Define company standard settings for Production Control

Tekla PowerFab
2021
Tekla PowerFab Tekla PowerFab GO

Define company standard settings for Production Control

In the Company Standards dialog box, you can create default settings that become the user standard that is used in each production control job. You can define settings regarding data input, material import settings, and reports. If necessary, you can also change the settings on a job by job basis.

  1. Click the Maintenance ribbon tab.

  2. On the menu, select Production Control > Company Standards.

    The Company Standards dialog box opens on the General tab.

  3. Modify the company standard settings on the General, Input Settings, Import Settings, and Report Settings tabs according to your needs.

  4. Click the buttons at the bottom of the Company Standards dialog box to further modify company standard settings.

Note:

Do not click Save until you have modified all necessary settings. Saving the settings closes the Company Standards dialog box.

Define general settings

On the General tab, modify the following properties according to your needs:

Option

Description

Job # Increment

Allows you to select the default option for automatic job numbering. The options are:
  • Increment from Last Job #:

    When you create a new job, Tekla EPM uses the next available job number after the latest job number created.

  • Increment from Largest Job #: Tekla EPM uses the next available job number after the largest job number created.

  • Don't Increment: Automatic job numbering is not used.

You can modify the job number when you create a new job.

Keep Job Selection Screen Open

When selected, the Select Production Control Job dialog box remains open after you have selected a production control job.

Open to Filter Selection

When selected, the Production Control Filters dialog box automatically opens when you open a production control job. In the Production Control Filters dialog box, you can set filters to only show the items that you want to see in the production control job.

When you have set the filters, the job opens.

Job # Regular Expression

Allows the use of regular expressions to enforce a desired format for the job numbers.

When changes to PDC break links to combined INV material

Allows you to select how Tekla EPM handles situations where a material link is broken between Production Control and Inventory while importing a revised or modified bill of materials.

Tekla EPM automatically unlinks all changed material. This prevents cutting materials to incorrect lengths.

The options are:
  • Prompt to Uncombine the Unlinked INV Material: Tekla EPM asks the user if the materials should be immediately uncombined or not, which is the first step of automatically correcting cut lists. This is the default option.

  • Always Uncombine the Unlinked INV Material: Tekla EPM automatically uncombines the unlinked materials.

  • Never Uncombine the Unlinked INV Material: Tekla EPM does not uncombine the unlinked material, but leaves the combining result as is. Instead, the user should perform the necessary corrections manually.

Click the arrow on the right side of When changes to PDC break links to combined INV material field, and click a suitable option in the list to select it.

TFS - Drop Job Reserve

Allows you to select how Tekla EPM handles drop material when a take from stock operation has been performed. Note that you can select a different option for an individual job, if necessary.

The options are:
  • Keep reserved for the TFS job: Tekla EPM keeps all drop material saved for the job until you unreserve it manually. This is the default option.

  • Prompt for the new job reserve: in the in the Cut Lists dialog box, Tekla EPM asks you whether you want to reserve the drop material for a job.

  • Prompt to unreserve: Tekla EPM asks you whether you want to unreserve the drop material or not.

  • Always unreserve: Tekla EPM automatically unreserves all drop material and moves it to open inventory, immediately available for use. Scrap length materials go to inventory history.

Allow Cut List Grade Substitution

When selected, Tekla EPM can use inventory stock materials with another material grade in cut lists.

Note that Tekla EPM only allows grade substitutions that have previously been set up in the Shape / Grade / Size Maintenance dialog box. For more information, see Add grade substitutions.

Warn when creating a cut list if parts are missing CNC files

When selected, Tekla EPM alerts you when saving a cut list that contains parts without CNC files.

Cut List Screens - Show Date/Time Changed

When selected, the Cut Lists dialog box shows the date and time when the cut lists were last changed.

Define input settings

On the Input Settings tab, select how Tekla EPM interprets and displays the information in the Production Control module, whether the information is from an imported bill of materials, or directly entered in the Production Control dialog box.

  1. Click the Input Settings tab to open it.
  2. Modify the following settings according to your needs:

    Option

    Description

    Main Mark Input Type

    Allows you to select the input format for main marks.

    Click the arrow on the right side of Main Mark Input Type field, and click a suitable option in the list to select it.

    Piece Mark Input Type

    Allows you to select the input format for piece marks.

    Click the arrow on the right side of Piece Mark Input Type field, and click a suitable option in the list to select it.

    Drawing Number Input Type

    Allows you to select the input format for drawing numbers.

    Note that the input format of drawing numbers in a production control job needs to match the input format set in the linked project management job. Otherwise, the drawings will not be available in the Production Control module or in Tekla EPM Go.

    Click the arrow on the right side of Drawing Number Input Type field, and click a suitable option in the list to select it. We recommend selecting the Any Input - Logical Sort option.

    Sequence Input Type

    Allows you to select the input format for sequences.

    Click the arrow on the right side of Sequence Input Type field, and click a suitable option in the list to select it.

    Use Lot Numbers

    When selected, you can divide a sequence or phase into subcategories within a production job by using lot numbers.

    It is highly recommended to select the Use Lot Numbers option.

    Note that selecting or clearing the Use Lot Numbers check box only applies to new production control jobs automatically. If necessary, the Use Lot Numbers check box can be manually selected or cleared for existing jobs as well.

    Main Piece Case

    Allows you to select if you want to use uppercase or lowercase letters, or both, for main mark numbers. This makes recognizing the main pieces easier.

    Click the arrow on the right side of Main Piece Case field, and click a suitable option in the list to select it.

    Accessory Piece Case

    Allows you to select if you want to use uppercase or lowercase letters, or both, for piece mark numbers. This makes recognizing the piece marks easier.

    Click the arrow on the right side of Accessory Piece Case field, and click a suitable option in the list to select it.

    Main Member Instance Tracking

    When selected, the history of each individual instance, or piece, within an item can be identified and tracked through all production steps.

    If you select the Main Member Instance Tracking check box, instance tracking will be activated for all new production control jobs. However, existing jobs will not be affected. You can still activate or deactivate the instance tracking of main piece marks for each production job individually.

    Accessory Part Instance Tracking

    When selected, the history of each individual instance, or piece, within an item can be identified and tracked through all production steps.

    If you select the Accessory Part Instance Tracking check box, instance tracking will be activated for all new production control jobs. However, existing jobs will not be affected. You can still activate or deactivate the instance tracking of piece mark items for each production job individually.

    Piece Mark Force Same Info

    When selected, the same information is forced to accessories with the same piece marks. Selecting the Piece Mark Force Same Info check box prevents adding or importing items with the same piece mark but different material information to the production control job.

    Note that the Piece Mark Force Same Info option is connected to the Edit Line Item - Update accessories with the same piece mark list. You cannot select an option in the Edit Line Item - Update accessories with the same piece mark unless the Piece Mark Force Same Info check box is selected.

    Edit Line Item - Update accessories with the same piece mark

    Allows you to select how Tekla EPM accessories with the same piece mark are updated when you make changes to a line item. The options are:
    • Prompt to update the other line items: Tekla EPM alerts the user that there are other accessories in the job that may need to be updated, and allows you to update the other accessories. This is the default option.

    • Always update the other line items: Tekla EPM automatically updates the other accessories to match the changes you made.

    • Never update the other line items: Tekla EPM never updates the other accessories to match the changes you made.

    AutoCalc Drawing Number

    When selected, Tekla EPM enters a drawing number into the drawing number field based on the main mark. This option works correctly if the first number of each shop detail drawing main piece is the drawing number.

    If the marking system that you use does not have the drawing number as the first number of the main mark, do not select the AutoCalc Drawing Number check box.

    Default Finish

    The default finish for items in production control jobs.

    The available finish options are set in the Finish Maintenance dialog box. For more information, see Create, modify, and delete material finish options.

    You can change the finish for each main mark item in a production control job. The finish of the main mark item is also applied to all of the included accessories.

    Click the arrow on the right side of Default Finish field, and click a suitable default option in the list to select it.

    Trailer Capacity

    The trailer capacity weight used by default when shipping of fabricated material to the jobsite.

    The trailer capacity can be changed for individual loads, if needed. You can also modify the capacities of specific trailers in the Load Tracking Settings dialog box. For more information on the load tracking settings, see Define load tracking settings.

    Type the weight in pounds in the Trailer Capacity field.

    Piece Tracking by Time

    When selected, allows you to make piece tracking entries in that include the completion time, so that you can tell in which shift an item was completed. The completion time is also visible in piece tracking reports.

Define import settings

On the Import Settings tab, set the default settings used when importing a bill of materials into Production Control.

  1. Click the Import Settings tab to open it.
  2. Modify the following settings according to your needs:

    Option

    Description

    When assembly has no part with a piece mark matching the main mark

    Allows you to select how Tekla EPM applies comment lines in rare cases where a bill of materials is imported to Production Control and Tekla EPM cannot identify a main mark. The options are:
    • Don't add a comment line as the main piece: Tekla EPM never adds the comment line as the main piece. This is the default option because most often, the main mark item in the bill of materials is the largest single piece, whereas the piece marks are the items that attach to the main piece.

    • Prompt to add a comment line as the main piece: Tekla EPM asks you if you want to add a comment line as the main piece. This allows you to use the name of the item for main marks instead of the material size.

    • Always add a comment line as the main piece: Tekla EPM always adds a comment line as the main piece. This allows you to use the name of the item for main marks instead of the material size.

    When there are validation errors

    Allows you to select how Tekla EPM handles validation errors regarding shop detail drawings when a bill of materials is imported to Production Control. The options are:
    • Continue the import without prompting the user: Tekla EPM continues the import process without notifying you about the validation errors. However, you can view the validation errors in the import log. This is the default option, and it is useful when the user performing the import process does not need to know or make decisions on validation errors.

    • Prompt the user to continue the import: Tekla EPM asks you how the validation errors should be handled while continuing the import.

    • Don't continue the import: Tekla EPM stops the import immediately when a validation error is found. The user can then review the drawings for issues by themselves.

    Use as Production Code

    Allows you to select if you want to use assembly main marks, piece marks, drawing descriptions, assembly descriptions, reference numbers, or none of the above as product codes.

    Click the arrow on the right side of the Use as Production Code field, and select a suitable option in the list.

    Use Piece Mark as Production Code

    When selected, Tekla EPM automatically assigns piece marks as production codes.

    Note that if you select the Use Piece Mark as Production Code check box for a production control job, you also need to use piece marks as production codes in the estimating job that is linked to the production control job.

    Prompt to confirm import fields

    When selected, Tekla EPM asks you to confirm the import fields while importing a bill of material into Production Control.

    By selecting the Prompt to confirm import fields check box, you can exclude any fields whose values you do not want to import.

    Show supplemental import file selection (KISS, CIS/2, BIF)

    When selected, Tekla EPM allows you to import multiple supplementary files, such as bolt lists, from a detailing software.

Define report settings

  1. Click the Report Settings tab to open it.
  2. If you want to select whether to use net or gross weight of materials for each report, select the Prompt for weight type (net/gross) check box.

    The gross weight is the system weight as dimensioned in Tekla EPM, whereas the net weight is loaded from the CNC files added for items. If CNC files have not been added for the items included in the report, the net weight cannot be used in the report. Instead, the gross weight is used.

  3. If you want to create cut list reports that show each quantity of inventory listed separately, select the Cut List - Prompt to split cutting details to a quantity of one check box.

    If the Cut List - Prompt to split cutting details to a quantity of one check box is cleared, multiple inventory pieces with the same exact cutting details are shown as a single inventory item in reports.

  4. If you want to split cutting details to the quantity of one by default, select the Default check box.
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