Setup time control

Use the component Setup time control when setup times are defined and connected to the work center resources or operations.

You access Setup time control from the Component tab.

The data from the component Setup time control is used in Automatic simulation when the operations are forward planned and during Sequence optimization to calculate the setup time for each operation.

In the Planning application, you can define setup times on four tabs using these methods:
  • Setup time matrix transferred from M3 BE.
  • W/C resource setup times. Locally defined setup time logic that is based on the co-sorting key, usually the co-sorting key that you construct in the component Co-sorting key constructor. This method is the most flexible setup time method.
  • Res/csk setup time matrix. Locally defined setup time matrix for part of the co-sorting key. This setup matrix is called from the W/C resource setup times that are defined above.
  • Quantity setup time. In addition to the setup times that are mentioned above, you can define a quantity-dependent setup time. This setup time applies to situations when, for example, a cleaning is performed regularly after you produce a specified number of units.

On the work center resource, define which of the setup time methods are used. The standard value is Automatic. If the W/C resource setup times are defined, the W/C resource setup times are used. If the W/C resource setup times are not defined, the setup time matrix is used instead. The benefit of this behavior is that the BE setup is used unless you have defined a local setup in SWB.

Setup time matrix

The setup time matrix specifies the setup time between two operations on a work center resource. The standard setup times are retrieved from BE (PDS022) and are used in SWB. Use this matrix to define the setup times for any combination of product number, item number, and co-sorting key.

The setup time matrix is useful when you have an irregular matrix where almost all combinations of from and to product groups require different setup times. For example, in the pharmaceutical industry, the setup time between two operations on a resource can depend on authority regulations that require special cleaning procedures when the resource changes from one type of product to another.

W/C resource setup times

The setup time normally specifies the setup time between two operations on a work center resource. The resource setup times can be based on three different resource selections: work center resource, work center, and resource setup time ID.

Define the resource setup times locally in the Planning application. The setup times are calculated based on several elements in the production environment. In the component Co-sorting key constructor, you can construct the co-sorting key to reflect these elements. Therefore, the resource setup times can be based on the same elements as the constructed co-sorting key.

Setup times based on the positions in the co-sorting key

In the Resource Setup Times tab, you can apply setup times to the resources that are based on the positions in the co-sorting key. These are the setup times that you can apply:
  • Setup time control:
    • Operation setup time: Use the setup time that is defined on the operation.
    • Resource setup time: Use the setup time that is defined on the resource.
    • Sum of operation and resource setup time: Use the sum of the operation setup time and the resource setup time.
  • Group setup time control:
    • Operation group setup time: Group setup time is used if the previous operation has the same grouping part of the co-sorting key. Group setup time is defined on the operation and is zero in the standard.
    • Setup time reduction factor: Setup time is multiplied by the reduction factor if the previous operation has the same grouping part of the co-sorting key.
    • Sum of active setup time: An extended panel appears where you can apply setup times that are based on the different positions in the co-sorting key and the logic that was built in the Co-sorting key constructor in the component Sequence optimization controls. The values of all active setup time contributions are summed as setup time.
    • Largest active setup time: An extended panel appears where you can apply setup times that are based on the different positions in the co-sorting key and the logic that was built in the Co-sorting key constructor in the component Sequence optimization controls. The largest active setup time contribution is used as setup time.
  • Setup time: Setup time that is defined on the resource. The value depends on the selection in Group setup time control.
  • Setup time reduction factor: Operations that have the same grouping part of the co-sorting key are similar and the planned setup time is multiplied by the setup time reduction factor. If the grouping part of the co-sorting key is not defined, then the setup time of all operations is multiplied by the setup time reduction factor.
  • Average setup time factor: The product structure usually defines the full setup time, but if setup time depends on the operation sequence, then the average setup time is less than the full setup time. Setup time is calculated for the sequence-locked part of the plan because the planned operation sequence is known in that part of the plan. Outside the sequence-locked horizon, operations are planned independently. Therefore, the average setup time factor is used on all operations in sequence status 10. If the first operation on a resource is a sequencing-locked operation, then the previous operation is not known and the average setup time factor is also used for that operation. Use grouping part of co-sorting key. Defines which part of the co-sorting key defines whether two operations are part of the same group.

Define setup time for subparts of the co-sorting key

Click New and define a new setup time specification for a specified co-sorting key interval. You can define three different setup times for each interval. The first setup time is used if the value of the ASCII character or characters in the co-sorting key interval on the current operation is smaller than the value of the same co-sorting key interval of the previous operation. The second value is used when the compared values are equal, and the third value is used if the value of the current operation is larger than the value of the previous operation.

Selecting the Use res/csk setup time matrix parameter makes it possible to select a previously created setup time matrix that contains several setup times for one or more defined co-sorting key intervals that depend on the actual operation change. The matrix is created in the Res/csk setup time matrix page.

You can construct the co-sorting key based on all information that must be considered when you optimize the sequence. When you use W/C resource setup times, you can calculate how each part of the co-sorting key contributes to the setup time.

Res/csk setup time matrix

The Res/csk setup time matrix specifies a matrix of different setup times for a selected co-sorting key interval. The matrix reflects that the length of the setup time depends on the previous operation and on the next operation. You use the matrix in resource setup time when you define the setup time for the co-sorting key interval.

Setup time matrix ID

The ID must be unique because it defines the matrix. These are the elements that are included in this matrix:
  • Position in co-sorting key. The defined co-sorting key intervals.
  • From value and to value. The relevant changes from one character interval to another for each co-sorting key interval.
  • Setup time. The resulting setup time when you change from one co-sorting key character to another.

Here is an example of co-sorting key position 3 to position 3.

This table shows how this matrix is defined:
Previous operation Current operation Setup time
A B 1:00
A C 2:00
B C 1:30
B A 2:30
C A 3:00
C B 1:30

If the character in position 3 of the co-sorting key of the previous operation was "A" and the character in position 3 of the co-sorting key of the current operation is "B," then this combination indicates a minor change in the production and the setup time is 1 hour. If the current operation has a "C" instead, then the change is larger and the setup time is 2 hours. If the co-sorting key changes from "C" to "A," then this change indicates a large change and the setup time is 3 hours.

To apply the matrix, you must create a resource setup time in Resource setup time maintenance and click New to open the Interval maintenance page. You must select a co-sorting key interval and the parameter Use res/csk setup time matrix to select a previously created matrix that matches this co-sorting key interval. If no part of the selected matrix matches the co-sorting key interval that you select in Interval maintenance, then the less than, equal to, and greater than default values that you specify in Interval maintenance are used instead. If more than one setup time matches, then the value of the Group setup time control parameter that you select in Resource setup time maintenance decides which setup time to use.

Quantity setup times

The quantity setup time specifies the setup time between two operations on a work center resource that depends on produced quantities. The quantity setup times can be based on three different resource selections: work center resource, work center, and resource setup time ID.

Type and position control

You can create these types of quantity-dependent setup time records:
  • Default. Defines a default record that is used when no other quantity setup time group matches the co-sorting key of the previous operation.
  • Quantity setup time group. Creates a quantity-dependent setup time record that can be used with the selected work center resource, work center, or quantity setup time ID.

Gap control

If the gap to the previous operation, in continuous time, exceeds the defined reset gap size, then the accumulated quantities are reset to zero.

Quantity reset method

You can define quantity-dependent setup times using these methods:
  • Before the operation. This method is recommended for many small operations where the cleaning is performed in intervals that are greater than the operation quantity. The cleaning is inserted before an operation as close as possible to the ideal start for the next necessary cleaning. The reset quantity is reset to zero.
  • During the operation. This method is recommended for large operations where the cleaning is performed in intervals that are smaller than the operation quantity. The operation is stopped one or more times to clean the machinery.

Setup time calculation method

You can select a time calculation method from these options:
  • Sum all levels. The quantity-dependent setup time for all used levels is summed per operation and added to the total quantity-dependent setup time.
  • Greater level setup time substitutes smaller level setup times. Only the quantity-dependent setup time for the greatest level is used in the calculation.

Time control

Setup time is calculated in three levels.

For example:
  • Level 1: 30 minutes for each 1,000 units
  • Level 2: 1 hour for each 10,000 units
  • Level 3: 4 hours for each 30,000 units

When two or three levels are used, and you only want the setup contribution from the greatest level, the quantities for level 2 and level 3 must be a multiple of the quantity of level 1. And the quantity of level 3 must be a multiple of the quantity of level 2.