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Foy's EPICS Events |
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Extrusion Production Information and Control Systems |
January 2006 * Volume 10, Issue 1
In this issue
Multi-Level Plant Hold Feature Introduced
Chemical Composition features added to EPICS V8
Link multiple documents to EPICS records
Other EPICS V8.2 update information
Register now for the 2006 User Conference
Registration has opened for the 8th annual
EPICS User Conference at the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The
conference starts with the usual registration reception on Sunday evening, April
30, followed by two days of informative and valuable presentations.
As requested by many attendees at last year’s conference, an optional full day of training is available on Wednesday, May 3.
Full conference information is available on the Foy Inc Conference web site.
You can register for the conference on the Foy Inc web site, or you can call Stacy at 972-782-7282. Hotel reservations must be made directly with the Stratosphere at 800-998-6937 (be sure to mention the Foy EPICS User Conference, Group Code C/FOY to get the special rate.)
Mark your calendars now for the 2006 EPICS User Conference, April 30 – May 3, 2006.
The #2 item on the wishlist developed at the 2005 User
Conference was a request to expand the EPICS Plant Hold feature. This
feature has been added in the V8.2 update, to be released shortly.
Until now, applying a Plant Hold to a SOItem would block placing the item on a press schedule, and would block placing the item on a shipping manifest. With the V8.2 update, this feature has been greatly expanded.
The revised PlantHoldCode table allows you to assign various functions to each Plant Hold Code. For example, you can create a DIE hold code that will block press scheduling, but allow downstream processing and shipping. Or you can create a QC hold code that blocks any and all production postings, as well as packing or shipping.
The V8.2 update will automatically assign the Planning/Scheduling and Shipping hold functions to the Plant Hold codes that you have previously created, so you will not see any change in behavior until you decide to change the records yourself.
This feature is described in more detail in the V8.2 Help file.
Two of the top ten wishlist items related to recording
the chemical composition of each cast number and printing that data on test
certification forms. The EPICS V8.2 update adds that capability.
Foy Inc has introduced a standard format for sending chemical composition data from a billet supplier to an extruder. Foy is making that format available to all billet suppliers. Your supplier can now email you a file containing the chemical composition data for each cast number being shipped, which you can then import into the new EPICS ChemComp table. EPICS will use this data to verify that the cast meets your specs, by comparing the supplier’s data to your standard limits in the new ChemCompLimits table.
If desired, you can block invalid cast numbers from being entered for a press run.
When Test Cert forms are printed prior to shipping, the actual chemical composition will be printed on that document, rather than the ranges.
A description of all of the features included in this new addition is included in the help file distributed with the V8.2 update.
A long-requested item has been added to the V8.2 update.
When entering order-items, EPICS will now inform you if stock is available for
that item.
An automatic search can be performed at the order posting stage and/or the workorder creation stage.
In addition, the Fill-From-Stock screen has been significantly improved.
Two top wishlist requests concerned linking documents such
as pictures, PDF files, spreadsheets, and Word documents to EPICS records.
EPICS V8.2 now gives you that ability.
You may link any external file to a Die, Die Copy, Customer, Part, Sales Order, Sales Order Item, or Corrective Action item. EPICS will use the file association information on your computer to call the specified program to view the files.
You can also attach web links (URL’s) to each of these tables to refer to documentation on your company website, your customer’s website, etc.
The regular EPICS update will be released and available for download late Friday, January 6. All EPICS System Administrators will receive the normal EPICS email at that time, containing installation instructions and a link to your company’s updated license.
The update, EPICS 8.2, contains a number of new features, some of which are described above. The full list of changes will be described in the Help file that will be released with the 8.2 update.
Some of the other significant updates are:
- The Sales Order import routine (from CSV files) has been expanded to include ReqDtCode, CustShip, ReserveStartDt, and ReserveEndDt.
- EPICS will now check or uncheck the “complete” box on the Advanced Data Collection screen when loading from a rack.
- The startup time of the Press Schedule and Print Workorder screens have been significantly improved.
- Inactive FinCodes have been eliminated from the Order Entry screen drop-down list.
- The addition of a Department Category “CUTBACK” means you can now have multiple Cutback departments
- The optional Die Drawing Viewer will now display PDF files.
With the EPICS V8.1 release in September, we started
offering a video to introduce the changes included in the update. The video
features John Stenger briefly demonstrating the new features and describing the
changes.
These videos are not designed to be training videos – we will offer training webinars for new features as needed. But the videos will certainly allow you to quickly see the changes and enhancements and get an idea of how they work.
The video for the EPICS V8.2 update will be available from the Support area of www.foyinc.com early next week, after the update is released.
welcome to New EPICS Customers
Two more extruders have joined the EPICS family of users.
Non-Ferrous Extrusion has finished their training and is currently installing the Enterprise Edition of EPICS at their plant in Houston Texas. Non-Ferrous is a three-press independent extruder that was established in 1980.
Bristol Aluminum, of Levittown, Pennsylvania, has ordered EPICS Basic Edition, and will be attending the January user training session. Bristol was one of the early U.S. independent extruders, first opening their doors in 1949.
Welcome to both of these fine companies. We hope to see them at the 2006 EPICS User Conference in Las Vegas this spring.
epics customers
On any given day
EPICS is helping over 10,000 people
at over 75 extrusion plants around the world.
