Unit flow (Preview)

Process views

All unit history

The "All Unit history" displays all units that have been processed, including retests.

• Users can analyze the flow based on either Reports or Unique units, allowing for flexible and precise evaluation of production data. In the Current unit location mode, the count is set to Unique units by default, ensuring consistent real-time and temporal data tracking. Meanwhile the Time mode is set to Reports by default. 

This mode provides several options for drilling down into station-level details: 

• Double-click the link or node
• Use the "Split by stations" option from the node menu or link label menu (click on the label to open menu). 

There are two types of Split by stations (Station views): 

• Split by station from a link: This splits the target and source process data into individual stations based on the link data. 
• Split by station from a node: This shows all units and processes associated with the selected process and splits the selected process into stations, while keeping other related processes unsplit.  

Note: Split by station is available only in All unit history and Time modes.

Current unit location

The "Current unit location" mode shows the current location of units within the production line and predicts their next steps based on the usual flow. This helps track where each unit is in real-time and anticipate the upcoming processes. 

Time  

The "Time" mode provides an overview of the execution times: 

• It shows the time taken from start to end, within a process, and between processes. 
• The default time displayed on link labels and nodes is the median time, but this can be adjusted to show min, max, or average times using the time options. 

Hovering over a link label or clicking the execution time button displays a tooltip with all time values.

Time calculation: The time spent in a process and in transit is calculated per sequence. If a unit enters a process multiple times, individual time spans are calculated for each entry, and the median time is derived from those sequences. This approach ensures more accurate time data than simply using the total span between the first and last entry of the unit into the process. 

Link types

The Unit Flow module uses several link types to represent different unit movements within and outside the main production flow. Here are the default link types: 

• Main flow: Represents the primary flow of units through the standard production process. 
• Outside main flow: Indicates units entering or exiting external processes that are outside the main flow. 
• Non-pass: Marks units transferred to the next process without passing the required criteria. 
• Repair in: Units that are sent for a repair or maintenance process. 
• Repair out: Units that have been successfully repaired are re-entering the flow. 
• Jumped: Indicates units that bypassed one or more processes. 
• Wrong order: Identifies units that have been sent back to a previous process, deviating from the correct sequence. 
• Retest: Represents units that have undergone retesting within a station or process. 
• Highlighting: Emphasizes selected or traced paths, improving clarity in complex or dense flows.

Additional link types by mode: 

Current unit history mode: 

• Passed units: Indicates unique units that have successfully passed the current process. 

These link types provide clear visibility into how units are progressing, highlighting deviations, and ensuring easier analysis of production flows. 

 

Tracking units by serial number

When viewing the Unit Flow graph, you can trace the complete journey of a specific unit through the production process:

1. Click on a serial number
   Select the desired serial number from the list.
2. Visual highlighting
   The graph will automatically highlight all nodes and links that represent the full path this unit has taken.
3. Step order
   Each step in the process is numbered, clearly showing the sequence in which the unit was processed.
4. Quick access to Serial history
   The serial number list includes direct links to the Serial number history module, making it faster and easier to access detailed records for any selected unit.

This functionality allows you to quickly analyze the unit’s flow in detail, identify patterns, and detect anomalies or bottlenecks in the production line.

Analyze data 

You can easily analyze data by interacting with the graph in two ways: 

1. Clicking on a link label, or 
2. Clicking on the menu icon in a node to open a dropdown menu with analysis options. 

From the dropdown menu, you can retrieve Split by station, Units in the process or Retested units. These options offer a flexible and intuitive way to drill down into specific data points and analyze unit flows with ease. 

Retest tracking

Retest tracking behavior

• In the Reports option of the All unit history mode, retest counts each subsequent test in the same process after the first, each time the unit enters the process.
• In the Units option of the All unit history mode, retest counts each unit that has been tested multiple times in a row in the same process.
• The total number of retests is determined by the total count of all retest links.

Process view vs. Station view Retest Counts

The retest count differs between process and station views to provide more granular tracking:

• Process view (All unit history and time): Retests are counted at the process level.
  • If a unit is tested in process A, then B, then A, that does not count as retest.
  • If a unit is tested in process A, then A, then B, then A, then A, then A, that counts as 3 retests in process A.
    • With the Units option it is counted as “1 unit has been retested”.
• Station view (Split by station): Retests are counted separately at each station, offering a more detailed view of retest activity per station within a process.
  • Within the same process, if the unit is tested on station A, then B, then A, that does not count as retest, even though in process view it was retested twice.
  • Within the same process, if the unit is tested on station A, then A, then B, then A, then A, then A, that counts as 3 retests on station A; but counts as 5 retests in process view.

This approach supports a comprehensive analysis of unit performance across both processes and individual stations, enabling users to assess retests accurately at multiple levels.

Customizing and exporting the Unit flow graph 

You can customize and interact with the Unit flow graph through various settings and options: 

• Graph direction: 
  Set the graph direction to your preference using the "Graph options" located at the top-right corner of the graph. 
• Exporting the graph: 
  The graph can be easily exported as a PNG file, making it convenient for sharing or reporting. 
• Link options: 
  Located on the right side of the graph, link options help manage the display of links. This tool is essential for reducing visual noise and focusing on relevant data by offering the ability to: 
  Hide and highlight
  • When you hover over a link in the link options, it will be temporarily highlighted. 
  • Clicking on a link name will lock the highlight until clicked again or another link is selected. 
  • To hide a link, simply check the corresponding checkbox. 
• Graph navigation:
  For easier navigation and viewing, use the navigation bar at the bottom-left of the graph to: Fit the graph to the screen. Zoom in or out. Navigate using a mini map, allowing quick access to different areas of the graph. 
• Collapsible sidebar for expanded graph space
• Link apperance by top stream: Each link represents a transition between processes and includes a unit count. Top streams highlight the links with the highest unit volumes and are emphasized using wider links. Based on the selected Link appearance mode, the system either highlights the top three streams across the entire graph (Default) or the top three streams per link type (All), making dominant production paths easy to identify.

These features make it easy to tailor the graph to your specific needs, focus on key areas of interest, and export your findings for further analysis. 

Alvea suggestions

Alvea Suggestions are integrated into the Unit Flow module and identify units missing for more than 7 days, providing actionable insights for investigation.

See also: Alvea suggestions