Creating a Product Group

Note: The best way to make new product groups is by defining or redefining stages: this adjusts relationships automatically.

Open the Product Groups overview window by selecting Products > Product > Groups.
Click New.
A dialog box is displayed.
Enter a unique code for the product group.
Select the group type from the corresponding list box.
Click OK.
The Product Group Entry window is displayed.
Enter the description for the product group.
Enter the unit.
If you want to edit the relationship between a product group and its stage, then use the stage entry window.
Click OK to save the product group and close the entry window.

Cyclic modeling

Using cyclic modeling, you can model, for the same stage, the same product group as the main product group and the inflow product group.

For example, for a filtering stage, you can schedule the refiltering of smooth pulp with this product group configuration:

Two inflow product groups for coarse pulp and smooth pulp
One main product group for smooth pulp

This configuration translates into these process steps:

The initial filtering process step is defined as version one. In this step, coarse pulp is defined as the inflow product and smooth pulp as the main product.
The second filtering process step is defined as version two. In this step, smooth pulp is defined as the inflow product and the main product.

For the same stage, you can use cyclic modeling for recurring production operations, for example, pumping and mixing.

Pumping use case

In the crushing stage, you specify a process step as version one with these operations:
1. Crushed material is produced using a crusher.
2. After this operation, the crushed material is stored in the appropriate tank.
The stored crushed material is subject to a second process operation, for example, cooling, solidifying, or pumping. A dedicated resource, for example, a cooler or a pump, is used. After this operation and in the same stage, the material is stored in another tank.

In the same crushing stage, you can model the second process operation and the subsequent storage into a process step as version two. The outflow of the version-one process step is the inflow of the version-two process step.

The second process operation is considered as an integral part of the crushing stage. The intermediate material does not require a separate material code between the first and the second process of the crushing stage.
Mixing use case

In the mixing stage, you specify a process step as version one with these operations:
1. Mixed material, for example, strawberry syrup, is produced using a mixer.
2. After this operation, the mixed material is stored in the appropriate tank.
In case of excess strawberry syrup, the material can be combined with another inflow product. For example, raspberries can be added on the mixer to produce strawberry and raspberry syrup.

In this case, the main product of the mixing stage, that is, strawberry syrup, is also the stage inflow product.