Glossary

Attributes: Details that define the manufacturing entity and specify behavior. For example; physical item attributes identify the size, shape, and color of an item.

Attribute Group: Attribute groups represent the logical grouping of similar entity attributes. They collect characteristics (attributes) that can be used to record specifications or represent the properties.

Batch Quantity

A quantity scheduled to be produced. MOC uses process manufacturing batches.

For discrete products, the batch is planned to be the standard batch quantity, but during production, the standard batch quantity may be broken into smaller lots.
In non-discrete or process products, the batch is a quantity that is planned to be produced in a given time period—based on a formula or recipe developed to produce a given number of end items.

Contextualization: The ability to take highly granular tag data collected from shop floor transactions and convert it into meaningful business data. The contextualization rules engine synchronizes entities such as equipment, work orders, routing operations, items, and shifts—with ERP data.

Device: This term is typically used for PLCs or any other type of devices such as sensors, counters, and bar code readers that can serve as means for collecting MOC data.

ETL or Extract, Transform, Load: Database and data warehousing involves extracting data from outside sources, transforming data per your requirements, and loading it into the database or data warehouse.

ISA-95 or Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society: A standard for Enterprise systems to control system integration that includes batch, continuous, and discrete industries. This standard is managed by the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society. ISA-95 defines terminology, functional requirements, and uses PRM (Purdue Reference Model) for manufacturing.

KPIs or Key Performance Indicators: Quantifiable measurements reflecting the critical success factors of an organization.

MES or Manufacturing Execution System: MES is used for a class of mid-level systems that operate between ERP and the shop floor. These systems typically belong to an enterprise class of software, but provide a deeper view of the manufacturing execution process on the shop floor.

OBIEE or Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition: A comprehensive suite of enterprise business intelligence products that deliver a full range of analysis and reporting capabilities. OBIEE provides intelligence and analytics from data spanning enterprise sources and applications.

OPC or OLE for Process Control: OPC is a set of standard interfaces based upon Microsoft's OLE/COM technology. The application of the OPC standard interface makes possible interoperability between automation/control applications, field systems/devices, and so forth.

OWB or Oracle Warehouse Builder: A comprehensive tool for ETL (extract, transform and load), relational and dimensional modeling, data quality, data auditing, and full lifecycle management of data and metadata.

OEE or Overall Equipment Effectiveness: The OEE measure is the basic building block of a manufacturing improvement approach called total productive manufacturing or TPM. Developed by the Japanese in the 1960s, TPM is a shop floor focused improvement program whose primary objective is to maximize OEE. The three performance elements of OEE are influenced by numerous events—also known as losses. For instance, availability may be lost because of breakdowns, material shortages, or operator absence. Each of these account for a proportion of the loss, and each can be measured in percentages. By understanding both the types of loss and their duration, operators can focus their improvement activities on areas that provide the greatest benefits.

PLC or Programmable Logic Controller: A type of industrial controller. Originally industrial automation was implemented with discrete relays and timers, which were connected together with copper wire; changes in the function (or logic) of the control system required rewiring. PLCs were developed to replace these banks of relays in semi-automated factories, notably automobile plants in the late 1960s. The programming method that most PLCs use is called ladder logic. Scan rates are critical for a PLC, because they constantly read (scan) all points, process logic, and then write to all points. Most PLCs run on a proprietary network.

Sensor: A device that responds to a physical stimulus (heat, light, sound, pressure, motion, flow, and so on), and produces a measurable corresponding electrical signal known as transducer.

Tag: A term used to represent individual data elements on a PLC. The tags are configurable and can be programmed using PLC programming techniques.