| Within SCIA«STEEL-fab the entire production proces is determined based on the following parameters: What: Each position and assembly are linked to one or more what-parameters. Some typical what-parameters are: saw cut, hole, outline, paint surface 100 u, ... They determine the geometry and the general characteristics of the parts which have to be delivered. Mostly they are read in automatically in SCIA'STEEL from the CAD-system. For e.g. XSTEEL, Strucad, Bocad, Pro-Steel, Advance, CESIOM, links have already been provided. For establishing geometry parameters within SCIA'STEEL, DSTV-nc-data can be read in How: During the proces, each what-parameter can be realised in various ways. A hole in a profile can be drilled, punched or burnt. One only has to specify in what way each what has to be realised. Where: It is obvious that a hole, which has to be drilled, can be realized with e.g. a manual fraise, a drilling table or by means of a CNC-steered drilling robot. The where-parameter specifies clearly where each what-how-combination will be executed. This implies that a position and/or assembly can go through different cost centres. In the extra parameter 'production-sequence' the workflow is determined. For companies with various production locations, an extra location parameter has been provided for. In this way, specific parts can be planned and organised directly from one location to the other. When: At what time are these 'what, how and where' processed and at what time have they been executed (planned versus realised). Production times can also be coupled to this when, in this way a planning as well as a subsequent calculation are possible. The power of SCIA«STEEL-fab is the fact that due to a simple parametrisation of your production proces, the program totally automatically decides how and where your production will be done; it starts directly after reading in the CAD-data. Of course one can make flexible use of this feature, each project, production order of position/assembly can be modified as one thinks fit. When the production proces is specified, a detailed calculation method specified per cost centre is used to determine the production times. In a simple way the system registers what has been produced and in how much time. If the CNC-machines allow it, this information is treated on-line. |