Displaying Assembly Line - Assignments

Assignments exist on two levels, and are divided in two types. The types differ in purpose, whereas the levels differ in the characteristics they define.

Types

The following types of assignments exist:

  • Nonaverage assignments

    The purpose of these assignments is to define process characteristics. Nonaverage assignments are used for the following purposes:
    • They are used to define order content. For generated (nonfrozen) orders, the order content is based on the first active, nonaverage assignment. For frozen orders, the order content is based on the nonaverage assignment that is in effect at the time that the order is frozen.
    • They are also used to offset the lead time during sequencing. When the order is sequenced, a lead time is calculated for every order. This lead time is based on the cycle times, and the applicable cycle time is retrieved from the nonaverage assignment.

  • Average assignments

    The purpose of these assignments is to define an average cycle time. LAC uses the average assignment in planning. Planning in LAC is based on cycle time, calendar, and availability type.
Note: 
  • An average cycle time is not a mathematical average, but is a value that you consider to be a suitable average for the nonaverage cycle times over the course of a full day.
  • Each day must be completely covered by both average and non-average assignments. So, make sure that for each moment of the day a non-average assignment is effective, even if no work is performed for a part of the day. Average assignments automatically apply to the whole day. LN takes the hours of the working day from the calendar.

Levels

Assignments can exist on two levels. According to these levels, the following sorts of assignments exist:

  • Line Station Level Assignments

    These assignments define process characteristics per line station.

    The process characteristics defined, are:

    • Man occupation and machine occupation
    • Number of cycle times
    • Work team
    • Operations

  • Line Level Assignments

    These assignments exist for a complete assembly line, and define characteristics that apply to the whole line. Every line level assignments is linked to a set of line station level assignments. Therefore, if you select another line level assignment, you also automatically select another set of line station level assignments.

    Line level assignments have the following characteristics:

    • Cycle time data

      Cycle times are based on the operations performed on a line. The cycle time can vary according to the time range that is provided for the assignment.
    • Offset time data
    • Effective date and expiry date
    • Start time and end time
Note: 
  • Operations are not visible in the Assembly Control module.
  • Only line level assignments can be average or non-average, because this characteristic has respect to the cycle time, and the cycle time is only defined for line level assignments, and not for line station level assignments.
  • Assignments are date and time-sensitive, so different process charactersitics can be applied to the line over different periods and/or time ranges.
  • In LAC, several characteristics on line station level are defined as separate assignments, such as a job assignment and an operations assignment.