S7 : Probably an easy solution to simple problem!

[Longhorn]

I am developing a modification for our production lines for OEE, when the line stops i move the current Date/Time to my DB and when the line restarts i move the current Date/Time to my DB also, i then calculate the downtime from the two DT's, this is all working fine.
What i cant get my head round is this part, when the line is back up and running, an OP177 panel will request a reason why the downtime occured, the operator will have several fault selections on screen. My problem is, what if another fault occurs before the operator has gave a reason for the first fault, how do i go about queing the next fault??
i can post my source code if this helps?
thanks

LH

 

[krk]

Make the operator select the downtime cause before he can restart the machine.

 

[Longhorn]

thanks for your reply krk, i suppose this is the ultimate way of doing it as its forcing the operator to enter a cause.

food for thought..

LH

 

[krk]

Just a head's up though - a lot depends on the integrity of your operators.

We implemented this a few years back, giving the operators a 9 button matrix with stop cause choices clearly marked.

After a while we audited the system and found some operators were just pressing any button at random to allow them to restart the machine rather than putting a couple of seconds thought into choosing the correct option.

 

[Sparkz]

...After a while we audited the system and found some operators were just pressing any button at random to allow them to restart the machine rather than putting a couple of seconds thought into choosing the correct option.

Not trying to be disrespectful, but DUH! What did you honestly expect?

If the operator can't get the machine up and running fast enough, he'll have his supervisor (not to mention his colleagues) breathing down his neck in no time.

 

[krk]

Not trying to be disrespectful, but DUH! What did you honestly expect?

If the operator can't get the machine up and running fast enough, he'll have his supervisor (not to mention his colleagues) breathing down his neck in notime.

lol... you may be right there

The factory where we installed the system was not exactly a high pressure manufacturing environment though - there was no real problem with the guys taking a few moments to press a button before he pressed the start (on the same HMI screen) it was more of a couldn't-be-bothered attitude towards helping the company with their OEE improvement.

 

[Sparkz]

Exactly! The attitude problem was my second guess...

But then again, on a previous project I was doing a follow-up and assisted a few operators. One type of error occured very frequently, so obviously the same button was pressed to restart the line, without actually checking the cause. Within minutes I was doing the very same! Just hitting any button to avoid downtime. Later I couldn't help but feel like the hungry monkey in some sick experiment, pushing anything just to get a cookie. Really sad...

 

[STL???]

store the message number as well then?

 

[Longhorn]

Thanks for all the replies, i am a little concerned as just like most sites, there are some operators which will take the time to properly record issues, others with an IQ of 5 will not.
I can only design a solution to the problem, luckily - the line controls have good line diagnostics and i will be able to present the user with a relevant selection of causes, e.g if a labeller fault is detected then certain selections will become available.

LH