Demo
If you want to watch how SAP Digital Manufacturing helps you collecting component assembly data, manufacturing process data like quality data, and non-conformance data, play this demo.
Recording of Data
SAP Digital Manufacturing provides Data Collection features that workers can use to collect component assembly data, manufacturing process data, and non-conformance data. You can use the collected information in the following example scenarios:
Monitoring the quality of the production process
Documenting quality-related or other manufacturing data for individual SFCs that you can analyze in case of deviations and/or warranty claims
Documenting the manufacturing process in a regulated environment, such as the manufacturing of medical devices
Providing input data for statistical analysis of the production process, such as statistical process control (SPC)
The following image shows an example of how you can collect component assembly data and manufacturing process data:
In our bike manufacturing company, we produce finished bikes through several manufacturing operations, such as assembly, quality inspection, and packaging. The first and second manufacturing operations require the worker to gather various data points:
During assembly, the worker records the serial number of the assembled frame, front wheel, and rear wheel. In addition, they also note the torque used when attaching the wheels to the frame.
During quality inspection, the system provides a checklist where the worker gathers results from the in-process quality inspection. They can collect numerical results (for example, the tire pressure), binary values (for example, whether the brakes are working or not), or coded values (for example, the presence of no scratches, superficial scratches, deep scratches, and so on).
What is the difference between these two scenarios? During the assembly operation, the data the worker records are linked to the specific component being assembled. For example, the serial number of the assembled frame uniquely identifies the frame used in a particular bike. On the other hand, during the quality inspection, the data the worker records are tied to the bike currently being manufactured and may not necessarily be traced back to an individual assembled component. Therefore, the first example corresponds to a manufacturing scenario where you require data to be recorded at the component level, while the second scenario exemplifies a manufacturing situation that requires data to be recorded for the manufacturing process itself.
Note
In SAP Digital Manufacturing, component assembly data (first scenario) is stored in the SFC's component record and is accessible via both the SFC Report and the Product Genealogy Report. Manufacturing process data (second scenario) is captured in a data collection record at the SFC level, also visible in the SFC Report, but not in the Product Genealogy Report.
In an integrated scenario, data recorded during the quality inspection operation can originate from the in-process inspection lot in SAP S/4HANA. If you use in-process inspection lots, they are created in the ERP system during order release and transferred to SAP Digital Manufacturing together with the order. During production, the worker records inspection results and submits them back to the SAP S/4HANA system where they are valuated against the inspection specifications and also stored in the inspection lot.