How to read Shop Floor quality steps from an IoT instrument

A Measure step of a work order is often a weighing. On the Shop Floor screen the operator stands at the machine with the product in both hands, and has to read the figure off the scale and type it into the numpad. A figure typed by hand can be misread or mistyped, and nobody can tell afterwards where it came from.

IoT Shop Floor Quality adds one button to the Measure step on the Shop Floor: Read from instrument. One tap takes one fresh reading from the scale that serves the check and puts it in the step. The operator looks at the figure and taps Confirm; only then is the result recorded. The check keeps a record of which instrument gave the figure and when, and nobody can edit that record afterwards.

The module adds no menu, no setting and no screen of its own. Which instrument is asked (the scale chosen on the work center of the work order, else the measuring instrument of the control point), and everything about the reading itself, is explained once in How to read quality measurements from an IoT instrument and is not repeated here. The module works on its own: the station does not need the scanner, footswitch and label printer of IoT Shop Floor.

Who	The Shop Floor Operator records the Measure steps; the Quality Inspector revises them; the Quality Manager chooses the instruments.
App	IoT Shop Floor Quality (with Quality Control IoT for Manufacturing and Shop Floor Control - Quality)

Before you start

The scale that gives the reading belongs to an IoT box: follow Set up and manage IoT boxes. Then choose the scale on the work center or on the control point (see How are the checks of a work order read?).

The process

1. To do - the Shop Floor Operator opens the quality step Measure of the work order on the Shop Floor, taps Read from instrument and checks the figure that fills the step. Next: the same operator.

2. Passed / Failed - the Shop Floor Operator taps Confirm. The tolerance of the control point decides whether the step is Passed or Failed. A Quality Inspector can reopen and revise the check afterwards.

Who uses IoT Shop Floor Quality

Role	What they do	Access right to assign
System Administrator	Installs the module (it installs itself when its two required apps are present) and gives people their access rights.	Administration / Settings
Shop Floor Operator	Runs the work orders at the station and records the Measure steps, reading the figure from the instrument instead of typing it.	Manufacturing / User
Quality Inspector	Performs and revises quality checks. Keeps the right to read and adjust a measurement after the order is done.	Quality / User
Quality Manager	Chooses the measuring instrument on each control point and decides who performs the check with the field Responsible.	Quality / Administrator

The Quality / Administrator right includes the Quality / User right.

How do I install IoT Shop Floor Quality?

IoT Shop Floor Quality installs itself as soon as Quality Control IoT for Manufacturing and Shop Floor Control - Quality are both installed, so most databases never install it by hand. If it is not installed:

1. Open Apps.

2. Remove the default Apps filter, so that modules that are not applications are listed, and search for IoT Shop Floor Quality.

3. Click Activate. The two apps it needs are installed with it if they are missing.

The module has no switch under Settings. To remove it, open Apps, search for it in the same way and click Uninstall.

How do I give the access rights?

1. Open Settings ‣ Users & Companies ‣ Users and open the person.

2. On the Access Rights page, set Manufacturing to User for each Shop Floor Operator.

3. Set Quality to User for each Quality Inspector, or to Administrator for each Quality Manager.

4. Save.

The module changes no access right. A Shop Floor Operator needs no IoT access right to read from the instrument of the station.

Each Shop Floor Operator must also be linked to an employee: open the employee in the Employees app and set Related User to the person’s user. Without that link the Shop Floor refuses to start work and answers that the user is not linked to an employee.

Where does the Quality Manager choose the instrument?

The button is offered on a Measure step only where an instrument is named. Two places can name one, and the rule that picks between them is described in How are the checks of a work order read?.

1. Open Quality ‣ Quality Control ‣ Quality Controls ‣ Control Points and open the control point, or click New.

2. Set Type to Measure and enter the Norm, its unit and the Tolerance.

3. In Measuring Instrument, choose the scale to use when the work center of the work order has no scale of its own.

4. Save.

The scale of a work center is chosen on its IoT page, under Manufacturing ‣ Configuration ‣ Work Centers, in the field Scale. When a work center has a scale chosen, a Measure step of a work order at that work center is read from it.

Leave Responsible empty on control points that are performed by station operators. When a person is named in Responsible, only that person may record the check, and the button is not offered to anybody else.

How does the operator read a Measure step from the instrument?

1. Open the Shop Floor app, choose your work center and click Open job board.

2. Find the card of the work order. A tag such as 1 quality check(s) to do first and the line Record the quality checks first mean that the work order is held until its quality steps are recorded.

3. Click Open & do quality checks. The screen Quality checks before you start lists the steps of the work order.

4. On the Measure step, read the target and the tolerance, then click Enter measurement. The numpad opens, with the button Read from instrument above it.

5. Put the product on the scale and wait until the weight is steady.

6. Tap Read from instrument. While the box answers, the button reads Waiting for the instrument.... One tap takes one fresh reading taken at that moment.

7. The figure fills the step, for example 10.02 kg. Check it. Nothing is recorded yet.

8. Tap Confirm. The step becomes Passed or Failed according to the tolerance of the control point, and the figure is recorded.

9. When no step is left to do, tap Start the operation.

If the reading is not what you expected, put the product on the scale again and tap Read from instrument once more before you tap Confirm: the new reading replaces the figure in the step. You can also type the figure yourself on the numpad; a value typed by hand is recorded as Entered manually.

When the button is not there

The button Read from instrument is offered only when all of the following are true:

• an instrument is named: a scale is chosen on the work center, or the control point names a measuring instrument;

• you may record this check: the control point has no Responsible, or you are that person;

• the step is still to do.

On a cancelled or completed manufacturing order or work order an operator is not offered the button. A Quality Inspector revises the check from the check form, see below. In every case you can still type the figure on the numpad.

What happens when the box or a device fails?

A refusal or a failed reading is shown in a yellow message right under the button. The numpad and what you typed stay as they were, so you can always type the figure by hand; it is then recorded as Entered manually.

• The scale shows no stable weight. Wait until it settles and read again. The scale showed zero or was not steady. A zero weight is never recorded. Wait until the weight settles and tap Read from instrument again.

• Packing scale is not connected, so it cannot be asked to act. The message starts with the name of the instrument (here Packing scale). Ask the person who looks after the IoT box to check the box and the scale, then read again.

• The instrument cannot be reached. Type the value by hand. The box did not answer. Type the figure on the numpad, or try again once the box is back.

• No reading. Check the instrument and read again, or type the value. The request ended without a usable reading. Check the instrument, then read again or type the figure.

The browser that runs the Shop Floor talks to the IoT box directly. When the Shop Floor page is opened over HTTPS and the box has a private address, your browser may ask for permission to reach devices on the local network; allow it for this site.

How does the Quality Inspector check and revise the measurement?

1. Open Quality ‣ Quality Control ‣ Quality Controls ‣ Quality Checks and open the check of the work order. Its Work Order field tells you which one it is.

2. Look at Measurement Source, Measuring Instrument and Measured On. They show that the value was Read from instrument (or Entered manually), which instrument gave it and when. Nobody can edit them afterwards.

To take a new measurement of a check that already has a result:

1. On the Shop Floor, open the step and tap Reopen, or on the check form click Reopen. The step goes back to To do.

2. Tap Enter measurement (on the check form, click Measure) and then Read from instrument.

3. Check the figure and tap Confirm.

Re-check on a check form never offers an instrument read: to measure again, always reopen the check first.

An operator is not offered Read from instrument on a cancelled or completed order. A person with the right Quality / User keeps the right to revise the check from the check form: open it under Quality ‣ Quality Control ‣ Quality Controls ‣ Quality Checks, click Reopen, then Measure and Read from instrument.

Common errors

Problem	What to do
There is no Read from instrument button on the numpad.	Neither the work center of the work order nor the control point names an instrument; or the control point names a Responsible and you are not that person; or the step already has a result (tap Reopen first); or the order is cancelled or done. Ask the Quality Manager to check the control point and the Scale of the work center.
The message says the scale shows no stable weight.	The scale showed zero or was not steady. Wait until it settles, then read again.
The message says the scale is not connected, or cannot be reached.	The box or the scale is not answering. Type the figure by hand, or ask the person who looks after the IoT box to check it.
The figure is not the weight on the scale.	One tap takes one reading at that moment. Put the product on the scale, wait for it to settle and tap Read from instrument again before you tap Confirm.
The check reads from the wrong scale.	See How are the checks of a work order read?, which explains which scale is asked.

FAQ

Is the result recorded as soon as I tap Read from instrument? No. The figure only fills the step. The result is recorded when you tap Confirm.

Can I still type the value myself? Yes. A value typed by hand is recorded as Entered manually.

Does the station need the scanner, footswitch and label printer of IoT Shop Floor? No. This module works without them.