The repeat order that was proven last year, and has to be proven again
The part came back as a repeat. The program on the server is from CAM, dated eighteen months ago. The setter remembers that last time the feeds were cut back on the finishing pass and the offsets on one tool were changed at the control, but those changes lived on the machine's memory, which has since been cleared to make room.
So the job is proven out again from scratch. Two parts are scrapped along the way. The setup sheet in the folder shows a fixture that has since been modified.
Why programs drift away from the server
The CAM programmer posts a program, it gets sent to the machine by USB stick or a DNC link, and the setter makes it work. That last step is where the real knowledge is created, and it is almost never captured.
- Edits at the control are not sent back to the server.
- Programs are named by part number without revision or date.
- Several versions sit in different folders with no note of which one was proven.
- Setup sheets are hand written or not updated after the prove out.
- Photos of the setup live on someone's phone.
The cost of re-proving
Every repeat job that has to be proven again costs spindle time, material and scrapped parts, plus the setter's time. The bigger risk is running an old, unproven version and crashing a tool or the machine. It also makes the business dependent on the setter who remembers, which is uncomfortable when that setter is close to retirement.
The program and setup store we build
- One store for every program, organised by part number and drawing revision, with the machine it was proven on.
- When a job finishes, the setter sends the program back from the control through your DNC link or a network share. The store compares it with what was sent out and shows the differences.
- The setter marks it as proven, adds a note on what changed, and the store keeps it as the version to use next time. Old versions stay in history.
- A setup sheet form on a tablet records workholding, datum, tool list with stick outs, offsets worth knowing, and photos of the setup and first off.
- When the part repeats, scanning the job traveller brings up the proven program, the setup sheet and the photos together.
- If the drawing revision has changed since the last proven run, the store says so before the program is sent.
| Kept together | Why it matters on a repeat |
|---|---|
| Proven program | Starts from what worked, not from CAM |
| Difference from CAM output | Shows what the setter changed and why |
| Setup sheet and photos | Fixture, datum and workholding at a glance |
| Tool list with stick outs | Tools can be preset before the machine is free |
| Drawing revision | Warns if the part has changed since |
What setters notice first
The repeat job starts with the program that was running when the last batch finished, and a photo of how it was held. Tools can be preset and fixtures pulled while the previous job is still running. When the CAM programmer changes a program, they can see what the setter did last time and bring those changes into the CAM file.
The awkward parts stop depending on one person's memory. A newer setter can pick up a job the senior setter proved out, see the photos of the workholding, read why the finishing feed was reduced, and get to a good first off without a phone call. That is also the knowledge that walks out of the door when someone retires, and it is now written down against the part.
Do repeat jobs start from scratch in your shop?
- Programs are moved by USB stick.
- The server holds CAM output, not proven programs.
- Setup sheets are missing or out of date.
- Repeat jobs are proven out again.
- One setter holds the knowledge for the awkward parts.