Technical Datasheets
Technical datasheets (sometimes known as custom fields) provide a flexible link for user definable data to be linked to equipment and positions, in a standard format.
Once defined, powerful search criteria are available to scan the technical datasheets looking for particular ranges and combinations of data. This allows you to quickly find similar equipment or spare pieces of equipment in an emergency situation. For example, if a motor needs to be replaced and no spare is on hand, the system user can request a list of all motors on-site with similar characteristics. If found, it is possible to use an alternative motor taken from a lower priority application.
Technical datasheets linked to positions usually define process or performance requirements for the area. For example, the technical datasheet associated with a position where a pump is located could indicate the inlet and outlet sizes, mounting requirements, pressure and head needs. Technical datasheets associated with equipment normally define physical characteristics such as speed and power head. It is therefore possible to check the process requirements against the physical characteristics of the equipment.
Description
Initially, user-defined fields are created to represent the different attributes of equipment or process positions. These fields commonly include speed, power, material, and size. Fields need only to be defined once, as they can be used for many technical datasheets. While defining these fields, the user has the opportunity to specify the attributes including field length and type. These fields can also be configured to display existing data from other M3 fields. This is useful when combining data from various places into a single view.
These fields are then assembled into technical datasheet templates. A common example would be a motor assembled from fields such as speed, rating, power, and frame size. These templates are then assembled together into groups to form larger templates. For example, a pump assembly could be build from individual motor, pump, and coupling templates.
Finally, these technical datasheets are linked to equipment and positions where the data is specified.