Configure Weigh and Dispense (W&D) in SAP Digital Manufacturing using the new Asset Model (DMAM)

[ManoelCosta]

Introduction

SAP Digital Manufacturing offers robust Weigh and Dispense (W&D) capabilities in Order POD, as part of Material Consumption plugin, enabling physical scale integration on the shop floor for enhanced material consumption processes.

In this blog post, we will see a short demo of Weigh and Dispense (W&D) in action, and how to configure it in detail, using the recently released SAP Digital Manufacturing Asset Model (DMAM).

Demo

https://sapvideoa35699dc5.hana.ondemand.com/?entry_id=1_raj4y9gi

Automation

SAP Digital Manufacturing Weight and Dispense (W&D) capability integrates with physical scales on the shop floor using OPC Protocol via SAP Production Connector (SAP ProdCon) and Digital Twins.

For such integration, the following shop floor automation tags are needed, for each physical scale:

• Current UoM
• Current Weight
• Tare Weight
• Tare Scale
• Zero Scale

See an example below:

* Note that two sets of tags are shown above, representing two different physical scales.

Digital Twin 

First, we must model a Scale Digital Twin in SAP Digital Manufacturing Asset Model (DMAM), by creating a new Asset of 'Equipment' Node Type in Manage Assets app, for a digital representation of the weighing scale as follows:

Then, create a brand new Asset Type:

Then, create a new Structure and add all the required Indicators previously mentioned:

The end result should be something similar to the example below:

Configuration

To enable Weigh and Dispense (W&D) integration to physical shop floor scales, you must perform the following configuration:

1. Create a Production Process in Design Production Processes app and consume the Weigh and Dispense Scale Read service while mapping Input Parameters to the Service Input Variables as follows:

Save and deploy it.

This Production Process will be triggered by an Automatic Trigger of Subscription type as soon as the scale values like weight or uom change.

For more details, see Design Production Processes.

2. Define a Shop Floor system using SAP Production Connector (SAP ProdCon) via Configure Production Connectivity app, to connect to your shop floor automation. Example:

For more details, see About Production Connectivity Model.

3. In Manage Asset Connectivity app, add the Shop Floor System created on the previous step and link the shop floor automation tags to the respective Indicators accordingly, as shown below:

For more information, see Manage Asset Connectivity.

4. Using the Manage Automatic Triggers app, create a new Subscription on top of Current Weight and Current UoM Indicators to trigger the previously created Production Process with needed Input parameters from the shop floor via SAP ProdCon, to be triggered when there is an indicator change on the scale. Example:

Save and deploy it.

For more details, see Manage Automatic Triggers.

5. In POD Designer app, select an Order POD and make the following configurations:

5.1 Select Material Consumption plugin and click Settings icon to maintain the scale equipment Indicators recently mapped to the scale automation tags in Manage Asset Connectivity app as follows:

For more details, see Material Consumption.

5.2 Click Configure Notifications button to configure the POD Weigh and Dispense notifications.

Here you must check Work Center and Weigh and Dispense Scale Message options.

6. Create brand new Scale Resource(s) and assign them to Work Center(s), in the Manage Work Centers app:

* You must create brand new Resources for each Scale, don't re-use an existing Resource with the same name of the Work Center itself.

7. Assign the Asset previously created to the relevant scale Resource(s) in the Manage Resources app:

8. Set the Weighing Relevant flag in Manage Routings/Recipes app to Yes, for the required order phase in the Master Recipe:

This flag will be copied over from Master Recipe to Order-specific Recipes during Order Download.

For more information, see Phase Details.

Usage

Once all configuration steps above are in place, you should be able to see that "Weigh" button is enabled in Material Consumption plugin, instead of "Consume" button:

Once "Weigh" button is clicked, "Weigh Material" popup should shows up, where you must select a Batch if needed and a Scale, in order to see the Current Weight and UoM being automatically loaded directly from the shop floor scale:

If "Set Zero" or "Set Tare" buttons are clicked, SAP Digital Manufacturing writes "1" (True) to the respective boolean tags in the shop floor automation side as a command to the scale to start Zero or Tare procedures. Example:

Demo

https://sapvideoa35699dc5.hana.ondemand.com/?entry_id=1_raj4y9gi

Conclusion

SAP Digital Manufacturing offers robust Weigh and Dispense (W&D) capabilities in Order POD, as part of Material Consumption plugin, enabling physical scale integration on the shop floor for enhanced material consumption processes.

Experiencing SAP Digital Manufacturing

You can have a glimpse and experience several aspects of SAP Digital Manufacturing via the Interactive Value Journeys below:

Discrete within SAP Digital Manufacturing and S/4HANA Cloud

Process Industry within SAP Digital Manufacturing and S/4HANA Cloud

Tool Management within SAP Digital Manufacturing

Resource Orchestration within SAP Digital Manufacturing

Production Process Design within SAP Digital Manufacturing

Shop Floor Orchestration with SAP Digital Manufacturing

Time Tracking within SAP Digital Manufacturing

SAP Digital Manufacturing for Insights

Nonconformances Processes within SAP Digital Manufacturing

Do you like this post? Please let me know in the comments section what you think. Any feedback is highly appreciated.

Or, if you have any questions, please check SAP Community Q&A Area, or comment down below.

Thanks,
Manoel Costa