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ION’s tool requirements let you:
  • Set optional or required tools at the step level.
  • Set tool validations at selection time, such as the exact tool that must be used for an operation.

Implement tool requirements

Step 1: Complete a tool and operation analysis

  • List all operations in your manufacturing process.
  • List all tools required to perform those operations.
  • Map each operation to its corresponding tool requirement.

Step 2: Complete a tool maintenance analysis

  • List the maintenance cycle and criteria for each tool used in your processes.

Step 3: Add the requirements to your procedures

Incorporate the tool requirements and validations from your analysis into the relevant procedures:
  • Add a Tool field to each step that needs one. See Record tool usage on a run.
  • Set the field’s validations and whether a tool is required, including which tools are valid for the operation.
Completing this work lets your organization identify gaps between tool inventory and operation requirements, and enforce tool use at the operation level.

Visualize tool data

Pull tool information into reports to manage tools better. The fields available on a tool unit (see Manage tool inventory) include:
  • Tool
  • Serial number
  • Location
  • Service due date
  • Last service date
  • Service interval
  • URI
  • Status (Available or Unavailable)

Tool management reports

Automate the delivery of tool inventory reports based on a cadence or specific conditions. For example:
  • Send a weekly report on all tools to your tool manager automatically.
  • Get a report of tools two weeks before their service due date so a calibration or maintenance date is never missed.
  • Get a report of tool inventory that is currently unavailable and requires maintenance or recalibration.
  • Get a report of tools that have been unavailable for a certain period.