Get started with the Sample Recording Object

The Sample Recording Object (SRO) is a System Platform automation object that extends the System Platform IDE equipment model and allows you to record data for one or more characteristics and capture the following:

• Contextual information related to a sample

• Contextual information related to a characteristic within a sample

• Characteristic result data

The MES middleware maintenance service is responsible for generating and managing frequency-based samples. These are generated per entity based on frequencies, such as calendar time and shift patterns. Single samples can also be generated when a job starts or ends, or when the main produced item's lot number changes, programmatically using the API.

When a sample is requested, the system sets the sample request time and the expiration time. When the status of the sample is Ready, the SRO can read from and write to the sample. When the sample is pulled (that is, when the operator physically collects material from the production line), the SRO updates the name of the operator and the time when the sample is pulled.

The operator name and the time when a result is recorded for each variable characteristic or attribute characteristic associated with an SRO are collected separately. These details are required as multiple tests are conducted against the same sample.

The SRO supports both the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) naming convention and the S95 naming convention. However, you must specify the naming convention during installation. The naming convention applies to attribute labels only, and not to the actual object attributes. For more information on mapping attributes, see Mapping attributes.