Working with Process Plans and Standard Procedures
A process plan is the detailed description of what needs to be done on the shop floor in order to produce, inspect, assemble, repair or maintain a given part or assembly.
Process plans contain the operations to be performed, the standard processes used to perform these operations, the sequence in which they must be done, the parts related to the operation, and the physical and human resources required to complete the operation. Included in a process plan are any document references or descriptions that could aid the worker, and a process plan can be used to evaluate time and cost requirements.
A standard procedure is a written instruction which outlines the preferred and safest method for undertaking a task. Standard procedures are standalone process plans for which the attribute Standard has been set to True during the creation of the process plan. You can use standard procedures to create a set of operations that can be referenced or reused by other process plans.
Using process plans and standard procedures you can plan:
• Operations or work steps needed to build associated parts.
• Alternate and parallel sequences of operations.
• Work centers on which the operations are carried out.
• Consumption of BOM parts for each operation.
• Resources needed for each operation and the plants they are used in.
• Time needed to complete an operation. Operation times can be separated into the time needed to complete sub-operations:
◦ Queue
Time used to compensate for anticipated delays during the execution of an operation.
◦ Set up
Time needed for setting up the materials and work units needed to complete an operation.
◦ Processing
Time needed to complete the work executed on the operation work unit
◦ Waiting
Waiting time needed during the execution of the operation (for example, drying).
◦ Tear down
Time needed for dismantling of the operation work unit.
◦ Move
Time needed to move from one step of the operation to another step of the operation (for example, from one work unit to another).
◦ Operation associated costs
Process plans can be created, viewed, and modified through either a Windchill MPMLink explorer, or through the Structure tab found on the information page of an object. This is also known as the Process Plan Browser.
For more information on
Windchill MPMLink explorers see
About Explorers.
The following types of process plans are available:
• Production -- Use when documenting instructions that describe how to produce parts.
• Quality -- Use when documenting instructions that describe how to inspect parts for quality.
• Maintenance -- Use when documenting instructions that describe how to maintain products.
• Repair -- Use when documenting instructions that describe how to service and repair products.
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