Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.1.

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Oracle MES for Discrete Manufacturing Functional Overview
Part II – Shop Floor Operator Functions

This document is a continuation of Part I - Parameter of the Oracle MES for Discrete Functional
Overview and explains how a shop floor operator can use the new features of Oracle Discrete MES to
perform daily tasks more efficiently.

Purpose of the document:

 Identify the new functionalities included in this release

 Learn how to use the new functionalities
 Understand any dependencies or interactions
 Find additional release information and resources

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1 New and Changed Features for Shop Floor Operators......................................................................3

2 Setup and Process.........................................................................................................................4

2.1 Print Job Traveler / Label..................................................................................................................7

2.2 Serialized Manufacturing...................................................................................................................8

2.3 Report Exception.............................................................................................................................11

2.4 Shop Floor Device and Test Equipment Integration ......................................................................11

2.5 Electronic Record & Electronic Signature (ERES) Support...........................................................13

2.6 Inline Quality Data Entry.................................................................................................................16

2.7 Record Job Progress........................................................................................................................17

2.8 Additional Functions.......................................................................................................................18

3 Additional Resources..................................................................................................................21

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1 New and Changed Features for Shop Floor Operators

 Printing Job Traveler and Labels

 Serialized Manufacturing
 Report Exception
 Shop Floor Device and Test Equipment Integration
 Electronic Record & Signature Support
 Inline Quality Data Entry
 Record Job Progress
 Additional Functions

Shop Floor Operator Activities

Tasks that can be performed by Operators using these new features are:

 Attendance and time recording

 Perform transaction for Serialized Manufacturing
 Print Job Travelers, Job Labels
 Read quality data from Shop Floor Devices
 Input quality related data in the transaction page
 Ensure compliance through ERES and Instruction Read checkbox
 Report Exception with exact reasons, sort Dispatch List etc.
 Shift out for the day

Shop Floor Operator: Business Values of Operator Functions

 Improves Operator efficiency & productivity through

o Serialized Manufacturing - to meet traceability needs.
o Read data from Shop Floor Devices to eliminate human errors
o Print Labels, Job Travelers
o ‘Client Extensions’ for ready status and transaction validation

 Fulfills Regulatory Compliance

o By signing Electronic records and signatures for work order transactions, comply with 21 CFR
Part 11
o Acknowledging the work instructions have been read and followed

 Enhanced usability to increase efficiency & effectiveness

o By sorting Dispatch List
o By viewing quality results in MES
o By reporting Exception with exact reason

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2 Setup and Process

-> Define shop floor operators as employees and create Oracle Applications users

-> Assign the relevant MES Operator responsibility to the shop floor operator users.

-> The activities of defining employees, users and assigning responsibilities are
standard administrator functions and we will not be discussing the details.

-> Configure parameters related to the operator’s process flow

Process: The process shows the requirements of operators everyday to carry out the day-to-day operations on
the shop floor. These activities essentially involves day to day transactions, reporting, maintaining time entries etc

The process is executed as follows:

 The shop floor operator logs in and Shifts in for the day
 Based on the Parameter saved in the Startup page in MES Operator responsibility, the relevant Dispatch
list is accessed. If the Operator wants to access Dispatch List other than the one regularly used by
him/her, he then clicks on the Startup and change the Parameter.
 The Operator accesses the dispatch list which has both Serialized and non-serialized jobs.
 Operator Reviews the dispatch list
 Selects a work order or job to work on and indicates that the job is taken up for work, Records actual start
time on the job by clocking in, and Views the work content and the associated instructions to perform the
job operation
 Prints Job travelers/Job Labels
 If any conditions prevent the progress, reports them as exceptions with appropriate reasons

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  Read data from shop floor devices
 Records the work order transactions and any required quality data and prints relevant label
 Sign off transaction for Electronic Records
 Issues any material components required for the job including serialized components
 Shifts out for the day

Shop Floor Operator - Setup – Parameters

Responsibility: MES Administrator

Navigation: Manufacturing Execution System Parameters

New Parameters that control Operator's Process Flows

 Enforce Sequential Move
 Assemblies for Completion Labels
 Job Traveler Template Setup
 Reason Codes for Exception Types
 Standard Operations for Move Labels

Changed Parameters that control Operator's Process Flows

 Time Entry Mode
 Global Actions
 Job Operation Actions
 Search Job/Serial Operation Actions
 Work Content Actions
 Job Selection Mode

Additional Setups that control Operator's Process Flows

 Electronic Records & Signatures Support
 Shop Floor Device Data Collection
 Client Extensions

Login & Shift In for the day - Process

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : MES Operator > Workstation Startup

In R12.0 when users click on the MES Operator responsibility, they have to enter Organization, Department and
Resource (Optional) to open the dispatch list.

In R12.1 ‘Save Startup Parameter’ checkbox has been added in both Supervisor and Operator Startup page. With
this, the user need not enter the details every time they select Operator/Supervisor Responsibility and the
Dispatch list / Dashboard for Operator/Supervisor will be launched based on the Parameter saved.

Additional buttons named as “Shift In” & “Shift Out” has been provided at Startup/Workstation pages to record
attendance times.

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The actual attendance hours are calculated based on the difference between times registered through Shift In and
Shift Out. Users also have the ability to perform “Undo Shift -In”.
These buttons are available either in the Start up or the MES Workstation page or both depending upon the
configuration.

Review Dispatch List - Enhanced Dispatch List

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : Workstation Startup > Dispatch List

The dispatch list has been enhanced to show both serialized and non-serialized jobs.

A new column ‘Serialized’ has been introduced. Serialized Icon is enabled from the Serialization start job
operation.
Clicking on the “Serialized” icon launch the “Search Serial Numbers” page, with serial numbers for this job
operation.

A “Clear” button in the more option screen of MES operator has been created, which can be used for clearing the
parameters mentioned in the More Option region.

Review Dispatch List - Sorting Option in Dispatch List

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : Dispatch List

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The Dispatch list appears to the users in a particular order based on the predefined set up in the MES
Administrator responsibility or as per the default sorting order mentioned in the system.
If the Dispatch List Ordering Criteria parameter is not set and Dispatch List working order is set to any order, the
users have the facility of sorting on few specified columns.
This enables the users to view the dispatch list in the order the user would like to see at any particular time.

2.1 Print Job Traveler / Label

Job Traveler Printing Process

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : MES Workstation > Dispatch List > Select ‘View and Print Job Traveler’ from Actions

The operator logs into the MES workstation at the department or resource level and views all the work orders in
the dispatch list that have queued up to be worked on.

The operator can then select a specific job-operation and then view and print the job traveler for the same. If the
job that is selected is a serialized job, the operator will have to navigate to the serial numbers page to choose the
job traveler action. The operator or supervisor can print the job traveler from either the dispatch list, work content
page or search jobs page.

XML Publisher used for generation of job traveler.

Template of job traveler can be modified to requirements.

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Label Printing Process

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : MES Workstation > Dispatch List > Select ‘Print Label’ from Actions

The Shop Floor Operator can Print job labels from Dispatch List, Work Content, Search Jobs and Search Serial
Numbers pages.

Print Labels for Move and Completion Transactions

This allows Shop Floor Operator to select a particular job-operation in the Workstation and MES Workstation
respectively and then choose to print the associated label from the actions list.
If the job-op is serialized and after the serialized start operation, the user needs to navigate to the serial numbers
page to perform this action.

Labels can be printed when the job is moved from the current operation to the next or when it is completed.
Additional flexibility is provided so that customers can configure the operations or the assemblies for which they
would like to print the labels.
The transaction UIs has been enhanced to indicate that labels will be printed and the user has the option to turn it
off if desired.
Third party software can be leveraged for printing the actual labels.

2.2 Serialized Manufacturing

Description

 A serialized job is a discrete job that has pre-defined and associated assembly serial numbers, and
Serialization Start Operation (SSO) is the operation identified in the routing from where the assemblies
are tracked and transacted using the assembly serial numbers.
 With this feature, MES support serialized and non-serialized jobs in the MES workstation.
 Lot-Serial Genealogy: maintain complete traceability for lots and Serials.

Business Value

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  The user – MES Operator is able to view and transact both serialized and non-serialized jobs from the
MES workstation.
 It provides ability to search and transact on specific serial number(s).
 It also provides transaction and quality results entry support for serialized assemblies.
 One of the key objectives of serialization or lot control is to maintain complete traceability and the
serialization enhancement support this.

Process – Check for serialized jobs

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : From Dispatch List, Check for Job-Operations with ‘Serialized’ Icon enabled / or Search Job,
Check for Job-Operations with ‘Serialized’ Icon enabled

Serialization Start Operation (SSO) is the operation identified in the routing from where the assemblies are
tracked and transacted using the assembly serial numbers. Prior to the SSO, the discrete jobs are tracked and
transacted similar to a non-serialized assembly.

By clicking on the icon for serialized jobs after the serialization start operation, the user can scan/enter multiple
serial numbers and record transactions, view work content, record quality results, etc.

In non-serialized job op, user reports exception from actions dropdown as usual. If serialized, selection of the job
op will be unavailable, and exception reporting must be done via the search serial page (after clicking on the S/N
icon) or from serial work content page, where the report exception action can be applied against a serial number.

Process – Scan/Enter Serial Numbers

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Responsibility : MES Operator
Navigation : From Dispatch List, Job-Operations with ‘Serialized’ Icon enabled > Click on the ‘Serialized’
Icon

The new feature is to provide the convenience to scan/enter serial number for serial-controlled or lot- and serial-
controlled components all at one place – the “Serial Number” input box.
User scans/enters a serial number into the input box and clicks on “Add” button.

If the serial number is not unique, the Assembly LOV input field is rendered. Users can scan or enter serial
number and click on action button or select the action from dropdown list to perform action on specific serial
number.

Process – Move Assembly

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : MES Workstation > Dispatch List > Select Job-Operations with ‘Serialized’ Icon enabled,
Click on the ‘Serialized’ Icon >In Assembly Serial Page - Add ‘Serial number’ > Move Assembly

The serial move only moves one serial number and thus always with quantity of one.
The user can click Express Move button to move all the serial numbers in the job operation.

User can also move multiple serial numbers at a time with express move button in the table region. To perform
express move, the user will scan a serial number; and then click the “Add” button to add the serial number to the

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table. User will click “Express Move” button in the table region to do express move transaction for all the selected
serial numbers in the table.

Express Move cannot be processed if the Assembly has backflush components that are serial controlled or lot
controlled and the system will display error message.

2.3 Report Exception

Mention Appropriate Reason

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : Dispatch List > Select Job Operation> Choose Action – Report Exception

In report exception region, based on the Exception type being reported, the reason list should be limited based on
setup so that the users can provide appropriate reason of exception rather than choosing from a common list of
values. Administrator can add new reason in the Manufacturing Lookup.

2.4 Shop Floor Device and Test Equipment Integration

Description
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The device integration is an enhancement in MES and Quality modules where the application can capture device
data directly from the point of generation i.e. devices without any manual input or data imports.
This feature is available in quality collection plans for quality result entry and update in MES transactions and in
Quality Workbench for standalone quality result entry and update.

Most shop floor environments have test equipment or other devices that capture information about the product
being produced. To allow more automated quality data collection, this device data will be captured directly into a
quality collection plans in Quality Workbench.

Business Value

This feature is an extremely value adding feature as considerable amount of shop floor data is generated in
devices and test equipments and at present these need to be input manually into application. Such manual inputs
are highly error prone, cumbersome and costly. Also manually input data are many times historic.
The device integration feature is to overcome these issues. This improves data accuracy, automates data
collection and also keeps the data up to date.

 Manufacturing operations generate considerable amount of data in the shop floor through sensors,
gauges, PLCs and various other devices. These devices are the data sources. At present, it is required to
transfer this data to the enterprise application either manually or through imports using interfaces.
 However, this process can cause either data entry errors or delays in enterprise application getting the
data form the time it is generated. In order to avoid these delays and errors, it is required to capture the
device data at the point of generation itself directly by the enterprise application.

Process - Device Data Collection Process

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : MES Workstation >Dispatch List > Move Transaction > Continue

DEVICE INTEGRATION IN MES TRANSACTIONS PROCESS

The collection plan that is rendered for quality result entry in MES transactions with device enabled will have
collection elements in a separate region with a check box near by. The check boxes are by default checked and
can be manually unchecked. There is a “Read Device” button in the region.

Process - Read Data From Shop Floor Devices

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Responsibility : MES Operator
Navigation : MES Workstation >Dispatch List > Move Transaction > Continue

DEVICE INTEGRATION IN MES TRANSACTIONS PROCESS

The user needs to ensure that the check boxes adjacent to collection elements for which the user intends to
capture device data are checked and then click on the “Read Device” button. The device data is populated for the
selected collection elements

Dependencies and Interactions

 Kepware OPC Server

 The application can read device data directly from Kepware OPC Server
 Oracle Quality
 Setup of Collection and Device Setup

The device integration is carried out through Kepware OPC Server.

The application can receive data at a frequency from the Kepware OPC server in one of the application tables.

Setup of Collection elements and Device Setup is done in Oracle Quality.

2.5 Electronic Record & Electronic Signature (ERES) Support

Description

 Electronic Record: means any combination of text, graphics, data, audio, pictorial, or other information
representation in digital form that is created, modified, maintained, archived, retrieved, or distributed by a
computer system.
 Electronic Signature: means a computer data compilation of any symbol or series of symbols executed,
adopted, or authorized by an individual to be the legally binding equivalent of the individual's handwritten
signature.

Business Value

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Electronic Records and Electronic Signatures (ERES) capability is required to support FDA’s 21 CFR Part
11compliance for medical device manufacturers who need to adhere to the functional requirements of the quality
system specified in 21 CFR Part 820.

Record progress & sign off transactions

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : Dispatch List > Move Transaction > e-Record >E-Signature tab

After reviewing the eRecords, user approves the transaction by using user ID and password.

View and print E-Records

Responsibility : ERES Administrator

Navigation : Administration Tasks > Evidence Store

Details of an e-Record:
The users can view and print the e-Record from the Evidence Store.

Instructions Completed

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Responsibility : MES Operator
Navigation : MES Workstation > Dispatch List > Select a Job-Operation >Click ‘Move Assembly’ Button

The move transaction page has been provided with an additional check box for the end user to record the
acknowledgment that he/she has viewed the work instructions related to the operation being performed.
This is also captured as a part of the E-Record

ERES Transaction Events

Dependencies and Interactions

 Approval Management (AME)

o Create AME rules for the new MES transaction
 E-Records
o For setting up the transaction variables and the Rule specific variables.
 Workflow
o To define events and subscriptions
 XML Gateway
o Creation of E-Record is done by mapping the target XML to E-Record template

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2.6 Inline Quality Data Entry

Description

This enhancement addresses the requirement to have the quality results entered in the same page as that of the
parent transaction in the MES module in simple use case without requiring any additional navigation from the
parent transaction page.

Inline Quality in MES is an enhancement in MES which addresses the requirement to have the Quality result entry
in the same page as the parent transaction in MES

For users with single level collection plans (i.e. collection plans without parent – child relationships), the user need
not navigate to multiple pages to enter the quality results and it can be entered in the parent transaction page
itself.

However, if there are multiple level complex collection plans with parent-child relationships, the user can navigate
to H-Grid and enter the quality results as required

Business Value

 Improves productivity of the MES Operator who tries to use Quality Collection plans in MES transactions
for entering quality results.
 Avoid navigations across multiple pages and provides better visibility to the MES transaction data in a
single page in simple use cases and helps in reducing data entry errors.

These requirements can help users with simple single level collection plans in MES transactions with

1) Quality Result Entry in the same page as parent transaction – Avoids navigation across pages
2) Better visibility of transaction data – The user can see all the transaction in one page before saving the data
3) Less data entry errors – lesser navigations, reduced complexity avoids data entry errors
4) Flexibility – However, if the users have complex collection plan, the present flexibility to accommodate all types
of collection plans is maintained.

Process – Inline Quality Result Entry in MES

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : MES Workstation >Dispatch List > Move Transaction > Continue

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INLINE QULAITY IN MES

In MES transactions the quality data can be entered in the same page as the parent transaction in MES. The user
need not navigate to additional pages for entering quality results for single level – plans without parent-child
relationships

However for parent and child plans result entry will be through the H-Grid

2.7 Record Job Progress

Sequential Move Transaction

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : Dispatch List : Select Job Operation: Choose “Move Assembly” action.

The “To Operation” is restricted by a new MES Parameter “Enforce Sequential Move”. If it is set to “Yes”, then the
To Operation LOV will display the operation up to the next count point operation.
This can be used to disallow move from the current operation to a future operation that is not the next operation in
the sequence.

Transact Component- Default Push Components

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Responsibility : MES Operator
Navigation : Dispatch List : Select Job Operation: Choose “Transact Components” action.

‘Transact Component’ screen is modified to default Push components: In ‘Transact component’ screen, the push
components are defaulted, thereby saving one click for the users.
The quantity that is defaulted is the open quantity in the job. For example, if 10 numbers of component A is
defined as Quantity Required, and 1 qty has already been issued in the job, 9 numbered is defaulted in the
Transact Component screen.

2.8 Additional Functions

Client Extensions

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Responsibility : MES Operator
Navigation : ‘Job Ready Status’ Client Extensions : Dispatch List > ‘View Work Content’ Action
‘Transaction Validations Client Extensions – different navigation based on Transaction for Move, scrap,
reject, and completion transactions’.

Since users utilize different methods to perform validation outside of Oracle MES, two types of Client Extensions
has been provided, where they can plug in their custom logic.

Some of the potential uses of the Client Extensions are:

 Tooling calibration validation
 Material shelf life validation
 Validation to ensure that all the material, moves, resources and quality information has been collected
prior to work order completion

Ready-Status Client Extension: In addition to the current criteria, the ready-status of a job operation in the
dispatch list will also depend on the ready-status Client Extension’s returned result.
If Client Extension returns “Y”, then visual-indicator will be “ready”
If Client Extension returns “N”, then visual-indicator will be “not-ready”

Transaction Validation Client Extension: Move, scrap, reject, and completion transactions will be disallowed if the
transaction validation Client Extension fails.
Client Extension returning “Y”: Transaction proceeds as normal.
Client Extension returning “N”: Transaction does not proceed.
Client Extension returning “W” : Warning Dialog box appears. Users can choose to continue to Proceed
transaction, or press “Cancel” to abort transaction.
Client Extension returning “I”: Information only; 'Custom Message' Displayed, and Transaction proceed normal.

View Quality Results

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Responsibility : MES Operator
Navigation : MES Workstation > Dispatch List > Select a Job-Operation > Select ‘View job transaction’ or
‘View Job Operation’ from Actions > Go

In the ‘View job transaction’ and ‘View Job Operation’ screen, along with the details already shown, the relevant
quality results is also shown.
When the user clicks on the link provided, it opens Quality Result record in MES.

Shift Out Process

Responsibility : MES Operator

Navigation : MES Workstation > Dispatch List > Click on ‘Shift Out’ button

After completing the activities, the Operator shift out.

Shift out can be performed from the Start up / Dispatch List / Time and Attendance system. If shift out is done in
the T&A system, the information can be imported into MES and used for Key Performance Indicator Labor Metric
Performance.

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3 Additional Resources

• For more release information on MetaLink

https://metalink.oracle.com/metalink/plsql/ml2_documents.showDocument?p_database_id=NOT&p_id=403259.1
• For more information about Oracle Applications
http://www.oracle.com/applications/home.html
• For more information about Education
http://www.oracle.com/education/index.html
• For more information about Support
http://www.oracle.com/support/
• For MetaLink information
http://metalink.oracle.com/
• For Oracle Product documentation:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/applications.html

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