Physical entities

You can use the Physical Entities module to check license usage and to create and maintain entity definitions in the system. You can also create entities from Entity Model Builder (EMB) in the Application Server for objects containing a Utilization Capability Object (UCO), Operation Capability Object (OCO), or Sample Recording Object (SRO).

Note: If you update MES Client, the changes are not reflected on the objects in the Application Server. A re-synchronization of the server from EMB might overwrite changes made in MES Client. See the MES Entity Model Builder User Guide for more information.

When you open the Physical Entities workspace tab, the entity tree contains the defined entities. The Properties window displays detailed information, capabilities, and capability parameters of specific entities. The Attributes tab allows you to assign attributes to the selected entity.

Physical entities are the components of the system that you log on to. An entity might be a building, a location within a building, a production line, a single machine, a storage location or a bin. It can be defined in a tree structure with child entities that inherit default values (like shift schedules) from the parent.

The entity tree allows you to define all the entities, along with any detailed information and inter-relationships specific to those entities. An entity can support up to 25 levels within its hierarchy.

The entity tree can include two types of entity nodes:

• A standard entity node, indicated this icon: .

• An entity class node, indicated by this icon: . For more information about the difference between standard and entity class entities, see Understand entity classes.

The root node Entities is neither an entity class or an entity. It serves as the starting point for the rest of the entity tree.

The Properties window includes several group of properties that can be accessed by expanding them. See Entity properties.

To modify an entity's properties, select the entity in the entity tree, make the required changes, and save the changes.

By default, the Physical Entities module is grouped under the Master Data Config group in the Navigation Bar. For more information on groups and modules, see Groups and modules.