Exclusive:‘Out-of-the-box’ tracking, tracing

Tecnomatix FactoryLink Traceability module tracks and traces key production events on serialized products and provides full bi-directional genealogy and analysis functions.

By Control Engineering Staff June 26, 2006
FactoryLink Traceability module from UGS uses the Tecnomatix Manufacturing Portal to provide a multitude of parameter-driven, customizable, Web-based reports.

Tecnomatix FactoryLink Traceability module tracks and traces key production events on serialized products and provides full bi-directional genealogy and analysis functions. Intended for automated environments, the product can be added easily to existing FactoryLink applications or used to build a new class of applications. Based on the Xfactory data model, it can be expanded seamlessly to the full-featured Xfactory MES. Benefits include understanding the exact status of a production order in real time, tracking key production metrics, reducing liabilities by identifying affected components or products, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Module is said to provide everything needed for an “out-of-the-box” traceability system and reportedly is fast and easy to install, configure, and use. Genealogy provides a complete product history, including related process variables. The module automatically tracks labor, inventory changes, equipment use, and production and work cell statistics. It may be used in conjunction with the Tecnomatix Manufacturing Portal to provide a comprehensive set of Web-based reports. Reports are parameter-driven so that end-users can customize content and deliver information over a secure, role-based framework.

System also provides SCADA-based traceability for easy access and analysis of relevant data by production managers, quality assurance personnel, and plant managers. Configuration information is stored in standard FactoryLink configuration tables and run-time information is con-tained in standard tags so that data are accessible via graphical screens or by any FactoryLink task. Accompanying Excel configurator spreadsheet is said to leverage the module’s application object technology for intuitive and fast production environment modeling.

www.ugs.com/go/production

UGS