Introduction: step types for operations
Each operation you create in a process flow can have multiple steps (work instructions). The step types you can add to operations are described in the following table. See Create steps for an operation for detailed instructions.)
Step type | Description |
|---|---|
Initialization Step | This is a special step typically used in the first operation of a process flow. Initialization is the act of introducing assembly barcodes to the batch. Note Once you add an Initialization step to an operation, no other steps or activities can be added to that operation. |
Standard Step | Allows the creation of one or more basic instruction or data collection activities. |
Color-Coded Step | This step type is used when some degree of automation is to be added to the step and activity documents in the form of an active work instruction. Color-coded visuals can be generated dynamically within the Color-Coded step. |
Guided Inspection Step | Used to create an automated (color-coded) work instruction that distributes a single part number or reference per activity. Note Activities do not appear in NPI for Guided Inspection steps. Activities for this step type are generated dynamically when executed in Production after loading the batch and operation. The activities are controlled by the Activity Splitting tab in the Settings dialog for a Guided Inspection step after the part assignments are made. To view the activities for a Guided Inspection step in NPI, select the Show Shop Floor |
First Article Inspection Step | Allows you to create an Inspection step where a single part or reference designator is automatically assigned to each activity created. The only difference between this step type and a Guided Inspection step is that a First Article Inspection step is created with a Step Frequency of Start of Batch meaning that it will be presented to the shop floor users only once per Batch. Note Activities do not appear in NPI for First Article Inspection steps. Activities for this step type are generated dynamically when executed in Production after loading the batch and operation. The activities are controlled by the Activity Splitting tab in the Settings dialog for a First Article Inspection step after the part assignments are made. To view the activities for a First Article Inspection step in NPI, select the Show Shop Floor |
Packout Step | This is a special step typically used as the final operation in a process flow to facilitate the packing of finished products into boxes for shipping. The Packout step includes validation options to ensure all assemblies and sub-assemblies being packaged have passed all required operations and contain no open defect indictments. |
Load Carrier Step | This is a special step type that creates a Load Carrier activity for loading assemblies into a carrier or container. |
Task List Step | Allows steps with multi-part operations to collect multiple pieces of data for each logical part by configuring a list of tasks under a single step in the process definition. (Tasks in the list are essentially FactoryLogix activities.) Process designers define the Task List step in NPI and execute the individual data capture tasks in Production. As additional tasks are added to the design grid, prompts appear beneath the step in the Step List, just as with all other activity types. In the Settings dialog for a Task List step, tasks/activities are configured in a grid format where rows correspond to the activities or tasks being added and columns correspond to the multiple pieces of data being captured for each task. |
Capture New Material Step | Allows operators to capture and introduce or "birth" new materials into inventory "on the fly" and associate them to a unit—without going through a receiving process or adding new materials manually. Using this step type generates a new material UID and immediately associates it with the unit being produced. (The UID for the unit is based on the UID format settings you specify in NPI.) See Capture New Material step for more information. |
Composer Step | Provides the ability to link to or embed SOLIDWORKS Composer Player files in the step for the selected operation, then you can assign one or more Composer Player views to the activities for the Composer Step. You also have the ability to group multiple Composer views within a single activity. See Support for SOLIDWORKS Composer Player files for more information about FactoryLogix support for Composer files. |
