https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrWXYvlwBGE&t=3s

General

The control recipe function in Factbird is used to digitize any controls the operators need to perform as part of their day-to-day work. Examples of such controls could be:

• Machine checks prior to starting a new batch
• Shop floor check at the start of a new shift
• Quality controls of the product every 45 min after the batch start
• Process validation every whole hour

The pending controls will then automatically pop up in the register stops view in order to compliment the operators’ user experience with the Blackbird system.

On a holistic level, the control recipe function is a step towards moving Factbird more in the MES-sphere, which is why we like to refer to the function as a mini-MES. The function is thus especially, but not exclusively, beneficial for companies that connected upstream production processes to the Factbird system.

The feature has two main concepts, a recipe, and controls. The recipe is a list of controls which has to be performed. Controls are a list of actions that are triggered by an event. An example is a Brick manufacturer wanting to check the oven's temperature before starting a batch and every half hour after starting.

Type of controls

When setting up a control recipe, for each specific task within a control, the system offers a variety of different types to choose from. The task type defines and delimits what the operator is asked to fill out. The following types are available:

• Checkbox

  Operators will have to tick off a checkbox

  Example: Has Task A been performed? Is Material A available?

• Derived

  The system will automatically perform a chosen mathematical operation (average, max, min, sum) on a number of values to be filled in by the operators

  Example: Average weight of 10 randomly chosen products, max length of 10 randomly chosen products

• Number

  Based on the nature of the control task, the operator can only fill in a number. A lower and upper limit can be defined. Once the inserted number lies outside of those limits, the operator will be forced to put in a comment.

  Example: Weight of product, length of the product

• Sensor

  The field related to the control task will be automatically filled out with a sensor value. Note that in the end, the sensor chosen has to be assigned to the line the product is running on and that the value will be extracted at the exact trigger time of the control (and cannot be derived KPIs like total number produced within a time range etc.).

  Example: Temperature of an oven, vibration of a centrifuge

• Text

  Based on the nature of the control task, the operator can only fill in letters.

  Example: Visual assessment of the color of the product, which operators are currently on the shopfloor