---
pdfexport: true
alias: tutorials-containermanagement
timetoread: True
tutorial: full
module: Materials & Containers
description: "A Container is a standardized physical carrier used to hold, protect, organize, and move Materials, parts, or other containers throughout manufacturing and logistics processes."
---

# Containers

## Overview

A **Container** is a standardized physical carrier used to hold, protect, organize, and move **Materials**, parts, or other containers throughout manufacturing and logistics processes.

A Container acts as the interface between production, storage, and transportation. It ensures that items can be handled safely, efficiently, and repeatedly across the shop floor.

Manufacturers design containers to match:

- The size and weight of the contents
- The sensitivity of the Materials
- The handling methods used on the shop floor, such as manual handling, forklifts, conveyors, AGVs, or robots

Industrial containers can be:

- Returnable or disposable
- Standard or custom-designed
- Made from plastic, metal, wood, or composite materials

Beyond simple storage, containers support lean manufacturing principles by enabling:

- Visual management
- Work-in-process control
- Ergonomic handling
- Quality protection
- Traceability

A container is therefore not just a box. It is a critical logistics and production asset that connects material flow, safety, efficiency, and quality across the industrial shop floor.

## Examples

|  |  |
|---|---|
| **FOUP for Semiconductor Wafers** | **SMT Board Magazine** |
| ![FOUP container used in semiconductor manufacturing to transport silicon wafers safely between processing tools](images/container_tutorial_5.jpeg) | ![SMT board magazine used to store and transport printed circuit boards in SMT production lines](images/container_tutorial_6.jpeg) |
| **Pallet** | **Trolley of Boxes** |
| ![Industrial pallet used to move and store large quantities of materials using forklifts or automated systems](images/container_tutorial_7.png) | ![Trolley with stacked material boxes used for manual transport inside the production floor](images/container_tutorial_4.jpeg) |
| **SMT Feeders Cart** | **ESD Box** |
| ![SMT feeder cart used to transport multiple feeders that supply electronic components to placement machines](images/container_tutorial_8.png) | ![ESD-safe plastic container designed to protect sensitive electronic components from electrostatic discharge](images/container_tutorial_9.png) |
| **Tray** | **Hopper** |
| ![Tray container with multiple slots used to organize and transport individual parts or components](images/container_tutorial_10.png) | ![Industrial hopper container used to hold and dispense bulk materials during automated processing](images/container_tutorial_11.png) |

## Containers in MES

A **Container** is an object of the **Container** entity that can hold **Materials**, **Resources**, or other **Containers**.

A **Material Container** has a capacity defined by positions available for a given **Material** unit. A **Container** can hold multiple **Materials**, but each position can contain only one **Material**.

Each position:

- Is identified by a unique number
- Has a defined capacity based on specific units

The same concept applies to:

- **Containers** that hold **Resources**
- **Containers** that hold other **Containers** (SubContainers)

```mermaid
flowchart TD

    SC[Sub Container]
    C[Container]

    F[Facility]
    MC[Material Container]
    CR[Container Resource]

    M[Material]
    R[Resource]

    SC --> C

    C --> F
    C --> MC
    C --> CR

    MC --> M
    CR --> R

    classDef mermaid_title color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, font-weight:200;
    classDef mermaid_start color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, color:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, visibility: hidden;
    classDef mermaid_businessdata color:#000, fill:#65CDE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
    classDef mermaid_nonbusinessdata color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#B7DEE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
    classDef mermaid_entity color:#000, fill:#FB9F53, stroke:#FB9F53, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
    classDef mermaid_entitylinked color:#000, fill:#FCD5B5, stroke:#FCD5B5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
    classDef mermaid_context color:#000, fill:#B9CDE5, stroke:#B9CDE5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
    classDef mermaid_optional color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:1px, font-size:100%, stroke-dasharray: 5 5;
    class C,SC mermaid_entity
    class F,M,P,R mermaid_businessdata
    class MC,CR mermaid_nonbusinessdata

```

A **Container** can be modeled in different ways:

- **Magazine** — one position with multiple units per position (for example, a tray holding several units of the same Material)
- **FOUP (Front-Opening Universal Pod)** — multiple positions with one unit per position (for example, a wafer carrier)
- **Hybrid models** — combinations of both approaches

![Diagram showing container modeling examples with single-position and multi-position containers](images/container_tutorial_13.png)

A **Container** can also be associated with a **Resource** when the Resource supports the position unit types defined in that Container type.

## State Model

Containers have a system-defined state model:

- **Available** — the Container can be used (empty or full)
- **Unavailable** — the Container cannot be used
- **In Transit** — the Container is shipping Materials to another Facility

```mermaid
graph TD
    Start -->|Create Container| A1
    A1[Available] -->|Make Container Unavailable| A2[Unavailable]
    A2 -->|Make Container Available| A1
    A1 -->|Ship Material| L1[In Transit]
    L1 --->|Unship Material<br>Receive Material| A1

classDef mermaid_start color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, color:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, visibility: hidden;
classDef mermaid_entitylinked color:#000, fill:#FCD5B5, stroke:#FCD5B5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_state color:#000, fill:#d7e4bd, stroke:#000, stroke-width:1px, font-size:100%, font-weight:300;
class Start mermaid_start
class A1,A2,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,A10,A11,A12 mermaid_state
class L1,L2,L3,L4,L5,L6 mermaid_entitylinked
```

You can also create custom **State Models** for Containers.

## Container Creation

The Container creation wizard includes several required fields:

- **Name** — identifies the Container
- **Type** — used in configuration tables for container restrictions
- **Facility** — defines where the Container will be used

![Container creation wizard showing required fields such as Name, Type, and Facility](images/container_tutorial_15.png)

Additional configuration fields include:

- **Position Unit Type** — defines whether the Container holds Materials, Containers, or Resources
- **Total Positions** — defines the number of usable positions
- **Capacity Validation Mode** — available only for Material containers

If the **Capacity Validation Mode** is set to **Unit**, you can define the maximum Material quantity per position using **Capacity per Position**.

!!! info
    For more information, refer to the User Guide: [[user-guide-create-container]]

![Container configuration fields including position type, total positions, and capacity validation settings](images/container_tutorial_16.png)

## Container Operations

### Manage Positions

Use **Manage Positions** to add or remove objects from Container positions.

The operation works the same way for all **Container Position Unit Types**:

- Material
- Container
- Resource

For **Material** or **Container**:

![Manage Positions operation showing assignment of materials or containers to container positions](images/container_tutorial_17.png)

For **Container of Containers**, define the relationship between the container and sub-container in the **Container Type Relation** Generic Table.

![Generic Table configuration defining container-to-container relationships](images/container_tutorial_18.png)

![Example configuration showing how containers can contain other containers](images/container_tutorial_19.png)

For **Container of Resources**, define the relationship in the **Container Resource Relation** Generic Table.

![Generic Table configuration defining container-to-resource relationships](images/container_tutorial_20.png)

![Example configuration showing containers that store resources](images/container_tutorial_21.png)

### Empty

The **Empty** operation removes all objects from the Container.

### Store

The **Store** operation places the Container in a **Storage Resource** located in any **Area** that belongs to the Container **Facility**.

Precondition:

The Storage Resource must have **Position Unit Type = Container**.

![Store operation showing a container being placed in a storage resource](images/container_tutorial_22.png)

![Example of a container stored inside a storage resource location](images/container_tutorial_23.png)

### Retrieve

The **Retrieve** operation removes the Container from storage.

### Dock

Use **Dock** to dock a Container to a **Resource**.

Docking can occur on Resources with the following processing types:

- **Load Port**
- **Process**

#### Load Port Docking

Requirements:

- The Resource must have a **Load Port Type** selected
- The **Position Unit Type** must be **Container**

![Dock configuration example for a load port resource](images/container_tutorial_24.png)

**Example:**

In SMT lines, loader and unloader machines handle magazines of electronic boards.

![SMT loader/unloader machine handling board magazines](images/container_tutorial_25.png)

#### Process Docking

Requirements:

- The Resource must have **Locations enabled**
- A valid **Location** must be selected

![Docking configuration for a process resource with defined locations](images/container_tutorial_26.png)

When docking a **Container of Resources** (for example feeder carts), the system automatically considers the Resources as consumable feeds in the docking Resource.

**Example:**

In SMT lines, component placement machines can handle multiple feeder carts.

![SMT placement machine capable of handling multiple feeder carts](images/container_tutorial_27.png)

![Example of feeder carts modeled as containers of resources](images/container_tutorial_28.png)

The docking Resource must have:

- **Has Resource Locations** enabled
- **Location Type** defined
- **Dimensions** configured

![Resource configuration showing enabled locations and location types](images/container_tutorial_29.png)

Locations must include:

- Location
- Position Count
- Position Consumable Feed Type
- Enabled status

![Example configuration of resource locations used for container docking](images/container_tutorial_30.png)

### Undock

The **Undock** operation removes the Container from the Resource.

![Undock operation removing a container from a resource](images/container_tutorial_31.png)

### Add

Use the **Add** operation to assign the current Container to a **Parent Container**.

Define the relationship in the **Container Type Relation** Generic Table.

![Generic Table configuration defining container type relationships](images/container_tutorial_18.png)

![Add operation assigning a container to a parent container](images/container_tutorial_32.png)

### Transfer

The **Transfer** operation transfers the contents of a Container to another Container.

The operation name varies depending on the **Container Position Unit Type**:

- Transfer Materials
- Transfer Resources
- Transfer Containers

You can transfer each position to a different Container.

![Transfer operation moving materials, resources, or containers between containers](images/container_tutorial_33.png)

### Make Unavailable

Sets the **System State** of the Container to **Unavailable**. In this state, the Container is not visible in selection lists.

### Make Available

Changes the Container **System State** back to **Available**.

## Container View

The **Container View** displays the Container layout and contents.

You can:

- Visualize positions and assigned objects
- View details of the selected position
- Customize visible columns in **View Options**

![Container view showing positions and assigned objects](images/container_tutorial_34.png)

## Container Maintenance View

The **Container Maintenance View** displays scheduled and ad-hoc **Maintenance Action Orders (MAO)** related to the Container.

For more information, refer to [[tutorials-maintenance-management-deepdive]].

![Container maintenance view displaying maintenance activities associated with a container](images/container_tutorial_3.png)

## Material Container Type Context

The **Material Container Type Context** Smart Table defines restrictions for container usage.

You can restrict container types based on:

- **Area**
- **Step**
- **Product**
- **Product Group**
- **Material Type**
- **Material Form**
- **Material State**
- **Capacity Class**

You can also define the **maximum number of usable positions** for a Container type.

!!! note
    To select a Step in this Smart Table, enable the Use Container Restrictions property.

### Example

Example configuration using **Step**, **Material Type**, and **Container Type**.

![Material Container Type Context Smart Table defining container usage restrictions](images/container_tutorial_35.png)

In this configuration, when you attempt to add a **Material** of type **Production** at the selected Step, only Containers of type **Box** appear in the selection list.

![Example showing filtered container selection based on configuration rules](images/container_tutorial_1.png)

![User interface showing available containers based on defined context rules](images/container_tutorial_2.png)