Deviations that relate to the production execution process or product quality may happen any time, no matter how well and precisely the production has been initially planned. If this happens, production operators or quality engineers typically report a problem by recording defect or nonconformance information in their shop floor system.
A defect represents a symptom or an observed root cause that led or may lead to a failure. By reporting a defect, the responsible users describe a set of reasons or select a defect code indicating that the product or process does not meet the approved quality definition and has been selected to undergo special processing.
When a defect is recorded in SAP S/4HANA PEO, the following tasks can be added to resolve it:
- Serialized product can be fully scrapped
- Serialized product can be processed further as is
- Serialized product can be dispositioned to the generic rework operation
- Defective order quantity can be scrapped
- Defective order quantity can be processed further as is
Recording a Defect
This video demonstrates how SAP S4 HANA PEO effectively manages defects in production processes, ensuring products meet rigorous quality standards while maintaining workflow consistency. Explore how defects are recorded, processed, and resolved, enabling high-quality production outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- Defect Recording: Production operators and quality engineers log defects using the Manage Action Settings app, specifying necessary details such as defect reason codes and notes.
- Hold and Resolution: Operators can apply holds on affected items, preventing further data collection until defects are resolved, ensuring comprehensive management.
- Team Visibility: Recorded defects are accessible to all team members involved with the same materials or orders, promoting collaborative resolution efforts.
- Quality Task Management: Quality engineers deploy the Process Defects app to assign tasks like Use As Is, Scrap, or Rework, tailoring actions based on defect specifics.
- Workflow Efficiency: Configurable workflows in SAP S4 HANA PEO streamline defect handling, contributing to timely identification and corrective actions to sustain consistent and reliable production.
Nonconformance Handling with Quality Notifications
If components in a production order don't meet specifications or standards, the production engineer can use Nonconformance Management. This functionality helps create quality notifications and manage further processing. Nonconformance handling in SAP S/4HANA PEO offers several options:
- Create defects and manually transfer them to quality notifications.
- Automatically transfer defects to quality notifications.
- Create quality notifications during data collection if inspection specifications are unmet.
To transfer defects to notifications, use the Transfer Defects to Notification function in the Manage Defects app. You can transfer defects to existing or new quality notifications. Defect data becomes part of a notification item and is viewable but not editable. Further processing occurs within the quality notification.
In the Change Quality Notifications app for SAP S/4HANA PEO:
- Use the Action box to display detailed info on production orders, operations, defective quantities, holds, and serial numbers.
- Follow-up quality tasks for NONCF code group defects are available for quality notifications.
- Follow-up actions for tasks are applicable to quality notifications too.
Scrapping Serialized and Non-serialized Materials via Defect
If the quality task scrap has been recorded for a serialized material, the production operator cannot complete the serialized material anymore. It must be scrapped. If the production operator chooses Complete, an error message appears with a prompt to scrap the serial number.
If the quality task Scrap has been recorded for a non-serialized material, the production operator must scrap at least some quantity for the production order before completing it.
Rework Serialized Material via Defect
The prerequisites for rework in SAP S/4HANA PEO are as follows:
- Rework operations must be created with control key that has the Rework checkbox selected.
- At least one rework routing has been created and released in the Manage Shop Floor Routings app, having one or multiple operations with the rework control key associated.
Rework Process Steps
- The production operator working in the Perform Operation Activity app records a defect with or without hold using the Record Defect button.
- Once the defect is recorded, it becomes available to the quality engineer in the Process Defects app.
- The quality engineer edits the defect and adds a task of type Rework (015).
- The quality engineer chooses a follow-up action that best fits to the recorded defect by selecting an appropriate rework routing (assuming that several rework routings have been created and released for a specific defect code).
- Saving the defect with the associated quality task triggers the immediate execution of the follow-up action in the background and inserts the rework operation and its operation activities (as defined in the rework routing) into the production order. This information is visible in the Manage Production Orders app in the Order Schedule view.
The rework operation of the rework routing is inserted in the production order directly after the operation in which the defect was recorded. Or, if no hold was placed at the time that the defect was recorded and processing has advanced to the next operation, the rework operation is inserted directly after the operation that is currently in process. The defective part is then automatically forwarded to this rework operation on completion of the last operation activity in this operation. If you are processing several serial numbers, all the others for which no defect was recorded are forwarded directly to the next operation.
- The production operator completes the current operation and is automatically navigated to an operation activity of the rework operation.
- The rework operation activity has the As-Built view that shows all components that have been previously assembled. The operator has a chance to exchange the serial/batch number of components.
- In addition to replacing a defective part, the operator may also choose to add another unplanned material to the list of components.
After completion of the rework step, the material is moved back to the next operation activity of the original routing.
Example
Two serial numbers are being processed and in one of the operation activities in operation 0010 a defect was recorded for the serialized product 2 (without hold). This resulted in the rework operation 0011 being inserted immediately after operation 0010. On completion of operation 0010, the serialized product 1 proceeds to operation 0020.
However, the serialized product 2 first has to be reworked in rework operation 0011. When it is finished here, it proceeds to operation 0020.
Monitoring Defect Information in SAP S/4HANA PEO
To view and analyze defect information recorded during the production process, you can use the following apps:
- Product Genealogy (only for serialized materials)
- Manage Production Orders (for both serialized and non-serialized materials)
In the Manage Production Orders app, there is a Defects view on the Order Details page that shows information about recorded defects. The Quality Issue icon in the Issues column will become active if there is any scrap recorded for the production order.
The Product Genealogy app shows the same defect details when the defect was recorded for a specific serial number.
Summary
This lesson covers defect handling in SAP S/4HANA PEO, guiding production operators and quality engineers in managing quality issues.
- Record Defects: Operators log defects using predefined codes, triggering holds that block further processing until issues are resolved.
- Quality Tasks: Engineers add tasks like scrap, rework, or hold to defects; tasks guide subsequent actions in production.
- Nonconformance Management: Defects can be transferred to quality notifications automatically or manually for further processing.
- Rework Process: Defective parts undergo rework operations via updated routing, with defect information displayed in Genealogy and Orders apps.
- Monitoring Tools: Use Product Genealogy and Manage Production Orders apps to track and analyze defect information efficiently.