Define New Meter and Meter Type for Usage Reporting

This document explains how you define a new meter and meter type. A meter must be defined before it can be used in other programs to register usage of an item. Meters can be defined to register run times in hours, the number of cycles, temperature or calendar time.

Use these steps as part of setting up the system.

Outcome

A meter, which can be connected to an item, is defined. The meter makes it easy to register usage of the item it is connected to.

Information about meters is stored in the parameter table (CSYTAB).

Uses of Meters

Meters are used for maintenance planning. Meters are connected to items in 'Item. Open' (MMS001). When you define a service for an object, you can define up to four meters that you use for planning maintenance. The meter readings of these four planning meters control the maintenance planning of the object.
Meters that are not used for maintenance planning are connected to items in 'Item. Connect Meter' (MMS004).
Meters are used in 'Equipment. Report Meter Reading' (MOS160). Meter reporting is possible on all levels, not only the top level, in this program.
Meters are used in 'Maint Agrmnt. Open' (COS410) and sub programs. In some agreements the pricing is based on meter readings.
Meters are used in 'Model Individual. Dsp Invoice History' (COS425). This program is used for reporting meter reading that form the basis for invoicing for a period.
Meters are used in 'Service. Open' (MOS300) and sub-programs. Maintenance limits can be specified for each service and a planned work order is created when a maintenance limit is exceeded.
Meters are used in 'Operational Log. Open' (FLS001) and sub-programs. The flight log is used to register the usage of an aircraft. In this program, reporting is done on the highest level, the aircraft, and not on any of its components, for example, the engines.
Meters are used in 'Operation Plan. Open' (MOS380). The meters are used to indicate the forecasted usage of an object.

Before you start

A unit for meters must be defined in 'Unit of Measure. Open' (CRS050).
If a calculation program is to be used, it must be defined in 'Meter Calculation Program. Open' (MMS052).

Follow these steps

Start 'Meter. Open' (MMS051).

A new meter can be defined from both the A and B-panel.
On the A panel or B-panel, specify the identity of the new meter. Select New to display the E-panel.

The identity is alphanumerical and not more than six positions long.
On the E-panel, specify the unit of measure, the number of decimals, the time unit, and the meter type.
Specify a calculation program (optional), whether the meter is mandatory, and whether manual replacement is possible.
Specify whether it is a meter for an operational unit, the calculation date, whether it is used to follow-up a warranty, and the report type of the meter.
Specify if the meter is absolute or accumulative and the maximum and minimum meter values.
Specify if reporting is done as actual values or usage.
Specify optional operational and economic tolerances. Press Enter.

Parameters to set


Program ID/Panel	Field	The field indicates …
(MMS051/E)	Unit	… the unit used by the meter. Examples of meters are KG for kilograms, M for meters. See also Before Starting.
(MMS051/E)	Number of decimals	… with how many decimals the meter's accuracy is expressed. The valid alternatives are 0 – 6.
(MMS051/E)	Time unit	… the time unit to be used by the meter, if applicable. Examples: 1 = minutes, 2 = hours, 3 = months, 5 = years, 6 = weeks.
(MMS051/E)	Calculation program	… which program is used for calculation if the meter value is based on other meter readings. The calculation program is defined in 'Meter Calculation Program. Open' (MMS052). If no calculation program is specified, the reported meter reading is used.
(MMS051/E)	Manual replace	… whether the reported meter reading may be replaced by a manually registered reading in 'Model/Site Individual. Open Op Cycle Readings' (MOS271). Changes of this type are for example done on aircraft.
(MMS051/E)	Mandatory	… whether the meter must be reported.
(MMS051/E)	Warranty	… whether the meter is used to follow up a warranty. Example: On a new car with a 100,000-kilometer warranty, the meter reading of the trip meter determines whether the warranty is valid.
(MMS051/E)	Calculation date	… the date from which the meter should start counting. Example: 0 = Not used, 1 = Date of birth, 2 = Manufacturing date, 3 = Quality control date. The normal setting for plant maintenance is 1 = Date of birth.
(MMS051/E)	Operational unit	… whether a meter should be defined as an operational unit meter, that is, be the top meter in an operational unit, for example an aircraft. Parts that are installed in the operational unit but have meters can be for example landing gears. If alternative 1 is specified, it is possible to display only meters defined as operational unit meters in 'Serialized Item. Open Meter Reading' (MMS241).
(MMS051/E)	Meter type	… the type of meter that is being defined. The meter could be defined as a normal meter (recommended for all civilian use), a load meter (used for bombs and missiles on military aircraft) or a meter for aircraft data (for military use). The valid alternatives are: Blank = Normal meter 1 = Load meter 2 = Aircraft data. A normal meter should be used for all civilian purposes.
(MMS051/E)	Absolute value	… whether the meter value is absolute. Absolute values are for example pressure and temperature. Absolute meters can be used to trigger a service when a reading is entered into 'Equipment. Report Meter Reading' (MOS160) against the equipment. For example, a meter could be defined as a thickness meter and linked to a service for checking the thickness of tires on a vehicle. The service created in 'Service. Open' (MOS300) would not have a frequency (as the frequency is actually based on condition and not time) against it but would have the absolute meter linked to it in 'Service. Connect Maintenance Limits' (MOS311) (MOS311 has a different display for absolute meters). In (MOS311), you would set up the point at which the service would be triggered, that is when a reading is entered into (MOS160) which is 2.4mm or less. The system would then monitor entries into (MOS160) (or maybe an external system using an MOS160MI, API) and trigger this service when an entry of 2.4 or less is entered.
(MMS051/E)	Min meter value	… the minimum value the meter may have. If the meter is accumulative, the field indicates the maximum negative change expressed as a percentage. A warning message is issued if you try to report a value which is higher than the permitted value. If you specify 10 in this field, you may only report a value which is 10 % lower than what is already reported on the meter. If the object has 100 reported hours, you may only report 10 hours negative change before you get a warning message.
(MMS051/E)	Max meter value	… the maximum value the meter may have. If the meter is accumulative, the field indicates the maximum change expressed as a percentage. A warning message is issued if you try to report a value which is higher than the permitted value. If you specify 10 in this field, you may only report a value which is 10 % higher than what is already reported on the meter. If the object has 100 reported hours, you may only report another 10 hours before you get a warning message.
(MMS051/E)	Report type	… how the meter value should be reported. Reporting can be done either using the actual value, or using the number of used units since the last meter reporting. In the latter case, the number of used units is added to the total reported meter value. The valid alternatives are: 0 = Actual value 1 = Usage
(MMS051/E)	Op tolerance	… the degree to which the specified service can be exceeded. The tolerance is entered in the meter's unit of measure. This information is used for maintenance planning.
(MMS051/E)	Economic tolerance 1	… the lowest limit at which an unscheduled repair should be converted to the defined service (e.g., repair to an overhaul). The tolerance is entered in the meter's unit of measure. This parameter is not activated in this release.
(MMS051/E)	Economic tolerance 2	… the earliest point at which the service may be performed. The tolerance is entered in the meter's unit of measure.