ExtSTAR 9.6

ExtSTAR version 9.6 includes several significant new capabilities that improve planning and scheduling, help avoid production errors, allow detailed records of scrapped material, eliminate clerical work and ensure that production-, quality- and shipping-related documents are generated for orders that require them.

Planning

Billet lengths used for automatic planning can now be configured for specific alloys. This lets you designate different billet lengths for different alloys for the purpose of minimizing the number of unique billet lengths that must be ordered from suppliers and kept in stock.

Scheduling

Jobs previously printed on a Utility Sheet are now highlighted on the Scheduling and Line Up/Utility forms so that schedulers and foremen can easily see when the utility driver must be given an updated list of billets to deliver to each press for upcoming jobs. The job currently running on a press is also highlighted when ShopStation is used to track production on the shop floor.

Billet and Log Queue (ShopStation)

A Billet Queue has been added to ShopStation for presses that extrude from pre-cut billets. The Billet Queue permits utility drivers to enter the sizes, quantities and other attributes for each group of billets they deliver to the press. It automatically highlights any discrepancies between the delivered billets and those called for by the upcoming jobs, allowing errors in alloy or size to be caught even before billets are fed into the furnace. It also warns the press operator when a new job is started if the size or alloy of the billets in the furnace don’t match those called for by the job. By helping to ensure that the right billets are used for each job, the Billet Queue helps fulfill order quantities accurately, minimize scrap, avoid wasting production time bailing the furnace and improve customer service by producing the right product the first time.

A Log Queue function that operates similarly is available on presses that use billets cut or sheared from logs at the press. The Log Queue maintains a separate queue for each alloy and provides warnings appropriate for such presses, where the selection of logs of a particular alloy is more automated.

In addition to eliminating waste, the Billet and Log Queues also simplify the recording of production data by automatically populating heat/cast # information for completed jobs. A queue can also be populated independently of the ShopStation copy running at each press, which allows it to be updated by the utility driver or crane operator on a separate or even mobile terminal.

Scrap Recording

Pieces scrapped during production due to flaws in the material or production errors can now be recorded in Production Data Entry, ShopStation or the Packing Tickets application. Any number of scrap reasons can be set up, and each scrap reason can be configured to permit an additional description to be entered by the operator. A cube-based BIRT report allows scrap to be quantified by any of several dimensions, helping you to focus attention on the problems that result in the greatest quantities of scrap. Accurate recording of scrap also permits ExtSTAR Server to automatically mark processes complete by accounting for all the material processed through each process/department.

Fabrication and Packing Prints

PDF files containing information or diagrams needed to fabricate or finish parts correctly can now be attached to customer parts and automatically printed along with shop orders or e-mailed with orders to outside vendors that perform such work. PDF files that describe or show the proper method for packing particular profiles or parts can also be attached to either profiles or customer parts. These can also be printed automatically along with shop orders and e-mailed to outside processing vendors when appropriate.

Quality Module

The quality module has received several minor but valuable enhancements. Material Certificates can now be generated automatically when a shop order is created based on the value in the shop order’s Certs field. Each value that can be entered in the Certs field is assigned a material certificate type to be created, either Test, Chemical-only or None. Such automatically-generated certificates serve as placeholders that show up on a new BIRT report called Material Certificates Pending, which is executed on a regular basis by personnel responsible for completing them. Once material has been extruded and is available for testing, the report will indicate the press, the number of pieces extruded, the date it was extruded and its current location if it has already been packed. These enhancements will help ensure that required material certificates are completed and delivered to customers with their orders.

Custom Documents

Special documents such as compliance certificates and customs invoices can now be stored in ExtSTAR as fillable PDF forms or BIRT reports and automatically generated for certain customers or shipments. Fields or parameters in the forms can be assigned values that come from ExtSTAR invoices and packing lists.

Other Enhancements

A new Customer Backstock report computes an accurate backstock percentage by customer, profile and job using the most recent production data available. A redeveloped Production Backstock report computes the backstock for all jobs that went through any process within a given period of time.  Both reports take into account material picked from or put to stock or returned by a customer.

Print Packages have been enhanced to give more control over the ranges and quantities of pages from a document that are included in a print package, including options that give more precise control over print packages sent to a duplex printer.

XML support has been added to ExtSTAR’s database. It is presently used for several configuration items, but is expected to be a key part of many more exciting capabilities in the future.