Editing PODs

When the assembly operator needs to record or consult information in SAP Digital Manufacturing, they interact with it using an interface adapted to their needs and ease of use. This interface provides all the necessary information that allows the operator to perform their tasks and only displays the actions that are to be performed by the operator.

The Production Operator Dashboard (POD) serves as the primary interface between the shop floor operator and the SAP Digital Manufacturing system. The POD visually represents the production process on the shop floor. It is a highly configurable screen that can be adapted to various scenarios, user personas, and processes. By leveraging the POD, the operator can perform a range of activities on the manufactured product, such as starting and completing shop floor controls (SFCs), displaying work instructions, collecting data, consuming inventory, recording batch characteristic values, and viewing manufacturing data from the shop floor.

The POD Designer enables the design of a layout for the POD. Key Users can configure the POD to display data in different graphical forms. Default PODs can be used as a starting point and customized to meet specific requirements. The functionalities of the POD can be modified by assigning different plugins to it.

The content of the POD can be configured by adding plugins to different sections, defining the layout of various lists, and creating buttons with attached activities that are triggered when a user chooses the respective button.

The POD benefits are as follows:

• Modular plug-in and layout configuration.
• Highly configurable to meet the disparate needs of the shop floor without custom coding.
• Transact at the production unit and operation levels.
• Filter work by production unit, operation or resource, or work center or end item number.
• Updated design to reflect modern look and feel.
• Viewable on standard or mobile displays.

SAP Digital Manufacturing provides various default Production Operator Dashboards (PODs) to cater to different use cases. These default PODs include:

• Operation Activity: This POD allows operators to work on shop floor control (SFC) numbers queued at specific operations in the manufacturing process. An operator works on one or more SFC numbers at one operation. They can assemble components, collect data parameters, view work instructions, consume inventory, and log nonconformances. The advantage of this POD is that operators can effectively work on multiple SFC numbers at one operation while ensuring traceability. It is typically used when you have a one to one mapping between the operation that you need to perform, and the physical location where you do it. For example, there is one bench on the manufacturing line where you perform the assembly of components, and it is the only operation you perform there. After completing that operation, the product will move to a different area to be tested, where it will have another POD ready to track the work there. In this scenario, each device used to run the POD will used for the same operation activity over and over again, so it would make sense to use the Operation POD at that location. This POD is commonly used for discrete manufacturing scenarios.
• Work Center: In this POD, SFC numbers are queued in a work center, along with specific operations within the work center. Multiple operators can work on a complex assembly that remains in the work center for an extended period. Operations are performed simultaneously, and tasks such as component assembly, tool logging, data collection, inventory consumption, and viewing work instructions are carried out. It is typically used when you have multiple operations to complete in one work center, and there is one device used to run the POD to track all of the operation activities performed at the work center. For example, there is a manufacturing cell which contains three operations, but the same shop floor user is responsible to do the work at all the steps in the cell. In that scenario, it makes sense to have the one user logged into a Work Center POD which has access to all of the operations within that work center. This allows for the most efficient use of the equipment, and also reduces the amount of screen interaction the shop floor user needs to perform, as they do not have to worry about constantly changing the Operation and Resource for the POD like they would for the Operation POD. This POD is commonly used for discrete manufacturing scenarios.
• Order: This POD displays production orders belonging to a work center and falling within a specified date range. It allows for the execution of multiple operations against a single SFC or order without changing the POD selection parameters. This POD is suitable for complex manufacturing scenarios where one operator performs multiple production operations for one SFC or order, or for analysis and repair processes.
• Monitor: The Line Monitor POD is used to monitor, track, and measure production for orders within a plant.
• Custom: The Custom POD type can be used in any industry that requires a custom POD selection or no POD selection. It allows for the creation of a custom POD with specific features not provided by the core POD types. The creator of the custom POD is responsible for ensuring that the POD has the necessary data and configuration for desired functionality.
• Standalone Nonconformance: This POD is used to view or log nonconformances against SFCs. Operators can log nonconformances against SFCs regardless of their statuses, even if the SFC is not on the shop floor.

When setting up new PODs, the predefined PODs can be used as copy templates to simplify and reduce the configuration steps required. It is recommended not to modify the default PODs directly, but rather copy and use them as templates to create customized PODs.

The top section of the POD displays the POD selection plug-in, which allows the shop floor operator to enter search parameters for data displayed in the sections below (1). The fields in this plug-in include Operation, SFC, Resource, and more. By entering an SFC number, the user can execute actions such as starting the SFC by choosing the Start SFC button. This allows the user to begin working on the entered SFC at the specified operation and resource (2). Additionally, a work instruction plug-in may appear, providing a list of available work instructions for the assembly process. This gives the user additional information. If data collection is required the user will also be presented with the necessary data collection parameters.

Below the POD selection plug-in, you will find the work list (3). This list displays the currently active and queued SFCs at the operation and resource entered in the selection plug-in. Each line item in the list includes the SFC name, status, and shop order. You can customize the list by adding additional fields.

For example, in the Work Center POD, after selecting the SFC to work on, you will see two sections displayed side by side. The left section shows the Operation Activity List (1), while the right section includes several tabs such as the Work Instruction list (2), Data Collection list (3), and Component list (4). When you select an SFC in the left list, the components that need to be assembled at that operation are displayed in the Component list. Each line item in the Component list includes the material number, assembly sequence, and the assembled/total amount of each component. Additionally, you can perform data collection for each component to gather assembly-related data, such as the Inventory ID.

To configure Production Operator Dashboards (PODs), you will use the POD Designer application. Each type of POD has a specific purpose and capabilities. The available types are:

• Operation Activity: Used for production at an operation activity or resource.
• Work Center: Used for production in a work center.
• Order: Used to support the execution of production and process orders.
• Monitor: Used to monitor the production status of work centers.
• Custom: Used to create a custom POD or a custom application using custom plugins.
• Standalone Nonconformance: Used to view or log nonconformances against SFCs.

You can choose to display a POD on a standard monitor or a touch display device on the shop floor. The touch display version provides larger buttons and other UI elements for direct interaction with the system, eliminating the need for an additional keyboard.

Once you have defined the POD type and display mode, you can begin designing the POD.

Once you have defined the POD type and display mode, you can begin designing the POD.

1. Toolbox Panel

The Toolbox panel has two sections: Controls and Pages.

The Controls section is divided into the Layout area and the Plugins area. The Layout area determines the sections in the POD and their types. The Plugins area contains the plugins that can be assigned to the POD to define its functionality.

The Layout area includes various elements for defining the sections of the POD. These elements can be dragged onto the Canvas to control the space and features. The following layout elements are available:

• Horizontal Box: A horizontally-oriented box.
• Vertical Box: A vertically-oriented box.
• Plugin Container: An element for assigning plugins.
• Dynamic Side Content: An element that divides the screen into side and main content areas, allowing two plugins to work side by side.
• Icon Tab Bar: A collection of tabs with associated plugins.
• Horizontal Toolbar: A horizontal box for action buttons, group buttons, and navigation buttons.
• Vertical Toolbar: A vertical box for action buttons, group buttons, and navigation buttons.
• Action Button: A button that launches a plugin.
• Navigation Button: A button that links different pages of the POD.
• Group Button: A button that contains several actions.

The Pages section allows you to create interactive pages, each representing a specific layout for the assigned plugins. It also provides an outline of the current POD structure, including the layout elements and plugins used on each page. You can drag and drop elements and plugins between pages in the tree, which is helpful when controls are layered and difficult to select from the Canvas. The Pages section also allows for live searching to locate controls on the Canvas.

2. Canvas

The Canvas is where you design new PODs by dropping layout elements and plugins onto it. The POD Selection plugin, which allows you to set configuration options such as labels, tooltips, and default settings, is located at the top of the Canvas. You can extend the working area of the Canvas by adding pages to your POD.

3. Configuration Panel

The Configuration panel contains the configuration options applicable to each layout element and POD plugin. When a layout element or plugin is selected on the Canvas, the Configuration panel displays the list of possible configuration options. You can open and close the Configuration panel using the toolbar above the Canvas or by right-clicking the necessary plugin or layout element and choosing Configuration.

Once a POD is fully configured, you need to assign users to the POD and give them permission to work with it using the Manage POD Users application. A POD can be executed through the POD URL or the Launch PODs application.

You can also publish a POD to make it available in a user's launchpad. To make the POD available to other users, assign them to the POD in the Manage POD Users application. Only assigned users can view and launch PODs in the Launch PODs application.