Equipment Data Dialog: Scheduling Tab

This tab is part of the Equipment Data dialog (common to all equipment types). The dialog can be viewed when selecting the Equipment Data menu option from a unit procedure’s command menu. This tab presents information mostly for viewing purposes. The only editable entries on this tab are:

●      Allow Use Across Batches (yes/no)
Typically, users do not want to mix activities across batches; therefore, even if there’s a long waiting time in an equipment during the batch the equipment is considered off limits for use by activities of the next batch (thus, this time is NOT considered part of across-batch idle time but instead it is part of the equipment’s occupancy time). So, the occupancy time of the equipment blocks out such gaps. If this option is checked, then it is possible to intermingle P-1 from batch #1, then P-8 from batch #2 then back to P-2 from batch #1. Therefore checking this options will decrease the occupancy time of the equipment and increase the across-batch idle time. Note that this has no effect on the in-batch idle time since that time between procedures is available for in-batch activities all the time. Essentially, in this case, the occupancy time will be equal to the busy time of the equipment. Users should understand that the minimum cycle time (as calculated by the application to be the max of all equipment occupancy times) may change (be reduced) as well and therefore the selected recipe cycle time as well. This in turn will probably cause a scheduling conflict which can only be eliminated by adjusting the cycle time through the Recipe Scheduling Information Dialog with the assistance of the Cycle Time Calculator Dialog.

●      Allow Use Across Cycles (yes/no)
Normally, if there’s a gap between the end of one procedure cycle and the start of the next, the equipment is considered unavailable for any other activities (operations) for the same or another batch. Even though this gap is counted in the reported idle time, it is not (normally) reported in the in-batch idle time (or of course, the across-batch idle time) and it adds up to the equipment’s occupancy time. If this option is checked, then the in-batch idle time will increase and the occupancy time will decrease by that amount of time. If this equipment’s occupancy time ends up setting the recipe cycle time, it is possible, that this equipment’s use will result in equipment violations in a multi-batch production scheme. To find out the earliest feasible recipe cycle time, you should use the Cycle Time Calculator Dialog (part of the Recipe Scheduling Information Dialog).

●      Omit from Min Recipe Cycle Time Calcs (yes/no)
Normally SuperPro Designer will calculate the Min Recipe Cycle Time as the highest occupancy time amongst all main equipment (see Scheduling Output Information). If the user does not wish to consider this equipment’s occupancy time as potential setter of the minimum recipe cycle time, they can exclude it by checking this option. If you choose to omit the equipment resource from the scheduling calculations, then this equipment’s occupancy time is not taken into consideration when calculating the minimum recipe cycle time. This may be a good choice for equipment that are used as temporary storage at various stages of the batch, and since currently SuperPro Designer prevents the use of the equipment in a future batch before all engagements of the current batch are exhausted, it introduces a very long occupancy time.Since doing so will inevitably lead to equipment sharing violations, checking this flag, usually, is accompanied by checking the following flag as well (‘Omit from EOC & Equip. GC

●      Omit from EOC & Equip. GC (yes/no)
If this flag is checked, then no occupancy bars for this equipment (nor for any of its contained procedures) will appear in the Equipment Occupancy chart and Equipment Gantt chart.

●      Omit Contained Procedures from OC (yes/no)
If this options is checked, all the activities of procedures hosted by this equipment will not be shown in the activities chart (aka, Gantt chart).

If you choose to allow the equipment to be shared across batches (see Equipment Use Across Batches) then the occupancy time will be equal to the busy time of the equipment. Also when checking this flag the user must note that the minimum cycle time may change and therefore the recipe cycle time as well. This in turn will probably cause a scheduling conflict which can only be eliminated by adjusting the cycle time through the Recipe Scheduling Information Dialog with the assistance of the Cycle Time Calculator Dialog.

Scheduling Information

The scheduling information presented on this tab is very useful, especially in cases where the equipment resource may be shared between two or more procedures.

The following variables are presented:

:

For more information about the terminology, see Selection & Sharing, Staggered Mode and Scheduling Terms & Definitions.