Enhancement Details

Process Plan Management in the Process Plan Browser within PTC Windchill PDMLink

Within PTC Windchill PDMLink 10.2 M010, users can define, manage, and work with process plan objects using the Structure tab of a PTC Windchill MPMLink object's information page.

Product Information

Benefits and Description

Within PTC Windchill PDMLink 10.2 M010, users can define, manage, and work with process plan objects using the Structure tab of a PTC Windchill MPMLink object's information page.

Users are no longer required to launch a Process Plan Explorer outside PTC Windchill MPMLink to conduct process plan management activities. These activities include the following:

• Creating and managing a master process plan: This can then be modified for individual manufacturing location purposes. Using the master process plan, regionalized manufacturing plants can be assigned operations based on that plant's available resources and compatibilities. Work center compatibility links are created within the master process. These links are then highlighted when assigning operations to a localized plant. When a user selects an operation in the master process plan, only the compatible work centers are available. This helps the process planner allocate resources and operations.
• New part filtering functionality: This allows users to reuse a process plan by filtering on the necessary parts for each specific process plan. Users can overload the original process plan with parts that have multiple tags on them. They can then use the filter to display only the parts with the necessary tags.
• Localizing operations to a work center using a schematic representation of a plant's layout: This includes a visual display and flow of the work centers and work stations in that plant. By using this layout and drag-and-drop functionality, operations are localized to compatible work centers.
• Creating process plans, operations, sequences, and standard procedures.
• Viewing and allocated parts and resources to process plans and operations.
• A new tree picker: This allows users to quickly find and select manufacturing objects so they can  view their associated structures for use within the process plan.
  • The tree picker also displays a visualization panel to view, select, and allocate parts to a process plan. The visualization panel identifies which parts have already been allocated to operations and which ones remain to be allocated.
  • 3-D representations of resources can be viewed in the tree picker visualization panel.
• Reorganizing operation structure and order: This can be accomplished with drag-and-drop functionality. Operation attributes can be edited and entered using a table graph layout. 
• A new Playback Actions feature: This allows users to view the parts and resources from operations and sequences in the order that they are used in process plans and work centers. These parts and resources are displayed in the Visualization tab of a process plan Structure tab. This playback can also be exported into other formats, such as .CSV, or saved as a representation of the operation.
• Documentation information visibility: This can be seen in both the Process Plan Explorer and on the Documentation tab of a PTC Windchill MPMLink's information page.