For each manufactured partnumber one or more routes can be held. A route describes the sequence of operations a partnumber follows during its manufacturing process. Each route for a partnumber is numbered - the “standard” route for a partnumber should be number one.
Routes are entered Herschel using the route tool:
For each operation in a route the following details are held:
Operation Number. |
The operation’s number. It is sensible to use operation numbers with increments of 10 (ie. 10,20,30,40.....) when entering operation lines - this leaves space for extra lines to be inserted at a later date, if necessary. |
Workcentre Code |
The workcentre code for the operation. |
Setup Time |
The time to set up the operation ready for production. |
Operation Time |
The time to perform the operation on each item. |
Setdown Time |
The time to set down after the operation. |
Comment |
A comment. |
Program |
A program number for the operation, useful if you have CNC machines. |
First-Off Inspection |
Whether the operation requires a first-off inspection. |
Optional |
Whether the operation is optional. |
For example, consider operation 20 for partnumber WIDGET on workcentre DRILL. It takes 24 minutes to get the workcentre ready to produce a batch of WIDGETs. The workcentre then drills a hole in each WIDGET at a rate of 30 per hour. Finally it takes 12 minutes to tidy up the workcentre after the WIDGETS have been drilled. This operation would be entered something like this:
Partnumber |
WIDGET |
Route Number |
1 |
Operation |
20 |
Workcentre |
DRILL |
Setup Time |
24 minutes |
Operation Time |
2 minutes (30 per hour) |
Setdown Time |
12 minutes |
Note that dummy operations with zero times can be entered. These can be used to record production processes such as transportation or inspection and test.
Each operation can also have unlimited notes, entered on the notes page of the route tool. These notes can be used to record manufacturing instructions, material specifications, inspection schedules and so on. Note that blank lines are omitted when the operation is saved:
Operations can be deleted using the route tool's delete page:
The import page allows operations from another route to be copied, or operations imported from a CSV file produced by another application:
Operations can be marked as optional. This means that they are included in the route, but not normally used. These operations can be included to cover operations that are sometimes needed, but not for every batch. Such operations might include polishing, extra inspection or processing. In order to "activate" an optional operation use the option use an optional operation. Bookings can then be made against the optional operation as normal:
