Showing Device Inspection

Device inspection controls the sampling procedure, the periodic replacement and the generation of work orders for the replacement devices.

The master record for the device category includes fields named Certification Type and Calibration Validity. These are utilized to manage the inspection processes of the device. Meanwhile, the master record for the device incorporates a field called Next Replacement Year, which is dynamically computed for each device.

By the conclusion of the year, all devices have to be replaced, a process managed through either the sampling procedure or the periodic replacement procedure. Both methods first pinpoint all the devices that require replacement, and in the second stage, produce the essential work orders through the Work Management component.

In the initial sampling procedure, only a representative portion of the devices from a group is swapped with similar devices. However, in the subsequent periodic replacement procedure, all the devices belonging to a replacement year that aren't part of a sample group must be replaced with counterparts bearing similarity.

The sampling procedure serves as the foundation for renewing the certification of devices. It aids in selecting and including devices in sampling lots and supports the process of drawing a defined and comparable small number of sample devices. Additionally, it provides the selection criteria for generating work orders for these sample devices.

The sampling procedure consists of the following steps:

• First, the new lot master record of the current year is created.
• Then, the lot is compiled in background processing and with useful selection criteria such as device category, manufacturer or replacement year.
• After compilation, the lot number is updated in the selected device master records.
• After compilation, the compilation date and the compilation log is updated in the lot master record.
• Then, a configurable number of sample devices and spare devices is drawn.
• After drawing, the Inspection Device indicator or the Spare Device indicator is updated in the device master records that have been drawn.
• After drawing, the drawing date and the drawing log is updated in the lot master record.
• Then, the work orders are generated to replace sample devices and spare devices (see next figure).
• Then, the replaced devices are inspected to see, if they adhere to legal specifications like the german Eichamt.
• Then, the inspection result and the next due year of the lot are updated in the lot master record.
• If the sample devices pass the inspection, they are recertified and extended by the calibration period of their device category. The lot with the remaining devices is extended for a configurable period, usually further 4 years.
• If the sample devices do not pass the inspection, they are not certified and the lot is exploded.The devices of exploded lots can be included in the subsequent periodic replacement list.

The periodic replacement procedure oversees all devices scheduled for replacement in their designated next replacement year. It aids in selecting and including devices in the periodic replacement list and provides the selection criteria for generating work orders for these replacement devices. This procedure should be initiated only after the annual sampling procedure is completed.

Work Management combines functions from Plant Maintenance (PM), Customer Service (CS) and Sales & Distribution (SD) to execute technical processes for utility companies via the generation, planning, execution, confirmation and monitoring of internal and external work orders.

Internal work orders are cost collectors for device-related actions like the replacement of sample devices and periodic replacement devices. External work orders are linked to sales orders which are billed to the customer, for example the service connection processing.

Work Management needs the maintenance planning plant and regional structure area for work order creation in PM and CS. The regional structure area can be derived from any connection object address for plant determination during the work order creation. The regional structure area links service objects such as Periodic Device Replacement with the maintenance planning plant.

Connection objects and device locations correspond to functional locations and IS-U devices correspond to equipments, the superordinate term is Technical Object.

Work management can be flexibly configured by the following settings:

The order codes:

• represent a combination of an IS-U technical process and a technical reference object, for example Periodic Replacement on Equipment level
• are pre-configured by SAP and should not be deleted, because they are linked with the relevant IS-U transactions
• are allocated to the plant determination for the service objects respectively service products

The service object maps the control parameters to create internal work orders in PM:

• Order Type PM
• Work Center
• Planning Group
• Technical Reference Object Type

The service product maps the control parameters to create external work orders and sales orders in CS and SD:

• Order Type CS
• Work Center
• Planning Group
• Technical Reference Object Type
• Material Master of material type KMAT Configurable Material
• Configuration Profile for Material to derive the price depending on characteristics value assignment by the customer
• Configuration Profile for Planning Group to derive the activities depending on characteristics value assignment by the customer
• Class System to define classes and characteristics for service connection such as connection length, connection box type and so on

Once the internal or external service orders for technical IS-U processes have been generated via Work Management, their further processing (planning, execution, confirmation, monitoring) is controlled by the standard functions of PM and CS.