Send-Ahead Run#

Estimated time to read: 9 minutes

A Send-Ahead Run represents a scenario where a given Sub-Material from a specific Material undergoes certain defined processing steps while the remaining lot becomes a Waiting Material that is held at a Wait Step.

Info

For Materials without Sub-Materials you need to Expand one or more units of that Material so you can create a Send-Ahead Run. Another alternative to create a Send-Ahead Run for Materials without Sub-Materials is to use the Send-Ahead Run Entity, and not the Material directly.

This document will guide you through the required configurations and set up for the Send-Ahead Run functionality.

Overview#

The Send-Ahead Run functionality is used with Material for tracking, connecting, and checking purposes. This is, from a certain material group, a material or a small set of materials are sent ahead to check for equipment and process correctness, while the rest of the material group is put on hold automatically in the waiting step until the results are available. When the processing of the materials that were sent ahead is checked successfully, the rest of the material group can proceed. However, if the send-ahead material processing fails, the send-ahead materials can be sent to rework, scrapped or just stay in the step, and a new send-ahead material can be used - ignoring/clearing or not the result of the first send-ahead material.

Note

You can also define a Send-Ahead Run via Future Actions or as part of an Experiment.

Setting up Send-Ahead Run#

To have a functioning Send-Ahead Run, you have to set up other Critical Manufacturing MES entities as shown in the following table:

Step Number	Step	Description
1	Create a Flow	Create a Flow with Steps.
2	Create a Material	Create a Material.
3	Create a Reason	Create a Reason of type Hold and configure it.
4	Create a Data Collection with Limit Set	Only if Results Capture Mode equals Data Collection Within Limits.
5	Create an SPC with an SPC Rule	Only if Results Capture Mode equals SPC With No Violation.
6	Link Data Collection, Data Collection Limit Set, and SPC to the Step	Only if any of the two Capture Modes above are used.

Table: Steps to set up the Send-Ahead Run-related Entities

The image below provides an example of a basic Send-Ahead Run scenario:

The next sub-sections will cover the required configuration steps in more detail.

Step 1: Create a Flow#

Create a Flow and make sure that it has Steps. This tutorial will use three different Steps for the Wait, Evaluate, and Merge steps in the Send-Ahead Run:

Note

It is not mandatory to have different Steps.

Step 2: Create a Material#

Create a Material and make sure that it is configured to use the Flow you created. For this tutorial the Material is configured with Sub-Materials, one of which will be sent ahead:

Step 3: Create a Reason#

Create a Reason, give it a Name, to use for configuration purposes, and select Create:
Configure the Reason by going to Administration followed by Configuration. Find and select the following key to be able to Edit it:
- /Cmf/System/Configuration/SendAheadRun/HoldReason/
Select Edit, complete the Value field with the Name of your Reason, and select Save:
Optionally, configure the NameGenerator for the Send-Ahead Run Split Material by going to Administration followed by Configuration. Find and select the following key to be able to Edit it:
- /Cmf/System/Configuration/Business/NameGenerators/SendAheadRunSplitMaterial/

Note

You can only edit a Configuration if it is selected. For more information, see Configuration.

Here is an example of the configured Name Generator:

Using Send-Ahead Run#

After setting up the required configurations mentioned above, you can create the Send-Ahead Run and use it to process your Material, as described in the next sections.

Create the Send-Ahead Run#

You can create the Send-Ahead Run directly from the Material, Step or Resource view.

For the purpose of this tutorial, the Send-Ahead Run will be created from the Step view:

On selecting Create under Send-Ahead Run, the wizard opens:

Before moving on, you could configure the NameGenerator for the Send-Ahead Run by going to Administration followed by Configuration. Find and select the following key to be able to Edit it:

/Cmf/System/Configuration/Business/NameGenerators/SendAheadRun/

Since for this tutorial the NameGenerator was configured, select Next in the General Data step.

Out of curiosity, this is how the NameGenerator for the Send-Ahead Run was configured:

In the Waiting Materials step, select Physical for the Split Type and Temporary for the Split Scope:

Select Next to move to the Sub-Materials to Send-Ahead step, and select the desired Sub-Material, followed by Next:

For the Details step be sure to complete the following:

Wait Step - where the main Material will be put on hold, and hold reason is assigned. For more information, see Manage Reasons.
Evaluate Step - where you will evaluate the Material that was sent ahead.
Merge Step - where the main Material and the Material that was sent ahead will merge, and only if the Split Scope is different from Permanent.
Results Capture Mode - when results are recorded. For more information on the available options, see Create Send-Ahead Run.

Info

The default of the Results Capture Mode is Manual. For this tutorial it is Manual at Track-Out so you can see how it works.

The default of the Auto Release on Pass is true. For this tutorial it is false so you can see the manual release workflow.

When created, the Send-Ahead Run page contains all your configurations including details on the Send-Ahead Materials:

For more information, see Cancel Send-Ahead Run, Change Send-Ahead Run Materials, Manage Send-Ahead Run Materials, Clear Send-Ahead Run Result, and Ignore Send-Ahead Run Result.

Moreover, notice how, as defined in the Wait Step of the Send-Ahead Run, the main Material is on hold at the Mixing step:

Process the Material#

From the Material to be sent ahead, select Dispatch and Track-In.
Select an available resource and Track-In:
Select Track-Out and perform the necessary steps in the Track-Out Material wizard to Track-Out.
Select Move-Next on the top ribbon, and then again in the Move Material to Next Step wizard to move the Material to the Evaluate Step. In this case, Moulding:
The Material is now in Moulding, the configured Evaluate Step, and you need to repeat the Dispatch and Track-In and Track-Out process.
Since you selected Manual at Track-Out as the Results Capture Mode, the last step of the Track-Out Material wizard is when you manually record the Send-Ahead Run Materials Result. The available options are Pass or Fail, and you can include Remarks:
Select Track-Out and your Material is tracked out successfully.
Return to the Send-Ahead Run and select Release on the top ribbon:

Note

A Material can be released directly in the Material entity, Resource View or Step View.

Information regarding the Send-Ahead Materials is updated.

This operation is not needed if the Auto Release on Pass is set to true when creating the Send-Ahead Run.

And again in the Release Waiting Material wizard:
Now you need to perform Dispatch and Track-In, Track-Out, and Move-Next to your main Material (no longer on hold) until it reaches the Merge Step (Baking), at which point it will be waiting for merge:
Go to the Material that was sent ahead, Move-Next and the Materials will be merged:
The Sub-Material that was used for the Send-Ahead Run process has returned to the main Material:
The Send-Ahead Run is Terminated and Closed:

Info

When the result of the Send-Ahead Run is a Pass, you can Extend Send-Ahead Run. For more information, see Extend Send-Ahead Run.