Produce serialized items

Serialization is the process of assigning specific serial numbers to individual produced items.

Serial numbers are associated with an item in the production process using the lots functionality. That is, each serial number is essentially stored as a lot number in the system. This means that the serial‑numbered lot will contain only one item.

Serial numbers are typically added to a work order prior to the work order being run. Once the work order is running, the serial numbers can be assigned to produced items as their production is recorded. Serialized items can be moved automatically or manually to downstream entities in the process. Serialized items can also be moved to storage entities for insertion at a later stage back into the production process or to the final storage location for the items when their production is complete.

Serial numbers can either be used only for a specific work order (hard-pegged) or they can be exchanged between work orders as per the flow of the manufacturing process (soft-pegged).

To manage and track a serialized manufacturing process, users must have privileges to create and edit:

• Entities

• Item classes or items

• Processes

• Work orders and jobs

To set up support for item serialization, you use MES Client to:

• Configure entities in the manufacturing process at which items can be serialized and stored.

• Configure auto-transfer operations to move the serialized items through the production process.

• An auto-transfer operation automatically transfers produced serialized items to the next entity in the routing based on an assumption that the storage capability of the entity is enabled.

• Configure item classes, items, BOMs, processes, operations, and work orders to define the type of serialization for your manufacturing environment and how it is processed on the plant floor.

Once serialization is configured, operators can use client applications such as MES Operator to execute the production process using work orders and operations to carry out the serialization of produced items.