVendor.
Operation custom fields describe information about workstations. AlternateWork station would be a good
custom field when work may need to be transferred quickly from the regular station.
Activity custom fields describe tasks being done by an operator. Whether or not the activity requires a
SafetyFlag would be easy to track with a custom field.
Consumption LineLocation or TorqueSetting
Resource custom field examples are plentiful: Cost, Vendor or MaintenanceSchedule are all things that
may be interesting to users.
ProcessResourceMapping custom fields describe the relationship of a resource with a specific
process. Sample fields include TorqueSetting or Quantity. Some process may require a higher torque
setting on a resource than a different process using the same resource.
ProcessStructure custom fields are created to track something interesting about a particular activity
under a particular process, where the property being tracked is not universal to that activity. Perhaps an
activity like tightening a bolt normally does not require the operator to wear gloves, but there is one
particular process where the bolt-tightening activity does require gloves. A RequiredPPE custom field
could record this.
Workstation custom fields record data about specific workstations. Perhaps the Overhead or LaborCost
for workstations need to be included in Assembly Planner.
Plant custom fields deal with information related to stations or the entire plant. For example,
SquareFootage or YearBuilt.
Model custom fields can be used to describe families, special characteristics, etc.
Option custom fields can be used to describe families, special characteristics, etc.
ProcessStructureOptionMapping2 custom fields can be used to capture properties of option mapping
in the Activity Model/Option mapping tab.
ControlPlanDetails custom fields can be used to capture data included in Control Plans.
MCO custom fields can be used to store details captured on an MCO
Location custom fields can be used to describe locations defined in PFEP.
RackLocation custom fields can be used to describe racks defined in PFEP.
ItemRackLocationMapping custom fields can be used to describe and detail part plans defined in
PFEP.
KanbanCard custom fields are controlled by Proplanner at this time and cannot be viewed or edited by
the user.

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Cart custom fields can be used to describe kitting carts defined in PFEP.
CartType custom fields can be used to describe kitting cart types defined in PFEP.
ScanningGroup custom fields can be used to describe cart groups defined in PFEP.
Container custom fields can be used to describe kanban containers defined in PFEP.
ContainerClass custom fields can be used to describe kanban container classes defined in PFEP.
ContainerType custom fields can be used to describe kanban container types defined in PFEP.
ReplenishmentSystem custom fields can be used to describe replenishment systems defined in PFEP.
OutputMethod custom fields can be used to describe output methods defined in PFEP.
Supplier custom fields can be used to describe suppliers defined in PFEP.
SupplierItemMapping custom fields can be used to store relevant properties of items delivered or
managed by particular suppliers in PFEP.
WorkSteps custom fields can be used to provide details associated with work steps.
A snapshot of the custom fields manager is shown below. The custom fields manager allows you to add,
remove and edit custom fields.
The first thing you must do is use the "Select Entity" drop-down to select the type of custom field you would
like to view, create, or edit.

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Add Custom Fields Function

After you have selected the entity, you can click on the 'Add' button in the bottom right hand corner of the
window and fill out the information shown below.

The Field Name is the name that will be used to store the associated information in the database. There should
not b e any spaces or special characters 5 in the Field Name. The Display Name is what will be shown in
Assembly Planner; it may include spaces but is best if it is similar to the Field Name.
Data Type is a drop-down where the user specifies the information the field will contain.
nvarchar is for text entry.
bit is for "yes or no" (Boolean) questions. Choosing bit will create checkboxes in the new custom field.
int (integer) is for numeric data (whole numbers).
bigint is essentially the same as int but is for very large values (greater than 2.15 billion).
float is for numeric data requiring decimal entry.
datetime formats the field entry as a date and time.
Max Length allows the user to specify the maximum length the field entry can be (typically used for the
nvarchar data type).
Default Value, if specified, will automatically fill in the field with this value unless the user chooses to enter a
different value. If there is a list defined for this field then the default should be an entry from that list. For
example, perhaps freight cost is only something that needs to be tracked on 1 in 1000 parts, and for the other
999, freight cost is negligible. Entering a default value of 0 will automatically take care of the freight cost field for
the 999 parts that are not of interest.
List provides a drop-down menu where the user can choose to associate a list with the custom field. The effect
is that users will see a drop-down menu to choose from when entering information in the custom field. The list
can be chosen from those provided with Assembly Planner, or a new one can be created in with the List
Management 426 tool in Data Management 410 . Note: In order for a list to appear for a newly created custom field, the
user must restart Assemb ly Planner.

If there is not a list associated with it, the field is open for users to enter information as they see fit. If the
administrator wants to control what is entered, a list needs to be associated with the custom field. For example,
it may be important to have a list in a situation where information for an MRP system is going to be extracted
from Assembly Planner. This would restrict the user to information that is correct and usable by the MRP
system. However, a list would typically not be appropriate for something like the description of activities on an
assembly line. In this case, it would be important to give users the freedom to enter information without a list.
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The two check boxes at the bottom of the window allow the administrator to specify the type of information
contained in the custom field. If the Read only box is checked, administrators will be able to edit the fields, but
other users will only be able to see the field. If it is not checked, the users will be able to modify information in
the field. If the Visible box is checked, the field will not be visible to non-administrator users. This would work
well for information that the administrator needs to use, but that would confuse other users. For example, it may
be helpful for an administrator to create a custom field tracing the work centers where operations currently take
place. Then after completing a line balance, the administrator will be able to report which operations have moved
and which remain at the same work center. However, it would not be necessary for other Assembly Planner
users to view the current work center field.
For further instruction on Creating Custom Fields 507 , Creating Lists 510 for custom fields, and Associating 512
those lists with the correct Custom Field, see the appropriate section of the Quick Start Tutorial.

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11.4 Template Manager

Templates are external files that all users need to access. In some cases, Assembly Planner reads files and
formats from uploaded templates rather than loading the information directly into the database; this is because
the template files are typically updated on a regular basis. There are five types of templates that Assembly
Planner uses: TimeEstimation, Ergonomics, WorkInstruction, Reports, and Images. The screen shot below
shows the dropdown containing the types of templates and what templates look like when they are loaded.

Each time Proplanner delivers an upgrade to the Assembly Planner system, a new set of template files should
be delivered as well. An administrator is responsible for loading these new templates and making other users
aware of changes to the templates.
To load the new templates as an administrator, you will first go to Admin Tools and open the Template Manager. First
make sure that you have unzipped the template files or folders you received. For each template folder, with the
exception of TimeEstimation files, select the same name from the drop down menu at the top of the screen. Then click
the Import button (or right-click in the white template list area and select 'Import.' Select all the new files you received
and import them into the Template Manager. If a previous version of the report already exists, you will be asked to
confirm its overwrite.
For Time Estimation templates files, select the files associated to the MTM-1 standard and import them just as
described above. For all other standard files, please refer to Loading Time Standard Templates 471 .
After completing the import of all new template files, make sure to click the 'Refresh Cache' button in the Template
Manager and restart your application for changes to take effect. Other users must manually refresh the templates on
their machines. To do this, remind them to go to the Assembly Planner Tools menu and select Refresh Templates. It
may take a few moments to collect all the new template information.

Editing Templates
To edit a spreadsheet-type template within Assembly Planner, select the template to be edited and click the
"check-out" button at the top of the editor. When the template is checked out 63 , the file can be opened and
edited within the template manager. The changes are uploaded when the template is checked in again.
Several templates will be in formats that cannot be edited inside of Assembly Planner (eg, .csv files). Editing
must be done outside of Assembly Planner in an appropriate software program (eg, Microsoft Excel). Checking
out 63 the template then double clicking on the name will open the template in the correct program.

11.4.1 Adding/Editing Time Standard Codes

Administrators can edit existing code template files starting in Assembly Planner's Template Manager. First go
to Admin Tools>Template Manager. Select TimeEstimation from the drop down menu at the top, select the
template you wish to edit, and right-click to select Export. This will allow you to save the file and open in
Microsoft Excel. Note: When editing, it is important to follow the format of existing template files. All colors and
styles should be replicated. In addition to loading the new code file, the existing "lookup" file needs to contain
the new code.
Continue through this section to learn how to add and edit code. Refer to Loading Templates 471 to learn how to
import the modified templates back into Assembly Planner (this should not be done through the Template
Manager).
The lookup spreadsheet file has a different format for each predetermined standard type. As a result, it is
important to edit this existing file, instead of creating a new lookup file. A lookup file for MTM-UAS is shown
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below. In this example, the code lookup text string is in column A (typical for all standards), and the MU value
is in column C. The value Add percentage is in column G, and the default code description is shown in column
H. Note that it is important that all codes that appear in your template XLS code table files, also have a
corresponding entry in the designated code Lookup file for that time standard.

We will walk through an example of adding a new MODAPTS code.

1. Open Assembly Planner and go to Admin Tools>Template Manager.
2. Fine the MODAPTS files - MODAPTS-Cognitive.xls, MODAPTS-MoveGet.xls, MODAPTS-MovePut.xls,
MODAPTS-Use_Juggle_Press_Crank.xls, MODAPTS-Walk_Sit_Bend.xls and MODAPTSLookup.xls.

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3. Select the MODAPTSLookup.xls, right-click and click Export. This will allow you to save the file and open it
in Microsoft Excel.

4. In the file you will find the following columnsCode - Type in the new code to be added in this column. Say we add a new code M2P3
Freq - Provide the frequency for this move. Our frequency is 1.
Desc - Provide a description for this code - Our description is - Test Code
Time - Provide the time in MODS - Our time is - 5
VA - Provide the Value Added content of this code - Our value added content is - 90

5. If you add a "combined code" as we have in the example (M2+P3), make sure that the individual codes also
exist in the lookup file. If M2 or P3 did not exist, we would add a line with each code's details.
6. Once you have finished editing, save the file as a .xls and close it.
7. Next we will add this code to the Move Put file. Open the MODAPTS-MovePut.xls file.

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8. Go back to the ProTime Estimation Template Manager, select the file and Export. Once the file is open,
create a column called test at the very end. In order to put in the new code the user MUST copy an existing
code into the desired cell and edit the same. Note that the look up capability will not work if an existing code
is not copied and edited. In our case we will copy any of the codes and paste it in the test column. Change
the value to M2P3.

9. Next save this file as an .xls and close it.

10. Continue to the next section to load the templates.

11.4.2 Loading Time Standard Templates

The code tables in Assembly Planner are simple 2003 MS Excel files (XLS extension), that contain text in fields
that are color-coded dark blue and are formatted as BOLD. When a user selects such a field, the application
will take the value in that cell and reference it against a lookup table, which will then enter the code's TMU/MOD
value, description and Value Add percentage in the element table below.
1. Go to Modules>Time Study and open the Calculated Time tab. The Basic MOST time standard (called
BMOST) is shown below, with a list of template files (XLS) shown on the left. In this example, a template file
was selected that also contained multiple spreadsheet tabs which each contain code tables.

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If you right-click in the list box of code template files, you can add, remove, or change the sequence of template
files. It is important to note that the lookup file which is referenced by the templates must be loaded and must
be tagged as the lookup file. See the next step for details.

2. Once the template spreadsheets are uploaded, select the Lookup.xls sheet (called BMostLookup in this
example) and select the 'Set Lookup' button.

3. Next close this window and restart the application for your changes to take effect. When you return to the
standard you edited, you should see the new codes in the element tables.

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11.5 Auto Numbering

In some cases, when a new entity is created in Assembly Planner, an ID for that entity is auto-generated. This
means that instead of the user defining a unique ID, the system will generate one. An administrator may set
auto numbering schemes so that this generation of IDs follow logic that fits with other systems already in
place.
Auto Numbering schemes may be set for the following entities in the Assembly Planner database:
Items
Routing
Operation
Activity
Resource
MCO
ECO

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12

Shop Floor Viewer

Logging In
Each user should enter the username and password that has been assigned to him or her. The user will then
select the relevant line, station, and operator using the drop-down menus. Continue by clicking the Login button.
Note: An administrator can select any station and any operator to log in with access to the Administration tools.
Also, an operator may not necessarily log in to the same line, station, and operator every day; the operators can
be rotated as desired.

User Roles
When an administrator adds a new user to the system, he or she assigns each user a role. The table below
shows the rights each user type has.
Administrator

Supervisor

Operator

Material Handler

View Build List (search

Instructions by Serial number)

View All Options (search

Instructions by Model number)

Add and Edit Change Requests

View Work Instructions

Run Part Query

Approve Work Instructions

Sign on to Work Instruction

Sign off Work Instruction

View Orders

Rearrange Order and Build Lists

Re-Assign Unit

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View Parts List Report

475

View Administration Tools

Manage Users

View Model List and Line

Assignment

Edit Application and Email

Settings

Manage Email Lists

Manage Hot Issue Templates

Manage Part Exception Emails

Run Reports

Assigning and Re-assigning Units

When an operator opens a work instruction from the build list or by scanning the unit serial number, he or she
has been assigned, or has "signed on," to the instructions for the unit. Once an operator is signed on to the
instruction for that unit, no other user can sign on. Also, once an operator is signed on to the instruction for a
unit, he or she is not allowed to sign on to another set of instructions.
If that operator completes all activities in the instruction set for that unit, he or she will see the Sign-Off page.
The operator can choose to enter comments, and then must click the Sign Off button before the unit is
considered finished and the operator can be assigned to the next unit. If a specific part serial number is
required for the unit, the operator will not be allowed to sign off until the part serial number has been entered
or scanned. (see Features of Work Instructions for more details).

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If that operator does not complete all activities in the instructions and it is necessary for a new operator to
take over (during a shift change, for example), the instruction can be re-assigned. Only administrators and
supervisors have permission to do so. When the new operator logs in to Shop Floor Viewer in the same Line,
Station, and Operator number as the previous operator and tries to open the instructions for the unit, he or
she will see an error message. The supervisor can click on the Re-Assign Unit button and enter his or her
username and password. The new operator can then click on View Instructions and the instructions will
appear on the screen.

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12.1 Template Features

At the top of the work instructions, important information is displayed like the unit serial number, VIN, station
and operator assignment, model, operation ID, model description, and option. This information will not change
as the activities for the unit change.
At the bottom of the work instruction, a time is displayed for each activity as well as any drawing or PPE
required for the activity.
If available, an image will be displayed on the instruction for each activity. If there are multiple images, they will
be automatically cycled on the display. If the operator wishes for a certain image to appear, he or she can use
the previous image

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and next image

buttons to scroll through the images.

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If parts are required to complete the activity, the user can also see part information like status, part number,
description, necessary quantity, and torque (if applicable) for every part used for to complete the activity. If
Effective From and Effective To dates are used and edited during the authoring process, the active parts, parts
to be timed in, and part to be timed out will appear separately. Additionally, the entire part row will be
highlighted in light red if the part has a part exception filed against it, and light gray if the part is going to be
timed out in the future.

Operators can click on an active Part Number hot link to file a part exception. The operator will be prompted to
select the exception code, inspection origination, exception quantity and a comment. An email notification will
be then be sent to the appropriate email list and the exception will enter the Part Exception Report. If there is a
flag in the status column of the part list, it is an indication that the serial number for that part must be tracked. If
the flag is grey
, the operator has not yet filed the serial number. Clicking on the Part Number hot link in this
case will also display a field for the serial number to be entered. If multiple units of the same part are required, a
serial number for each individual part must be entered. A green flag
been successfully tracked.

will indicate that the serial number has

The user may see several additional icon links throughout the work instructions. Below are descriptions of each.
The Safety Notes Document icon links to a file that has been associated to the activity.
The Quality Notes Document icon links to a file that has been associated to the activity.

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Clicking on the document link will display the text instructions for the activity. The window can be
closed by clicking the close

button in the upper-right hand corner.

Clicking on the tool link will display the necessary tooling information for the activity. The window can
be closed by clicking the close

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Clicking on the video link will display the video associated with the activity. The window can be closed
by clicking the close

button in the upper-right hand corner.

Users can click on the red Hot Line button to send an email notification about a concern or an
issue they have while working. A window will pop up prompting the user to select the issue type and enter the
subject of the issue as well as any comments.

The navigation toolbar

instructions.

allows the user to move back and forth between activity

The search button directs users to the Part Query menu to search for part information.
When the instruction is opened, the play button will automatically be set. The play button will make the
system advance according the time for the activity defined on the instruction. For example, if the time for the
current activity is 30 seconds, the instruction for that activity will be displayed for 30 seconds, then the
instruction for the next activity will be displayed.
The stop button will stop the work instructions from automatically advancing according the defined time for
the activity and the current activity will be displayed until the user clicks the play, reverse, or forward buttons.
The reverse button displays the work instruction for the previous activity.

The forward button displays the work instruction for the next activity.

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12.2 Build List

The Build List menu is used for viewing the build list for the current day and searching for work instructions by
serial number.
By clicking on the Get Build List button, users can view the serial number, VIN, model, model description, and
options for each part currently in the build list. Clicking on the serial number hot link will display the
corresponding work instruction, but will not sign the operator on to the unit.
If the serial number is known, users can type or scan it into the Enter Serial No field and click on the View
Instructions button. The work instructions for that serial number will then be displayed. When an operator views
instructions in this manner, the system also assigns the instructions to operator, meaning he or she is now
responsible for completing the instructions. See "Assigning and Re-assigning Instructions" in the Shop Floor
Viewer section 474 for more information.

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12.3 All Options

The All Options menu is used for accessing work instructions according to model number. Work instructions
accessed from this menu are for viewing purposes only; a user will not be assigned to the instructions if
opened. In this menu, instructions for each model can be obtained by one of two methods. The user can type
the Model ID in the search field and click on the Get Instructions Button button or the user can scroll through
the table of models and click on the selected model's hot link.
When changes are made to work instructions, the user will see an Approve hot link next to the model and
description. Each user should review the instructions pending approval, then click on Approve.

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12.4 Program Sign On

The Program Sign On tab is designed to help track labor. It has the following features:
Ability for an operator to select a Program Name from a dropdown menu, then scan badge number to
sign on to that program. A second badge scan will perform the sign-off from the same program, and
should only be done when the work assigned to that program. has been completed. An operator may
only be signed on to one program at any given time. If the operator attempts to sign on to a new
program, he or she will be automatically signed off from the current program. An operators sign on is
universal such that the operator is able to sign on and sign off of a program from different terminals.
An administrative user interface allows Supervisors and Administrators to edit the list of active
programs. Note: Deletion of an existing program will NOT delete the previous work logs for that
program.
Another administrative user interface allows Administrators to archive and clean previous program logs.
Reporting:
o

Ability for each operator to query his log by program and day.

Ability for Supervisors to obtain a report of all sign-ons by Program Name for ALL operators.

Ability to export these reports to Excel.

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12.5 Change Request

Users can view existing change requests and can add a new request by clicking on the Add Request button.
The relevant Model ID, Station ID, Operator ID, and description should be entered. When the user clicks on OK,
the request will be displayed in the list.
Requests can also be edited by selecting the request and clicking the Edit Request button The Model ID,
Station ID, Operator ID, Status, and Description fields may be edited.

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12.6 Orders
The Order Management menu displays the current order list and build list. The Edit Filter button allows the user
to choose specific models and options to view in the lists. A unit currently in the order list can be selected and
moved to the build list by clicking on the Send to BuildList button. A unit currently in the build list can also be
selected and moved the order list by clicking on the Send to OrderList button.

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12.7 Part Query

Users can search for and find part information in the Part Query menu. Any part associated to an activity that
has been published to the Shop Floor Viewer can be queried. Search data can be entered in any of the fields
displayed: P/N, Part Description, Location, Operation Keyword, or BOM. The part records found will be
displayed in the table once the Search button is clicked.

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12.8 Kitting Dashboard

Documentation coming soon.

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488

12.9 Reports
Operator Log - Administrators and Supervisors can view a list of which updated work instructions have been
reviewed by which operators. The Log reports the Username, Reviewed On date, Model ID, Station ID,
Version, Published By name, and Published On date for each approved work instruction. The log can be
exported to Excel and can be set to auto refresh if desired.
Note: Every time an instruction is published from Assembly Planner for a particular model and station, a new
version is created. The Version column indicates which publication version of the work instruction the operator
reviewed for that model and station.

Part List Log - This log can be exported to Excel and can be set to auto refresh if desired.

Signoff Report - All users can check the status of a pending unit or completed unit to see if and when the
operator signed on to and off of the instructions for the unit. Units can be searched by serial number, serial
number range, or data range. This log can be exported to Excel and can be set to auto refresh if desired.

Part Exception Report - Administrators and Supervisors can search for part exceptions filed according to
unit serial number, unit serial number range, or date range. This log can be exported to Excel and can be set
to auto refresh if desired.

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Administration
12.1
0
Management
Users - Administrators are allowed to manage users of Shop Floor Viewer. A new user can be added to
clicking the Add User button on the right hand side. The username and role are required to be assigned. The
full name, email address, and password and optional fields. The Is System Account box should be checked
only if the account is created by Proplanner. Administrators can also remove a user, edit user information, or
change user passwords by clicking on the appropriate buttons. The search fields at the top of each column
can be used to search and sort the user list. For example, the administrator can select a role type using the
drop-down menu so that only administrator accounts will be displayed. To perform a new search, click the
Clear hot link in the upper left hand corner of the table.
Models - The Model table is auto-populated and updated and cannot be edited; it is for reference purposes
only. The administrator can sort by the Line Assignment and view all models according to line.
Application Settings - The administrator can edit settings for the entire application. He or she can edit the
Part Picking Takt Offset, Tow Train Driver Takt Offset, TAKT Time, and SMTP Server. The administrator can
define the email address and name from which all emails will be sent and can send a test email to verify the
email system is functioning properly.

Kitting Tools - Kitting carts can be set up and reset in this tool. To set up the cart, the Cart Type ID and the
Unit Serial Numbers should be defined. Multiple Cart they are separated by commas and thatType IDs and
Unit Serial Numbers can be set up at once, as long as they are separated by commas and the number of
Cart Type IDS and Unit Serial Numbers match.
Email List - Email lists can be created, edited, and removed so that notification emails can be sent to groups
of users. An email list can be added by assigning a name to the list. Users can then be added or removed
from the email list. Entire email lists can also be removed.
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Hot Issue Templates - Once email lists have been created, administrators can define which type of
notifications are sent to which groups. They can do so by clicking the Add button and entering a Template
Name and the Email List for the template.

Part Exception Emails - When part exceptions are logged, emails can be sent to email lists. The
administrator can define the Station Order, ID, and Description and which email list to send exception
notifications; one station can only have one email list assigned to it.

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Document Viewer
12.1
1
The Document Viewer allows engineers to share many files with operators on the floor. Engineers can drop files
in a particular share drive and the Shop Floor Viewer will present the folder structure and files as they appear in
the drive. Operators can navigate through the folders and subfolders and open and view the documents, though
what they see is actually a recreation of the share drive - not the share drive itself. Therefore, the drive need not
be accessible to the shop floor computers.
Talk to your Proplanner representative about setting up appropriate share drives and document viewers for this
system.

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Standard Fields

13

493

Standard Fields

The Assembly Planner database comes with several fields built in. The tables below lists each of Assembly
Planner's standard fields, along with its description, whether it is generated automatically by Assembly Planner
or by the user, and whether or not the field is editable after initially defined. All other fields you may see have
been created as custom fields by clients.Additional custom fields may be added by an administrator.

Routing
Field

ID

Type

Description
Plant ID

Description

Generated by
Assembly Planner
or by User?
User

The ID is the tag that Assembly Planner uses to track

the routing in the database and the application.
Some MRP systems require multiple routing types. If
User
this is the case, the type field can be used to reflect
multiple types. The default value for type is M (main) and
need not be changed unless required.
A description for the routing. This may be left blank if
User
desired.
The name of the plant the routing is present within.
User

Editable?

No
No

Yes
No

The tables for Operations and Activities include whether the field is global or local. For an explanation of global
and local properties, see Editing the Process 60 .

Operation
Field

Status

ID

Type

Description

Time

Operation Text

OpSeqNo

Work Center

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Description

The status field contains a lock icon if the

operation is checked in to the database, a red
circle if it is checked out by another user, and is
blank if you have it checked out.
The ID is the tag that Assembly Planner uses to
track the operation in the database and the
application.
Some MRP systems require multiple operation
types. If this is the case, the type field can be
used to reflect multiple types. The Operation type
will match its routing type.
A description for the operation. This may be left
blank if desired.
The Time column displays the rolled-up total time
for the operation. The rolled-up time is calculated
by using the Time Standard Rank to sum all of
the activity times.
Text that is meant to be specific instructions about
the specific operation. Similar to description, but
can be longer and includes a spell check tool.
Operations in the Operation List are arranged by
default in the order of the Operation Sequence
Number.
The title of the work station at which this operation
occurs. The work station should be created in the
Plant Editor and then associated with the

Generated by
Editable?
Assembly Planner
or by User?
Assembly
No
Planner

Global or
Local?
Global

Assembly
Planner

No

Global

Assembly
Planner

No

Global

User

Yes

Global

User

No

Global

User

Yes

Global

Use

Yes

Local

User

Yes

Local

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EffectiveFromDate

EffectiveToDate

appropriate operation.
The date FROM which the operation is effective (is User
in use) under its routing. By default, this is set to
the date that the operation is created.
The date TO which the operation is effective (is in User
use) under this routing. Operations become
obsolete after the Effective To Date. By default,
this date is set to December 31, 2030.

Yes

Local

Yes

Local

Activity
Field

Status

ID

Description

The status field contains a lock icon if the activity

is checked in to the database, a red circle if it is
checked out by another user, and is blank if you
have it checked out.
The ID is the tag that Assembly Planner uses to
track the activity in the database and the
application.

Generated by
Assembly
Planner or by
User?

Assembly
Planner

Editable?

Global or
Local?

No

Global

Assembly
No
Planner
generates only if
User does not

Global

Some MRP systems require multiple activity

Assembly
types. If this is the case, the type field can be
Planner
Type
used to reflect multiple types. The activity type will
match its operation type.
A description for the activity. This may be left blank User
Description
if desired.
Est. Time
The estimated time entry for the activity.
User
The percentage of the activity's estimated time
User
Est VA %
that is Value-Added. This may also be in time
units, not %.
The percentage of the activity's estimated time
User
Est NVA %
that is Non-Value-Added. This may also be in time
units, not %.
The percentage of the activity's estimated time
User
Est SVA %
that is Semi-Value-Added. This may also be in
time units, not %.
The side or area of the line in which the activity
User
must take place, if it needs to be restricted.
Work Zone
Activities should have no more than one work
zone and most activities will likely have no work
zones.
The date FROM when the activity is effective (is in User
EffectiveFromDate use) under this operation. By default, this is set to
the date that the activity is created.
The date TO which the activity is effective (is in
User
use). Activities are obsolete for the parent
EffectiveToDate
operation after the Effective To Date passes. By
default, this date is set to December 31, 2030.
An entry here assigns the activity to a group of
User
Group ID
tasks.

No

Global

Yes

Global

Yes
Yes

Global
Global

Yes

Global

Yes

Global

Yes

Global

Yes

Local

Yes

Local

Yes

Local

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Standard Fields

The number of times this activity is repeated

under the particular operation.

User

Yes

Local

Frequency

The Activity Sequence Number orders the

activities under an operation.

User

Yes

Local

ActSeqNo

The OperatorID is used to indicate which operator Assembly

Yes
is assigned to an activity. During the default line Planner or User
balance, Assembly Planner will assign Operator
IDs in sequential order (1, 2, 3, etc.). The user can
rename the Operator IDs as they choose. When a
line balancing scenario is applied, the OperatorID
is one of the fields that is filled in with results from
the scenario.

Local

OperatorID

495

The information for Items, BOMs and Resources can be imported. Refer to the Import Data 411 section for more
information.

Item Standard Fields 413

Field

Description

Mandatory
to Import

ID

Each item must have an ID that is unique. It can be alphanumeric.

YES

Revision

Each Item must have a revision. The revision rules section

130 explains what revisions are supported.

YES

Description

A description for the item being imported. This field can be

up to 512 characters long or left blank.

NO

ItemType

Proplanner has seven item types. The default item type is

Assembly.
Assembly
EndItem
Item
Manufactured
Purchased
RawMaterial

NO

Each of these item types has a different icon that will be

associated with the item in the Assembly Planner system.
PrimaryUnitOfMeasure

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The default unit of measure is EA (each). Possible units of

measure are:
EA - EACH
PC - PIECE
IN - INCH
FT - FEET
BF - BOARD FEET
OZ - OUNCE
KG - KILOGRAM
GR - GRAM
LT - LITER

NO

496

SC - SQUARE CENTIMETER
SM - SQUARE METER
MM - MILLIMETER
ML - MILLILITER
M - METER
LB - POUND
IG - IMPERIAL GALLON
GA - US GALLON
QT - QUART
PT - PINT
If you would like to add different units of measure, please
contact Proplanner.

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Standard Fields

BOM Standard Fields 414

Field

Description

Mandatory
to Import

ID

Each item must have a unique ID. However, since items are
often used in multiple operations, Assembly Planner allows
the item IDs to be repeated in the BOM import file.

YES

Revision

Each Item must have a revision. The revision rules section

130 explains what revisions are supported.

YES

Description

A description for the item being imported. This field can be

up to 512 characters long or left blank.

NO

ParentID

Each Parent item must have an ID.

YES

ParentRevision

Each Parent item must have a revision.

YES

ItemType

Proplanner has seven item types. The default item type is

Assembly.
Assembly
EndItem
Item
Manufactured
Phantom
Purchased
RawMaterial

NO

Each of these item types has a different icon that will be

associated with the item in the Assembly Planner system.
PrimaryUnitOfMeasure

The default unit of measure is EA (each). Possible units of

measure are:
EA - EACH
PC - PIECE
IN - INCH
FT - FEET
BF - BOARD FEET
OZ - OUNCE
KG - KILOGRAM
GR - GRAM
LT - LITER
SC - SQUARE CENTIMETER
SM - SQUARE METER
MM - MILLIMETER
ML - MILLILITER
M - METER
LB - POUND
IG - IMPERIAL GALLON
GA - US GALLON
QT - QUART
PT - PINT
If you would like to add different units of measure, please
contact Proplanner.

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NO

497

498

EffectiveFromDate

The date FROM when the item becomes effective under the
parent. The default date is the same as the import date.

NO

EffectiveToDate

The date TO when the item stays effective under the parent.
The default date is December 31 2030.

NO

Quantity

Quantity of the child under the parent. The default value is 1.

NO

Resource Standard Fields 417

Field

Description

Mandatory
to Import

ID

Each resource must have a unique ID and must be created

by the user.

YES

Description

A description for the item being imported. This field can be

up to 512 characters long or it may be left blank.

NO

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499

Quick Start Tutorials

In this section, you will find step-by-step instructions accompanied by examples. These tutorials are intended to
help you get started using the software and familiarize you with the most commonly used aspects of the
software.
For more examples using more complex data, there are Advanced Tutorials.

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14.1 Add a Plant

You will need to begin by adding a plant because all processes are tied to a specific plant. (One plant may have
already been created, upon system implementation). Additionally, workstations can be created within a plant.
1. In the Library menu, click the Plant

icon. This will bring up the Plant Editor.

2. Next, click on the "Add" button. Fill in plant details in the Add New Plant window that pops up. A plant
named MyPlant will be created for these tutorials. The default end effectivity date is set here as 1/1/2030

3. Once the plant(s) has (have) been added, the user will be asked to restart the application. It is necessary to
close and restart the program so the new information is added to the database.

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4. After the plant is added and the application has been restarted, it is time to enter station data for the plant.
This can be done by manually typing information into the spreadsheet in Assembly Planner or by copying
and pasting from a different spreadsheet. Return to the Plant Editor and select MyPlant from the drop-down
menu. MyPlant began with 18 stations. Below, the station information is copied from a Microsoft Excel file
and pasted into Assembly Planner. Note that only station ID and description are copied in; resources need to b e
imported b efore they can b e associated with a station.

Copy From Excel

Paste to Sheet

Here, 18 stations have been created. Save again after pasting data into Assembly Planner.
The next step is to add users 502 for the plant.

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14.2 Add a User (Admin Tools)

1. In order to manage and create users, go to Admin Tools and select the users icon
. You need to b e
logged in as an administrator to add users or modify most user information. Any user can change their own
password 42 .
2. Click the Add button to add users to the system.

3. You need to provide a user name, full name, and password and assign them a role 458 . The new user will be

able to change their password

42

later if they choose.

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Also, the administrator can assign a plant to new or existing users by selecting a plant from the Default Plant
drop-down list.

4. Clicking OK adds the user to the system, and the new account will appear in the user editor.

The next step is to import templates 504 for the plant.

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14.3 Import Templates (Admin Tools)

After setting up the plant and the users, it is time to import templates. The templates include the data lookup
sheets used in calculated time studies, work instruction templates, and a variety of reports. (This step may not
be required, as it may have been previously performed during system implementation).
The templates need to be loaded so that Assembly Planner has access to the information it needs; load the
templates once, and you will not need to repeat the process unless there has been an update to a template.

1. In the Admin Tools menu, click on the Template Manager icon

. In the template manager editor, you
can see which templates have been loaded. The first time you look at the template manager, it will be empty
because the templates have not yet been loaded.
2. Click on the Import button
OR right-click on the empty worksheet space and select import from the
drop-down menu (see figure below).

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3. Make sure to select the correct type of template in the Select Template Type drop-down menu
(TimeEstimation for the example below).

4. Next, find the Templates folder (this folder was provided by Proplanner with the Assembly Planner software).
You will see five sub-folders. The contents of Time Estimation, Work Instructions, Ergonomics Templates
and XSLT reports all need to be uploaded. The Image folder contents should be uploaded if they contain
images that need to be accessed by all users (eg, company logo or plant-wide personal protective equipment
photos).
In the correct templates folder, select the file or files to upload. To select all templates in the folder, click the
first file in the list, hold the shift key, and then click the last file in the list.

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5. When the templates have been successfully imported, they appear in the template manager editor as shown
below.

6. Next, change the "Template Type" via the drop-down menu.

7. Repeat the process: select Import, find and select the appropriate files, then click "Open". Continue until all
templates from each type are imported.

The use of the rest of the buttons on the toolbar is discussed in the Documents 108 section.

The next step is to create custom fields 507 for the plant.

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14.4 Create Custom Fields (Admin Tools)

Custom fields may be created to store or track data that is not otherwise captured by Assembly Planner. You
are not required to use custom fields they are provided entirely for your convenience.

1. To create a custom field, go to Admin Tools and click on the Custom Fields Manager .
2. Choose the type of custom field you want to create by using the Select Entity drop-down menu. For a review
of the entity types, see the Custom Fields Manager 464 in the Admin Tools reference section.

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3. After you have selected the appropriate entity type, click the "Add" button at the bottom of the Custom Fields
Manager.

4. Type in the Field Name and Display Name of the new custom field. Choose the correct data type (review the
options in the Custom Fields Manager 464 section of Admin Tools). If you are creating a string field (nvarchar)
and you want to be able to enter more than 50 characters in the field, make sure to increase the Max Length
before you create the field, as this cannot be changed after creation.
You may also choose to associate an existing list with the custom field at this point. However, lists can be
associated or disassociated after the field has been created. See Create Lists for Custom Fields 510 for more
information.

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5. The new custom field will appear in the list. It will also appear in the appropriate editors and modules. When
you leave the custom fields manager, you will be asked to exit Assembly Planner and restart the application.
This saves the new custom field in the database structure.

The next step is to create lists for custom fields 510 .

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14.5 Create Lists for Custom Fields

Every Custom Field can have a drop-down list associated with it. A list restricts possible entries in the custom
field to those in the list. If there is no list associated with it, the field is open for users to enter information as
they see fit; this method works for many custom fields. However, if it is important to control what is entered, a
list needs to be associated with the custom field.
For example, it may be important to have a list if information for an MRP system will be extracted from
Assembly Planner. This would restrict the user to enter only information that is correct and usable by the MRP
system. However, a list would typically not be appropriate for something like the description of activities on an
assembly line. In this case, it would be important to give users the freedom to enter information without a list.
1. In the Data Mgmt menu, click on the List Management button

2. Click the "Add" button.

3. The Add/Edit List window will pop up. Enter the list name. Make sure that the data type selected for the list
matches the data type of the custom field the list will be used with. The checkboxes may be used to control
the layout and depth of information of the list. The show ID and Description will display the entire description
in the drop-down in custom fields.

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4. When the new list has been created, select the list from the drop-down menu. Click the edit button at the
bottom of the spreadsheet.

5. Make your entries. You may include a description, which is especially helpful if the list entries are
abbreviations or include a numbering system.

6. When you have completed your list, click "Save". The list will now be available to associate with any custom
field; an administrator can assign the list to a custom field by editing the custom field in Admin Tools. See
Associate Lists with Custom Fields 512 for step-by-step instructions on associating the list to the custom
field.

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14.6 Associate Lists with Custom Fields (Admin Tools)

After creating the custom field and a list to go with it, it is time to tie the two together.

1. To associate a list with a custom field, go to Admin Tools and click on the Custom Fields Manager
button.
2. Select the correct entity type and find the desired custom field.

SELECT ENTITY TYPE

FIND DESIRED FIELD

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3. Next, click "Edit". This will allow you to make changes in the Edit Field Properties window.

4. Select the appropriate list from the List drop-down then click "OK".

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514

5. You now see the list is associated with the field in the Custom Fields Manager. The list values will appear as
a drop-down wherever entries are made into the custom field.

The next step is to import a bill of materials 515 for the plant.

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14.7 Import a Bill of Materials

1. Before you can import a bill of materials, the file from which it will be imported must be prepared. The file
must contain fields (columns) for all of the mandatory BOM standard fields 493 , as well as any user-created
BOM custom fields. The column name in the external file must match the field name exactly (and for custom
fields, the field name may be different than the display name). For example, the field containing a description
of the part should be titled Description, not Part Description

2. When the import file is ready, go to Data Management and click on the Import

button.

3. Select the appropriate import type (BOM). Choose whether the BOM will be imported as an eBOM or an
mBOM.
4. Then click "Browse" to select the import file.

5. When you have selected the correct file, click "Open". Your BOM should display correctly in the Import Data
worksheet. If you have problems here, please check your external file again.

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6. The last step is to click the "Import" button at the bottom of the window. This is what actually brings the data
into Assembly Planner. When you are finished, you will see this message:

If the components that were imported were new to the system, they are now searchable in the Component
Editor's component list. If the components previously existed in the system (ie, the ID already appeared in
the database), the information will be updated.

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14.8 Import Items

1. Before you can import items, the file from which they will be imported must be prepared. The file must
contain fields (columns) for all of the mandatory item standard fields 493 , as well as any user-created item
custom fields. The column name in the external file must match the field name exactly (and for custom fields,
the field name may be different than the display name). For example, the field containing a description of the
part should be titled Description, not Part Description.

2. When the import file is ready, go to Data Management and click on the Import

button.

3. Select the appropriate import type (Item). Choose whether the Import Mode is Merge or New. Merge allows
for updating ID's previously found in the system; it is the most commonly used import mode.
4. Click "Browse" to select the import file.

5. When you have selected the correct file, click "Open". Your BOM should display correctly in the Import Data
worksheet. If you have problems here, please check your external file again.

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6. The last step is to click the "Import" button at the bottom of the window. This is what actually brings the data
into Assembly Planner. When you are finished, you will see this message:

If the components that were imported were new to the system, they are now searchable in the Component
Editor's component list. If the components previously existed in the system (ie, the ID already appeared in
the database), the information will be updated.

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14.9 Add an Assembly

New assemblies do not have to be added via import. They can also be added directly to the Component List.
Assemblies are components made up of other components; they can have children under them.
1. Click on the Component Editor

button.

2. Right-click in the Component List and select "Add New".

3. Enter the ID and a description, then click "OK". If you refresh your search, the assembly will appear in the
list.
The next step is to add an item 520 .

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Add an Item
14.1
0
Adding an item individually means adding a child to an assembly component. This is done in the BOM tab of
the Component Editor.
1. In the Library, click on the Component Editor

button.

2. Search for the component you want to add children to. Select the most recent revision and check it out for
editing.

3. Go to the BOM tab. Only the mBOM can be edited here, so you may as well hide the eBOM portion to free
up more space. Click the
to hide the eBom.

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4. Right-click and choose 'Insert As Sibling'. Choose either Existing Item or New Item. If you choose to insert an
existing item, you can select from the existing items. In this way, a BOM structure can be created out of the
item list.

5. If you choose to insert an existing item, it must be searched for using the search control and added by
clicking OK.

6.If you choose to create a new item, it must be given an ID and can be given a description. This feature is
primarily for tracking items used in manufacturing that design is not concerned with (and therefore were not
created in the eBOM).

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7. You can also add text items, but they must be from the database and do not create a new part. Text items
are used as reference items only, and are not able to be used or consumed in a BOM.

8. Resources can also be added to the BOM. These are selected from a list of resources within the
database.

9. One of each has been added to the item below. 420 was existing, 520 was created, Pneumatic was
added, and 225610 was a new text item.

The next step is to add a routing 523 for the plant.

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Add a Routing
14.1
1
Routings are Assembly Planner's highest-level processes. A routing has one or more operations under it, and
each operation will have several activities underneath it.
1. To add a routing, go to the Library and click on the Routing Editor

button.

2. Right-click in the routing list area and select 'Add New'.

3. Type in an ID and description for the routing. Plant ID matches the plant where the routing is applicable (this
is important for systems with more than one plant). Please note the description is the only field that can b e
edited later.

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4. Click "OK" to add the routing. You will see a confirmation message:

The next step is to add operations to a routing 525 .

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Add Operations to a Routing

14.1
2
1. To add operations to a routing, go to the Library and click on the Routing Editor

button.

2. Find the appropriate routing with the search feature. Make sure you are searching in the correct plant. Select
the routing.

3. Go to the Operation List tab to the right. When a new routing has been added, this will be a blank
spreadsheet.

4. You can modify the set-up of the columns in the Operation List by right-clicking and selecting 'Customize
View' 21 . You may choose which fields are displayed or hidden, as well as rearrange the order of the fields.
Click on the column name to select it, and then hide, show, or move it.

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5. When the worksheet is set up to your satisfaction, you can enter data by manually typing it in or by copying
and pasting from an external source (ie, Microsoft Excel). Fields that are slightly shaded like Status, ID and
Type are not user-editable. When you 'Save', these fields, and a few others will be automatically populated if
needed (ID is always needed).

6. When your operations have been created, you will be able to search for them in the Operation Editor and to
add activities 527 underneath them.

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Add Activities to Operations

14.1
3
1. To add activities to operations, go to the Library and click on the Operation Editor

button.

2. Next, search for the operation the activities will be added to. Make sure the Plant ID and Routing are correct.
If you know the operation sequence number you are looking for, enter it. If not, enter the % wildcard.

3. Select the correct operation by clicking on it.

4. Now look at the Activity List tab to the right. If no activities have been entered, this will be blank.

You can modify the set-up of the columns in the Activites List by right-click ing and selecting 'Customize View'
21 . You may choose which fields are displayed or hidden, as well as rearrange the order of the field

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5. When the worksheet is set up to your satisfaction, you can enter data by manually typing it in or by copying
and pasting from an external source (ie, Microsoft Excel). Make sure to enter the estimated time for each
activity if you intend to use the Line Balancing Module. Fields that are slightly grayed out, like Status, ID and
Type are not user-editable. When you 'Save', the non-user-editable fields will be populated.

6. The Operation Editor's Activity List is set up like a worksheet so that you can enter the bulk of an activity's
information here. However, you will need to go to the Activity Editor to add calculated time studies, resources
used, or parts consumed. You can find the activity in the Activity Editor by double clicking on the far left
column of its row in the Operation Editor or by searching under the appropriate routing in the Activity Editor.
The next step is to create a precedence graph 529 for the plant.

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Create the Precedence Graph

14.1
4
Defining precedence is ordering the tasks (activities) according to the required sequence.
You will need to create some sort of precedence graph if you intend to use the automatic line balance tool.
In the graph view, the precedence can be modified by deleting arcs between tasks and redrawing them to set
the correct precedence. To delete an arc, click on it and press the delete key. To draw a new arc, move the
mouse to the middle of the node. The cursor will be a hand sign; click and release at the desired node.
In the sheet view, enter the row number of the task(s) that must come directly before the current row.
Please note that the row numbers are used, and not the activity ID. Also, the entries in the predecessor column
are dynamic and automatically update. If new activities are inserted into the middle of the sheet and the row
numbers change, they automatically change in the predecessor column as well.
If an activity has multiple direct predecessors (meaning the order in which the predecessors are completed does
not matter as long as all are completed before the given activity), create a comma-separated list in the
Predecessors column. If an activity has no predecessors, the cell in the Predecessors column should remain
blank.
1. To create a precedence graph, go to the Library and click on the Routing Editor

button.

2. Search for and select the correct routing. Right-click on the routing name and click Check Out for Edit.
3. Go to the graph tab. Notice the two tabs, Sheet View and Graph View, at the bottom of graph tab.

4. Since no precedence has been set, the 'Predecessors' column in the sheet view is blank, and the graph view
shows disconnected nodes. Note that the color of the nodes corresponds to the Work Zone, and may not be
set. The default for no work zone is grey.

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5. To put all of the activities in sequential order by Activity ID, click on the "Default Precedence"
the precedence toolbar. This step is not necessary, but is sometimes helpful.

button in

6. The precedence toolbar contains Zoom tools, Edit Mode (which you must be in to create precedence
manually), Pan Mode, Auto Layout, Default Precedence and a button to check for cycles.

7. We can create the precedence structure either in the sheet view or the graph view. Remember that the point
of precedence is to specify which tasks must happen before another one can possibly occur. Mak ing
changes in either view automatically mak es the same changes the other view.
a. To create or edit precedence in the graph view, draw an arc from one activity to the next by moving
the cursor to the middle of the predecessor node, clicking and holding down the left mouse button,
and releasing when you reach the middle of the following node. To remove an arc, click on the arc to
select it and then use the keyboard "Delete" key.

When you click Save or the Auto Layout

set precedence relationships.

button, the nodes will be rearranged to display the newly

If you are zooming in or out or panning the view while you are trying to draw arcs, check the buttons at
the top to mak e sure you are in "Edit Mode".

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connect nodes

click save or auto layout

b. To create or edit precedence in the sheet view, enter the row number of a task's predecessor in the
'Predecessors' column. If a task has multiple predecessors, enter all row numbers and separate them
by a comma.

Note that the worksheet's ROW NUMBERS are used here. It is not the activity ID of the predecessor, b ut the
numb er of the row that the predecessor appears in.

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8. When you are finished, you will be able to see how the whole process fits together. It may be helpful to read
through the graph view and make sure that all activities that should be connected are, and activities that do
not need to be connected are not. Real processes almost always appear to be more complicated than the
example shown here.

The next step is to import resources 533 .

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Import Resources
14.1
5
Resources (tools) are associated to activities so that they can be displayed in work instructions. Doing a
resource import is a much quicker way to build your Resource Library than is adding resources one by one.
1. Before importing a list of resources, the import file must be prepared. The file must contain fields (columns)
for both the resource ID and a description (resource standard fields 493 ) as well as any custom fields that deal
with resources. The column name in the external file must match the field name exactly (and for custom
fields, the field name may be different than the display name).
2. When the import file is ready, go to Data Management and click on the Import

button.

3. Select the appropriate import type (Resource). Choose the import mode. Add New is for lists of new
resources; Merge is the choice if any of the Resource IDs in the import file have already been entered in
Assembly Planner.
4. Click "Browse" to select the import file. When you have selected the correct file, click "OK". The data should
display in the spreadsheet.
5. The last step is to click the "Import" button at the bottom of the window. This is what actually brings the data
into Assembly Planner. When you are finished, you will see this message:

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Associate Resources with Workstations

14.1
6
Associating resources to workstations lets Assembly Planner know where resources, particularly monumental
resources, are in the current state. Then during line balancing, you can require Assembly Planner to assign
tasks requiring a monumental resource to the correct station. Assembly Planner will also flag activities requiring
other resources if they are assigned to stations that do not have the correct resources; then you know that you
need to move the resource.
1. Assigning resources to stations occurs after resources have been imported or otherwise added to the
system. To assign resources to a station, go to the Library and click on the Plant Editor

button.

2. Select the correct plant from the drop-down at the top.

3. You will see the station list for the plant. In the row for the station the resource is being added to, right-click
in the Resources column. Select 'Edit Resource Mapping'.

4. Click the "Select" button at the bottom.

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5. Search for the correct resource using the search bar at the top of the 'Select Resources' window.
6. Select the resource and click "Add".

7. You will be taken back to the Edit Resource Mapping window, where you will see a list of all resources
assigned to that station. At this point, you can choose "Select" again to add another resource (repeat steps
five and six), or choose "Close" to return to the station list.

8. When you choose to "Close" out of the Edit Resource Mapping window, you will see that the added
resources appear in the Resources column.

9. Repeat until all necessary associations have been made. It is up to you to choose whether only monumental
resources are assigned to stations or if all resources are assigned to their current locations. Note that
assigning resources here does not flag them as monumental; the "monumental" designation is assigned
within a line balancing scenario.

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Associate Resources with Activities

14.1
7
Associating resources to activities lets Assembly Planner know which resources are required to perform a given
task. During line balancing, this allows the program to flag stations that do not have the resources required for
the tasks assigned. In work instructions, the resources required for an activity will be displayed.
1. To associate resources with activities, go to the Library and click on the Activity Editor

button.

2. In the search list, search for the activity you are setting assigning a resource to. Enter the correct routing and
selected the correct plant to make the search faster.
3. Select the activity and check it out.

4. Go to the resource tab.

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5. Click the "Add" button at the bottom. This will bring up the Select Resources window.

6. Search for the correct resource and select it.

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7. Click "Add" to finish the process. The resource will appear in the worksheet.

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Consumption (Associate Components with Activities)

14.1
8
Consumption is associating parts to the activities that consume them. The parts are mapped to activities so
that they can be displayed in work instructions and line balancing reports.
1. To set up consumption, go to the Library and click on the Activity Editor

button.

2. Search for the activity for which you are setting up consumption. To speed up the search, make sure you
have entered the correct routing and selected the correct plant.
3. Select the activity and check it out.

4. Go to the consumption tab.

5. At the bottom of the worksheet area, you can choose to either "Add from BOM" or "Add From Library".

a. When you "Add from BOM", use the Item Search to find the parent of the components you are
adding. When you click on the parent, the children of the parent will appear on the right (in the BOM
for Selected Item field). You may check the boxes next to the components that should be added.

Click "OK" when you are finished.

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b. When you "Add from Library", you can only add one component at a time. Search for the part you
want to add, select it and click "OK" when you are finished.

6. After you have added parts for consumption, they will appear in the consumption tab worksheet. Check to
ensure the quantity is correct. If you added from the BOM, the quantity is more likely to be correct since
quantities are stored in the BOM. However, if you added from the library, you will most likely need to adjust
the quantity.

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Create a Line Balance Scenario

14.1
9

Before You Balance

To use the line balance module, you should have already entered data in the Library. Particularly, you must
have a routing with operations and activities under it. The precedence graph must be set up and the activities all
need to have estimated times associated with them.
After you have the precedence graph and the activities have times, you can do a basic line balance. To add
more depth to the line balance, you may also want to:
map models and options to your activities
set up the resources that activities use
map the resources to workstations
set up consumption
The things on the list are not required to create a line balance, but they will almost certainly make your line
balance more accurate.

Creating a Balance Scenario

1. To set up a new line balance scenario, go to Modules and click on Line Balancing
2. Go to File > New Scenario. The Scenario Details screen will appear.
3. Set up the scenario details.
a. Give your scenario a name and enter any notes about the scenario.

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b. Choose the appropriate Time Rank for the scenario. The time rank specifies the order in which you prefer
to use the various types of time associated with each activity. For example, in the screenshot above,
the time rank can be interpreted in the following way: if the activity has an Observed time associated,
the program will use that time. If not, the program will check to see if there is an Estimated time
associated with the activity. If so, the program will use the Estimated time. However, if neither
calculated nor estimated times are associated with the activity, the program will use the Calculated
time.
c. Choose the Product Line Type. If you want to balance the line for a specific model, choose Single Model
Line. If you want to consider several models as you balance the line, choose Mixed Model Line.
d. Choose the Line Type. If you would like to use zone constraints, choose Multi-Sided. If zones are not
important, you can do a Single-sided line.
e. Click "Next".

4. Set up the Routing Details.

a.

Click the "Select"

button and a search window will open. Search for the correct routing.
Click on it so it is highlighted. Then click "Add". You will return to the Routing Details window.

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b.

543

This portion of step four (4b) applies only to MIXED MODEL BALANCES. If you chose a single model
balance, go to 4c.
If you have created a Mixed Model Balance, you need to set up Model Details before moving to the next
screen. The models present within the routing will populate the sheet. If the exclude box is checked,
that model will not be present in the line balance. All of the unchecked models must be given a
percentage based on the percent of time that specific model goes through the routing. In the case
below, the first and third models are equally likely to enter into the routing, and the second is excluded.
Note that the percentages must add up to one if the "Use Percentage" box is not checked. If that box
is checked they must add to 100.

c.

Click "Next".

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5. Set up the Task Details.

a.

All of the activities from the routing you selected will appear in this window. If you choose to exclude
some of them, highlight the row and click "Exclude". You can also adjust the time unit via dropdown.

When you have excluded a task, you will see that the text is grayed out. The screenshot below shows
an example; task 5 has been excluded.

b.

Click "Next".

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6. Set up the station details.

a.

Choose your stations. There are several ways to do this:

If you have created stations (in the Plant Editor) and mapped resources to them, choose "Add Existing"
to select these stations for the balance scenario. This is the situation shown in the screenshot.
An alternative is to "Add New" and create stations that exist only in this scenario. These stations will
have no resource information associated with them.
The third option is to not associate any stations with the scenario; all of the stations necessary will be
generated by Assembly Planner. These stations also do not have any resource data associated with
them.
In summary, if you are planning to consider monumental resource constraints in the balance, you
should use existing stations. Otherwise, you may add and name new stations or you may continue
without creating stations and Assembly Planner will create generic stations.

b.

Click "Finish".

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7. When a new line balance is created, none of the tasks are assigned to stations. Your screen will look
something like this screenshot:

The next step is to run an automatic line balance 547 for the scenario.

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Perform an Automatic Line Balance

14.2
0
You need to have a scenario set up. See the Creating a Line Balance Scenario 541 tutorial if you need to set up
a scenario. If the scenario already exists, go to the line balancing module, then go to File and select Open
Scenario. Choose your scenario and click "Open".

Performing a Balance
If you have a scenario with a single-sided line, one operator per station, and no monumental resources, skip to
step four. Otherwise, follow the steps that pertain to your scenario.
1. Typically, multi-sided lines are chosen because the activities have some sort of zone restriction. A multisided balance allows you to set up set up zones for stations where needed. Station zones are set up within
the scenario and are stored only in this scenario.*
Remember that adding one or multiple zones to stations is a constraint; you are restricting what type of work
can be assigned there. This is often necessary, but keep in mind that the tighter the scenario is constrained,
the lower the resulting operator utilization is likely to be.
Go to Edit and select Station Details. Enter the appropriate work zones in the Work Zones column. Stations
may have multiple work zones; separate the zones by a comma. "Left", "left", "L" and "LEFT" will be
recognized as four different zones, so make sure you are consistent. The work zone names must match the
work zone names given to the activities; Assembly Planner will match the text exactly.
If you do not see the Work Zones column, you have created a single sided line.

*This is in contrast with the way zones are assigned to activities; zones for activities are set up and stored in
the Library. Zones for stations, however, do not exist outside of the scenario.
2. Designate stations as Multiple-Operator. If you want multiple operators at one station, the operator count is
also specified in Edit > Station Details. Simply change the number in the Operator Count column to reflect
the number of operators at that station. If you do have a station that has multiple operators, you should
strongly consider using work zone constraints as well. Multiple operators and work zones goes well together,
because it helps prevent operators being assigned work that causes them to trip over each other. Operators
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can also be 'Shared' between stations, causing a single operator to be responsible for tasks in multiple
stations. This sheet can also be used to identify setup times and descriptions for each station.

3. Specify any Monumental Resources.Please remember that the Monumental Resource constraint will only be
helpful if the monument is assigned to a station (Library > Plants Editor > Resource column) and certain
activities have this resource assigned as necessary (Library > Operation Editor > Activity List > Resource
column).
Monumental resources are given their 'monumental' designation within the line balance scenario, and it will
not apply outside of the line balance scenario. To set a resource as monumental, go to Edit and select
Monumental Resources. The Edit Monumental Resources window will come up. Check the box next to a
monumental resource.

Finally, when you get to Step 4, make sure you check the 'Consider Monumental Resources' box.
4. To balance the line using your scenario, go to Actions > Default Balance or click the Default Balance
button.
a.

Select a Balance Type. You may choose to Minimize Number of Stations, which will find the least
number of stations necessary given the Takt time you provide. Otherwise, you can choose to Minimize
Cycle Time, which will calculate the lowest cycle time possible with the number of stations you have
specified.

b.

Select the algorithm. This portion of step 4 applies only to MIXED MODEL BALANCES a single model
balance only has one option. Refer to the Line Balancing Algorithms 263 section of the manual for an
explanation of the different algorithms.

c.

Based on your selection in 4a, you will be required to enter either the desired cycle time (Takt) or the
number of stations available.

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549

Make sure you check the box next to "Consider Monumental Resources" if you want the monumental
resources designated in step three to be considered.

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e.

Click "OK". Your line balance results will appear.

5. You can generate reports by going to Reports > Report Manager. For more information on all Assembly
Planner Reports, see Reports 318 . Select the report you want and then select the stations if necessary.
Clicking "Generate" creates the reports. The reports can be printed or saved as an HTML file.
6. Modifications can be made to this scenario using the tools in the Edit menu.

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Create a Sequence Planner Study

14.2
1
The Sequence Planner provides line management an advanced view of the work required at each station based
on a production schedules model-and-option mix. Forewarned of where and when the work required exceeds
Takt, management can take action to keep production running smoothly.
The module takes the work distribution from a selected line balance and displays the workload for selected
schedule. In this way, Sequence Planner helps you identify bottlenecks ahead of time, so that you can dispatch
relief operators and avoid production delays.

1. To begin a study in Sequence Planner, go to Modules and click on the Sequence Planner

button.

2. Select File > New Study (or press Ctrl+N).

3. The Sequence Planner Wizard will open. You must specify a Study Name and you must select a Line
Balancing Scenario; entering a description of the study is optional.

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Clicking "Open" in this screen will open the Scenario Manager. The Scenario Manager displays all saved line
balances. Select the appropriate scenario and open it.

You will see the name of the scenario appear in the text box under "Line Balancing Scenario"
4. Click "Next" to continue to the next frame.
5. The Order Details frame allows you to set the dates you want to sequence.
Clicking the "Get Orders" button retrieves the orders looks through the database and retrieves the orders for
the days you have selected. If you used a spreadsheet order file 428 in the line balance scenario, the order
details will automatically appear. It is also possible to import orders directly from excel. When this box is
checked, the order file must be selected using the load button, browsing to it, and selecting open.

6. Click "Next".

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7. In the Station Details frame, specify the Station Offset. Any stations that are parallel to each other should
have the same station offset.

8. Click "Finish" to set up the new sequence study.

9. You will be returned to the main Sequence Planner window.

For information on interpreting the data, see the Sequence Planner:Looking at a Study 335 section.

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15

Advanced Tutorials

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15.1 Line Balance

Remember, the more constraints you add, the less optimal your balance is. Conversely, if you impose too few
constraints, your line balance will not reflect reality and it will not be a solution you can actually implement. We
are searching for the balance between two extremes; here you will see the many different constraints that are
possible and how they affect a line balance scenario.
The goal of this tutorial is to teach you concepts you can use in your own line balances; the balances we see in
these examples are not designed to be optimal, but to help you see effects.
The scenario and the data it is based on has been provided to you. Please follow along with this tutorial.

To Begin
Go to the Line Balancing module. Click File, then click on Open. Click on Demo Scenario, then click "Open".
You should see something like this:

The line has not yet been balanced, and the tasks are at the stations assigned when information about the
routing was entered. From the key at the right of the graph, we can see that this is a mixed-model scenario with
two models being considered: G5602 and G5702B. For the two models considered here, work is not laid out
very evenly.
Take some time to look at the different Edit menu options and learn about this balance. You will see that it is a
mixed-model balance on a multi-sided line. The multi-sided line means that work zone constraints could be
enabled, but at the moment, there are no zone names typed in the Work Zone column in the Station Details.
Currently, there is one operator per station.

Creating a Balance
This tutorial will first go through the basic mechanisms of performing a line balance, as well as examining some
of the possible variations. Topics like changing the scenario, imposing further constraints, and changing the
database are deferred to later sections. Most of the later sections will compare results to the basic balance that
we will do first.

Basic Balance
1. To perform a basic balance, click on the Default Balance icon
Balance.

or go to Actions and select Default

2. Make sure "Minimize Number of Stations" is selected and that the balance type is "Weighted Average".
Enter 20 minutes as the Desired Cycle Time.

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3. Click "OK". You will be told that all existing assignments will be removed and asked if you want to proceed.
We do want to change this balance, so click "Yes".
4. You should see that tasks have been re-distributed. A red Takt line* is displayed at the time for which you
balanced.

The graph shows a visual representation of the amount of work per model per station. Since the balance was
created with weighted average algorithm, the weighted average of work is also shown. The algorithm takes the
demand percentage of each model (in this case, 50% each) and makes sure that on average, no station is
assigned more work than can be done within Takt time.
Weighted average balances increase utilization of operators. To see an example, look at S140 in the graph. For
model G5602, the operator will be required to exceed Takt time by four minutes. However, for model G5702B,
the operator has five extra minutes, which is more than enough time to catch up. This model does not work for
every organization, and an alternative (the Peak Model algorithm) will be examined in the next section.
The worksheet area at the bottom of the line balance module displays which tasks are assigned to each
station. Select Station S120 from the Select Station drop-down, and you should see something similar to this:

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*Note: If you want to change where the Takt line appears, go to Edit > Takt time. You may enter where you would like
the line displayed. This does not redistrib ute work; it just moves the line. To do a reb alance, click on Default Balance
again.

Variation 1: Use a Different Algorithm

1. Click on Default Balance icon

or go to Actions and select Default Balance.

2. Change the balance type to Peak Model. Use the same 20 minute Takt time.

3. Click "OK". You will be told that all existing assignments will be removed and asked if you want to proceed.
We do want to change this balance, so click "Yes".
4. The tasks will be redistributed.

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The Peak Model Method calculates task assignments by using the highest work-content model. No work may
ever exceed Takt time at any station. This means that using the Peak Model Method will usually require more
stations than an Average Balance at the same Takt time.
You can see this here because there is a little work in station S180. Obviously, if the Peak Model Method is
used, the Takt time will likely be changed so that the work is distributed evenly. If Takt time is decreased, you
may use 8 stations efficiently. If it is increased, you can use 7 stations equally. How do we determine what the
appropriate Takt time is? Guess-and-check could work; otherwise you can change the balance type to Minimize
Cycle Time.

Variation 2: Change the Balance Type

Instead of guessing at what Takt time is required to perform the tasks in seven stations with a Peak Model
Balance, we will use a different balance type that allows us to specify the desired number of stations.
1. Click on Default Balance icon

or go to Actions and select Default Balance.

2. Choose "Minimize Cycle Time". Use the Peak Model algorithm again.
3. Provide the desired number of stations. In this case, we want seven stations.

4. Click "OK". You will be told that all existing assignments will be removed and asked if you want to proceed.
We do want to change this balance, so click "Yes".
5. The work will be distributed to seven stations; the Takt line will indicate the appropriate Takt time. In this
case, the Takt time can be set at 21 minutes to accommodate all tasks in seven stations.

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6. Try balancing for eight stations.

Notice that the time required has changed slightly. How much would time change if the number of stations
were more drastically changed?
Compare the graph with the one for seven stations. The distribution of work in a Peak Model Balance for
models G5602 and G5702B is much more efficient with seven stations versus eight.

Further Constraints
The basic balances we looked at above were constrained by two things. The one universal constraint is the
precedence. The second constraint depends on the type of balance it is either a Takt time you entered or the
number of stations available.
However, in reality, there are likely other factors that restrict the way your assembly line is able to be set up.
Perhaps the capital to rearrange a monstrous fixture is not available; maybe the tasks can only be done in
certain areas of the line; perhaps there are multiple operators at a station that should not interfere with each
other; maybe certain tasks must be grouped in a certain way. Assembly Planner provides many other options
to constrain your balance. Remember, though, that the more constraints you impose, the further your solution
is from optimal. Determining which constraints should be used and which should be relaxed is something of an
art, and it will most likely require some experimentation.

Monumental Resource Constraint

Some resources are too expensive or difficult to consider moving for a routine line balance. A 'monumental
resource' designation within a line balance scenario indicates this to Assembly Planner.
The monumental resource constraint can be used to move tasks to a specific station; any tasks that require the
monumental resource will be mapped to the station where the monumental resource is located. For this to
work, you will need to make sure that the resource is mapped to the activities in the database (see the Activity
List in the Operation Editor). Additionally, the stations used in the line balance scenario must exist in the
Plants Editor and the resource must be mapped to one of these stations. In this example, we will look at the
use of a hoist, which is already mapped to both a task (PP-40005) and a station (S120).
1. First, check that the resource is assigned to a workstation. To do this, go to Plants Editor and check the
'Resource' column. If it does not appear, right-click in the correct row and choose 'Edit Resource Mapping'.
Search for the resource and select it to add it to the station.
2. Check that the resource is assigned to the correct activity. To do this, go to the Activity Editor and search for
the activity. Click on the activity to select it, and then check the Resource Tab. If it does not appear, click
"Add". Then search for the resource and add it.
3. After you have ensured that the resource is mapped to a station and any activities necessary, go back to the
Line Balance Module. Open 'Demo Scenario' if it is not already open.
4. Click on Edit > Monumental Resources.
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5. Check the box next to 'LT-001' and click "OK". This defines the hoist as a monumental resource for this line
balancing scenario.

If you already have the basic balance displayed, you can see that there is a monumental resource flag
on
activity PP-40005. This means that a monumental resource is required but does not appear at the station the
task is assigned to. Hovering over the red dot in the upper right corner of the flag will show you the name of
the resource required.
6. Go to Default Balance. Most of the parameters are the same as in the initial basic balance: select Minimize
Number of Stations and the Weighted Average Method, and set Takt time to 20 minutes. One important
difference is that you need to check the 'Consider Monumental Resource Constraints' box.

7. Click "OK". You will be told that all existing assignments will be removed and asked if you want to proceed.
We do want to change this balance, so click "Yes".
8. After the work has been redistributed, look for activity PP-40005. Remember that in the basic balance,
activity PP-40005 was at station S110. Considering the monumental resource constraints forces the task to
station S120.

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In this case, we saw the monumental resource constraint push a task back one station. But what would
happen if the resource were assigned to station S180 instead of S120? Since there are many tasks defined
by precedence to follow activity PP-40005, there would be a gap between the end of the activities that are
able to occur before the hoist activity and those that must follow it. We would see empty stations with no
tasks assigned.
If you want to try this, go b ack to the Plants Editor. Change the station assignment of LT-001 to S180 (you can cutand-paste from one cell to another). Then return to the Line Balance Scenario. Go to Edit and choose Refresh
Scenario Data. Next, go to Edit > Monumental Resources. Make sure that LT-001 is selected as a monumental
resource. Then perform your b asic b alance; rememb er to activate 'Consider Monumental Resources'.

If something that you did not expect happens, re-check the scenario data via the edit menu. Make sure
constraints were implemented the way you thought they should be. If you notice a problem in the scenario data,
fix it and try rebalancing. If this still does not fix the problem, you may want to go check the precedence graph.

Work Zone Constraint

You may have noticed that there are entries in the work zone column for some of the activities. The work zone
is another constraint that can be used for multi-sided line balances. Since the work zones for the activities have
already been set up, you will not need to go back to the Operation Editor and add them in the Activity List. In
independent studies, however, you will need to ensure that the activities themselves have been assigned
appropriate work zones via the Activity List in the Operation Editor.
1. Go to the Line Balance Module. Open 'Demo Scenario' if it is not already open.
2. Go to Edit and select Station Details.
3. In the work zone column, enter the appropriate work zones for each station.
Zones are case sensitive. For example, 'right' and 'Right' will be recognized as two different zones. Make sure
the names are consistent between the activities and the work zones.

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If no work zones are assigned to the station, any tasks can go to the station; there is no work zone
constraint on the station. If one work zone is assigned, only tasks with that specific work zone constraint
and/or tasks with no work zone constraints that do not violate precedence can be assigned. Multiple work
zones can be assigned to a station by separating the zone names by a comma.
Work zone constraints are only enabled in multi-sided balances. Say that you have set up your own scenario
and want to add work zone constraints, but do not see the Work Zone column in the Edit Station Details
screen. Go to Edit > Scenario Details, and you will be able to see that you set up a single-sided line. This is
not something that can be changed about a scenario; to correct the problem, you would need to create a new
scenario.
4. Click "OK". You can see that the work zone constraints are listed under the station names on the graph.

5. Go to Default Balance. The parameters are the same as in the initial basic balance: select Minimize Number
of Stations and the Weighted Average Method, and set Takt time to 20 minutes.

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6. Click "OK". You will be told that all existing assignments will be removed and asked if you want to proceed.
We do want to change this balance, so click "Yes".
7. When the tasks have been redistributed, scroll through the stations. You will see that the work zone
constraints were observed; the work zones on the activities match the work zones on the work zones on the
stations.
You will also notice that the work zones prevented work from being distributed well. Station S130 only
allowed activities with no work zone constraints or the Left work zone constraint. Activity PP-40044 with a
zone constraint of Right was the next to occur precedence-wise, but could not occur until station S140 since
it needed appropriate constraints.

In a situation like this, you would want to review the constraints. Check the precedence to make sure that it
is as flexible as possible, and review the work zone constraints to see if they are realistic or necessary. In
this case, we will change the zone constraint at S130.
8. Go back to Edit > Station Details. Change the work zone constraint at S130 to Left, Right. Leave the other
stations as they are.
9. Click on Default Balance and click "OK". Choose "Yes" when you are asked if you want to remove station
assignments.

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The change in station work zone constraints increased the work content at S130, though it did not improve
the overall balance much. However, you should be beginning to understand how work zones can be helpful to
constrain work if used correctly, but be detrimental if not used wisely.

Change Quantity of Operators per Station & Operator Zone Constraints

Work zones are not the only way to constrain activity work zones. Operators themselves can also be assigned
a work zone. In cases where there are multiple operators at a work station, the operator work zones are quite
helpful.
First, we will examine the effects of multiple operators at a station.
1. Go to the Line Balance Module. Open 'Demo Scenario' if it is not already open.
2. Go to Edit and select Station Details. For stations S120 and S130, change the number of operators to 2. If
the Work Zones still appear at the station level, delete them (double click on the cell and then delete the
text).

3. Click "OK". If you already had the previous balance open, you will notice that it has changed. It appears that
the work assigned to stations S120 and S130 was cut in half, since there are twice as many operators doing
the same amount of work.
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4. Go to Default Balance. The parameters are the same as in the initial basic balance: select Minimize Number
of Stations and the Weighted Average Method, and set Takt time to 20 minutes.

5. Click "OK". You will be told that all existing assignments will be removed and asked if you want to proceed.
We do want to change this balance, so click "Yes".
6. Select either station S120 or S130 and scroll through the Station Details. If you pay attention to the 'Operator'
column, you will notice that there are tasks for both Operator 1 and Operator 2. In the basic balance, seven
stations had been assigned work. Now, by increasing the number of operators at two stations to two, only
five stations are assigned work, which is what we would expect.

As you may imagine, adding multiple operators to a station is not without complications. Look at the
screenshots below, particularly at the 'Work Zone' column. Operator 1 has tasks in both the 'Left' work zone
and the 'Right' work zone, in addition to tasks that are not constrained by a zone. Operator 2 also has tasks
in both the 'Left' work zone and the 'Right' work zone.

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This may cause problems if Operator 1 is working on a 'Left' task at the same time as Operator 2, or if
Operator 2 is en route to the 'Right' zone just as Operator 1 is heading to the 'Left' zone. Operators tripping
over each other and interfering with one another's work is a problem. To remedy this, Assembly Planner
provides the option of assigning each operator their own work zone.
7. Go to Edit > Operator Details.
8. Assign work zones to the operators in stations S120 and S130 as shown below. Click "OK".

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9. Go to Default Balance. The parameters are the same as in the initial basic balance: select Minimize Number
of Stations and the Weighted Average Method, and set Takt time to 20 minutes.

10.Click "OK".
11.Look at station S130 again. You will notice that Operator 1 got all of the 'Left' tasks and Operator 2 got all of
the 'Right' tasks.

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Task Grouping Constraints

Task grouping is another way to manipulate task assignment. Task grouping forces the tasks in the group to
occur at the same station, though a group is allowed to be split across different operators within the station.
1. Groups are created in the database. To create groups, go to the Operation Editor and search for the
operations. (The routing is 696047113 and there are eight operations under it.)
2. Find these three activities: PP-40036, PP-40037, and PP-40038. In the "Group" column next to each, type
'GroupONE'.
3. Save the data.
4. Go to the Line Balance Module. Open 'Demo Scenario' if it is not already open. If the balance is already
open, go to Actions > Remove All Assignment. Tasks that are currently assigned to different stations cannot
be grouped, so it is easiest to start off with no assignment. Also, make sure there is one operator per station
and that monumental resources are not being considered (we want to be able to compare this with the basic
balance we did initially).
5. Go to Edit and select Refresh Scenario Data. This will take a new snapshot of the database information;
since the groups have been added in the database, they will be created in the scenario when the data is
refreshed.
6. Go to Edit and select Task Grouping. You can see the tasks grouped together, and the time for the task is
displayed in the parentheses. Click "OK" to exit the Task Grouping window.
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7. Go to Default Balance. The parameters are the same as in the initial basic balance: select Minimize Number
of Stations and the Weighted Average Method, and set Takt time to 20 minutes.

8. Click "OK".
9. The tasks that we grouped were previously assigned to two different stations. PP-40036 and PP-40037 were
assigned to S110, and PP-40038 was assigned to station S120. By grouping, we see that they are all
assigned to the same station.

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Note: To remove the group, go b ack to the datab ase and delete the entries in the 'Group' column. Then refresh
scenario data again.

Changing the Scenario

In addition to changing the way the balance is done, there are a number of ways the scenario parameters can
be changed. Some of them are worth noting, but not substantial enough to practice, so some of these will not
have a step-by-step tutorial.

Change the Proportions of each Model

So far, we have assumed that model G5602 and model G5702B are equally likely to be ordered. We can see
this assumption in Edit > Routing and Model Details; both models occur 50% of the time. Now let's look at the
way the weighted average balance performs when the proportions change.
1. Go to the Line Balance Module. Open 'Demo Scenario' if it is not already open.
2. Go to Edit and select Routing and Model Details.
3. Change the proportion of G5602 to 70% and G5702B to 30% (or 0.7 and 0.3, respectively). Note that if you
see proportions (zero to one) instead of percentages, you may not have the "Use Percentage" box checked.

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4. Click "OK".
5. Go to Default Balance. The parameters are the same as in the initial basic balance: select Minimize Number
of Stations and the Weighted Average Method, and set Takt time to 20 minutes.

6. Click "OK".
7. If you compare the balance with the basic balance performed at the beginning of the tutorial, there are small
differences.

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The changes in this case are not drastic because there is not a lot of model-specific work content difference.
However, for routings with a lot of model-specific content, the proportion of models can make a large difference
in how work is distributed.

Change Assignment Manually

It is possible to manually change the assignment of tasks after performing an automatic balance. To do this,
right-click on the task and select 'Change Assignment'. Then choose the station you want the task assigned to.

You may want to check the station the task was moved to. Manual assignment can sometimes cause
precedence violations.

Exclude Tasks
If there are tasks in your routing that you do not want to include in a line balance, you have the option of
excluding the tasks from the balance.
To do this, go to Edit and select Task Details. Click on the row containing the task to exclude and then click
"Exclude". The button will not be activated until a row is selected; clicking on the leftmost column (where the
row label would appear) will select the whole row.

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Excluded tasks will not be assigned to any station, nor will they appear in the 'Unassigned List'. For the
scenario in which the task is excluded, it is as though the task does not exist.

Change the Data

So far, all of the modifications to the line balance scenario have been changes made within the line balancing
module. There are also changes that depend on the interaction between the line balance module and the
database. The most important of these will be discussed here.

Getting Data From the Database: Refresh Scenario Data

When a line balance scenario is created, it takes a snapshot of the database information. If you wish to use
database information that has been updated since the scenario has been created, you need to tell the scenario
to refresh its snapshot of the database info. (The alternative is to create a new scenario--which option you
choose depends on how extensive the changes to the database are).
For example, suppose you add an operation with four activities to the routing. To update the line balance, go to
Edit and choose 'Refresh Scenario Data'. You will be told that any operations that are not present in the
database will be removed from the scenario and asked to confirm your action. This is a standard warning, and
would appear even if the data had not changed at all.

After you click "OK", a new database snapshot will be used in the line balance. You may need to check to see
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that all of your constraints still appear. For example, you may need to re-set monumental resources. Also, if
you have created task groups within line balancing, they may be overwritten by the groups that exist in the
database when you refresh scenario data.
Note that work is not automatically redistributed when you refresh scenario data. You will need to do a default
balance to distribute work after you have refreshed the scenario data.

Applying the Balance to the Database: Apply Scenario

When your facility chooses to physically change from the current state setup to one of the Line Balance
Scenarios, it is desirable to update the process data to reflect the changes. This makes it possible to continue
to work with data in the system with minimal confusion. 'Apply Scenario' saves you the trouble of going in to
each activity and operation and updating information to reflect the current reality. The scenario will be applied
effective as of the target date of the scenario (see Edit > Scenario Details).
Scenarios are not applied automatically because we want everyone to be able to generate multiple options and
decide which is the best. When they have made that decision, it must be a conscious choice to come back to
Assembly Planner and update the database information by applying the scenario.

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575

Glossary

A
Account: When you start Assembly Planner, the login box has an "account" drop-down. An account is the
database for a specific location. That is, one plant may have a different database than the sister plant. Make
sure you select the correct account.
Activity: The third level in Assembly Planner's process structure, and not always used. Activities are the
individual tasks that a worker is doing. Several activities make up an operation.
Activity Sequence Number (ActSeqNo): Activities in the Activity List will be arranged by default in the order
of the Activity Sequence Number.
Administrator (user type): The administrator is responsible for managing the users. The admin can create new
users in the users module, set their roles and also remove users from the system. An administrator is able to
see all four menus in the Navigation Pane and is the only type of user that can upload reports and templates,
manage users, and create custom fields.
Assembly (item type): A container for components. An assembly is made by combining components
(assembling them).

B
Bill of Materials: Structured hierarchical list of product assemblies and parts/components. It shows how parts/
components come together to create an end item. Assembly Planner recognizes two BOM types: eBOM
(engineering) and mBOM (manufacturing). Note: The BOM does not deal with process datathe way that processes
come together to create the end product is defined b y the precedence graph.

C
Check In: Saving changes to the database. Any changes being made to a checked-out entity must be checked
in order to save the changes back to the database. Unless the changes are saved in the database, they are for
the current session only and will not be made globally.
Check out: The user must check out any entity they wish to edit. Once a entity has been checked by a user, it
cannot be checked out for edit by other users until it is checked in again.
Child part: Part of the Bill-of-Materials structure in Assembly Planner. Child parts belong one level under a
parent part. The Bill of Materials gains its structure when the ParentID is specified for a component, making the
component a child of that parent.
Component: A component is the Assembly Planner term for a part. You can also think of it as a product node
in the eBOM or mBOM tree. Components are global to an account (and eBOM and mBOM tree structures are
local to a project).
Constraint: Constraints are bounds imposed on a model of an actual system (e.g. Line Balancing) to restrict
the number of possible solutions. These bounds or limitations should be used to ensure that the model reflects
the real system. However, each added limitation detracts from the possibility of an 'optimal' solution, so using
too many constraints is detrimental. In any type of modeling, it is important to consider which constraints are
absolutely necessary and which constraints can be relaxed.
Consumption: Consumption defines which parts are consumed to complete an operation.
Custom Field: A custom field is a user-defined property for entities within Assembly Planner. An administrator
must create the custom field, then other users may assign values for that custom field.

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D
Delivery Scan: The PFEP Delivery Scan occurs when a full container's Kanban card is scanned, followed by a
scan of the appropriate workstation Rack ID; this records the successful delivery and replenishment of the
Kanban. The Delivery Scan must be preceded by a Request Scan. (Other interim scans, such as Transit and
Hold/Release may occur also, but are not required.)

E
eBOM: Engineering Bill of Materials. A structured list of parts that come together as an end item, as it comes
from design.
Efficiency Rating: The percentage of Takt at which the line is running.
Engineer (user type): An engineer can edit and import data. This type of user can do most of the same things
an administrator can, except the three tasks mentioned above (the Admin Tools menu is not visible).
EndItem (item type): The finished product.
Entity: This is the generic term used to refer to any or all of the various independent objects that exist in
Assembly Planner. These objects include but are not limited to components, routings, operations, activities,
plants, resources.

F
G
Group: Assembly Planner recognizes several types of groups, including Option Groups and Task Groups
First, similar types of options are categorized into a group. Each group is a category that contains a number of
mutually exclusive options.
Second, tasks can be grouped, either within a line balance scenario or in the Activity List. This forces the
grouped tasks to move together as one unit which will always be assigned together to the same station. Note
that Assembly Planner does not have permission to split up user-defined groups, meaning that the length of the
Takt time must be greater than or equal to the time of the longest group.

H
History: A log of all of the modifications to the entity. Has a brief description of the event and the date and time
on which the change occurred. Reason text can be manually entered by the user.
Hold Scan: A PFEP Hold Scan indicates that requested Kanban cannot be filled due to shortage of parts. The
Hold Scan must be followed by a Release Scan when the parts are again available; a Delivery Scan will not be
allowed until

I
Import: Refers to the process of adding an external file to Assembly Planner.
Item (item type): A single, independent component.

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J
K
L
Line Rate (in Default Balance Screen): The number of units made per shift.
Lock: Assembly Planner uses a lock system to ensure that entities can only be changed by one person at a
time. In order to edit properties of any entity, the entity needs to be checked out to unlock it. No other users
can edit the entity when it has been checked out.

M
Manufactured (item type): A component manufactured by your company.
mBOM: Manufacturing Bill of Materials. A structured list of parts that come together as an end item, including
parts used in manufacturing that may not be considered by design (for example, packaging).
MCO Coordinator (user type in optional Change Management System): The fourth type of user, MCO
Coordinator is only an option for clients using Assembly Planner's Change Management System. An MCO
Coordinator is a user that is able to see the Engineering Change Requests (ECRs), Manufacturing Change
Orders (MCOs) and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs).
Model: A unique design of a product.
Model demand: The proportion of time a certain model is ordered by customers. For Model_X, Model Demand
= (number of times Model_X is ordered) / (total number of orders).
Model-Option configuration: The way that models and options are combined. Each individual end-item has a
model-option configuration.
Model-Option rules: These describe which models are allowed to have certain options (eg, options may not
apply to each model). Setting up the model-option rules reduces the number of model-option configurations
possible.
Monumental Resources: These are resources that are fixed at a specific location on the plant and would be
difficult or expensive to move. For example, a hoist, a fixture, or a pit.

N
O
Operation: The second level in Assembly Planner's process structure. Operations can be made up of several
activities. One operation is usually the work assigned to one worker at a station. Several operations make up a
routing.
Operation Sequence Number (OpSeqNo): Operations in the Operation List is arranged by default in the
order of the Operation Sequence Number.
If a line balance scenario is applied to the database, the Operation Sequence Number is updated with the order
from the line balance.
Option: Options differentiate products in a smaller way than models. Within the same model, there may be
differentiation due to different options.
Option Penetration Percentage: The percentage of time an option appears.

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P
Parent part: To structure the Bill of Materials, Assembly Planner uses the parent-child concept. The parent
part is a higher-level part, which contains child parts.
Precedence: Precedence defines the order in which activities must be performed. Some activities are required
to precede or succeed other activities, while other activities have no required predecessors or successors.
Purchased (item type): A component purchased from a supplier.

Q
R
RawMaterial (item type): The material that is used to create a manufactured component.
Release Scan: The PFEP Release Scan effectively negates a Hold Scan, allowing a requested Kanban to be
delivered. This indicates that the part is no longer unavailable, but will be replenished.
Resource: A tool, fixture or machine used in the assembly process. Resources are referenced by activities and
assigned to locations. Resources can be specified by a class (for example, lathe) or an instance of a class
(lathe7).
Request Scan: The PFEP Request Scan occurs when an empty container's Kanban card is scanned, whereby
the replenishment request made. The Request Scan must be followed by a Delivery Scan. (Other interim scans,
such as Transit and Hold/Release may occur, but are not required.)
Risk Priority Number (RPN): This is a number calculated in the PFMEA module. It helps determine which
failure modes need to be addressed first; higher RPNs are higher priority. Calculated as RPN = Severity x
Occurrence x Detection.
Roll Up: The value of the parent class is dependent on the values of the children. Values of the children are
summed up to obtain the value for the parent.
Routing: The top level in Assembly Planner's process structure. Routings are made up of several operations.
One routing is usually associated with a product.
RPN: Risk Priority Number.

S
Scenario: A snapshot view of the line. A view of process data in a certain situation. You can have multiple
views of the same line; perhaps you have a line balance scenario for a three minute Takt time and another
scenario for a six minute Takt time.
Series: A series is a group of units with a common date to become active within Assembly Planner. Series can
be used instead of beginning and end effectivity dates.
Shift Duration (in Default Balance Screen): The length of time operators are working on production. Shift
length minus any breaks.
Standard Fields: A field that is built in to the Assembly Planner database. When importing information, these
fields need to be present for Assembly Planner to accept the file.
Status: The status of an entity represents its condition. For example, an item with WIP as the manufacturing
status indicates that the BOM is being edited. The status of a routing, operation, or activity indicates whether it
is checked in or checked out. A lock symbol means it has not been checked out. If no symbol appears in the
status column, it has been checked out for edit.

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Take Rate: Calculated by multiplying the model demand and the option penetration.
Takt time: The speed at which end items must be assembled to satisfy customer demand. To put it another
way, Takt time = (Net time available per day) / (customer demand per day).
Transit Scan: The PFEP Transit Scan allows users to record interim movement of Kanbans. These scans take
place at dock locations.

U
Undo Check Out: A feature that moves the entity back to its state before the check out. If the user chooses
"Undo Check Out", the previous checked-in version will be reinstated. Any changes made will be lost/undone.
User: Someone with an Assembly Planner account. There are different roles assigned to different types of
users. The three standard user-types are administrator, engineer and view. For those using the optional Change
Management System, there is a fourth role for MCO coordinators.

V
Viewer (user type): A viewer cannot make modifications to information in Assembly Planner. The only menus
visible to a viewer are Library and Modules.
Violation: A (constraint) violation occurs in a line balance when a precedence, resource, or monumental
resource rule has not been followed.

W
Work Center: Work Center is the term used to refer to the work station at which an operation occurs.
Work Instructions Approver: A work instruction approver is a user responsible for approving or declining
updates to work instructions. This user can do everything an engineer user can within Assembly Planner, in
addition to the added work instructions rights.
Work Step: A work step is a specific instruction for completing an activity.
Work Zone: When operators are working on multiple sides of the line, "Zone" is the term for the different areas
in which they are working (front, rear, above, below). Zone names are user-defined and you can have as many
as you would like. The names will be case-sensitive, so "front" and "Front" would be recognized as different
zones.

X
Y
Z

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