How do you keep track of parts that have been manufactured throughout the season?
I talked about it a bit in our build thread, but we used a simple Google sheet to keep track of everything.
Over the summer we had designed and tried a number of more complicated options, but they were all too much work to keep updated. We’re lazy by nature, and a system that wasn’t easy to use just wouldn’t get used. We whipped up this spreadsheet in a few hours and added some basic dropdown options and conditional formatting to make it look nice.
When new parts were added to the robot CAD, the mechanism lead would enter their info into the spreadsheet, including the P/N, qty, and manufacturing processes needed. The people in charge of each manufacturing method could then filter the table by which parts they needed to make in order to see what they should work on next. When they finished with a part, they could update the table and the next process would know that the part was ready. Once the part had all of its processes finished and it was QCed it would turn green, so it was easy to look at each mechanism and see how close it was to being ready.
When possible we try to start manufacturing after a subsystem is finalized in design. Each part in the BOM is assigned a unique part number . We export the BOM to Google sheets and have a column to track status. As CAM is completed we have a physical spot where drawings are put. Machine operators then grab the drawings from that spot. Finished products are put in a bin based on subsystem. Project managers use that to ensure the spreadsheet is up to date. Lots of training required to make it work.
For us parts manufactured during the season are generally on the robot, the spare parts tote, or in the trash… so you check those 3 places. (We don’t have a parts tracking system.)
This year we have been working to use Trello to make the work visible and streamline the handoff of parts from the design teams to the manufacturing team.
Here is a quick screen shot:
The design team creates cards for parts that are ready to be manufactured.
In the card they attach an image of the part, an STL for 3D printed parts, a STEP for machined parts and a link to the Onshape part studio where the part was created.
A checklist is created with checkboxes for the each of the parts needed. For example, if two parts are need a checklist is created like this:
We have a template for the description field that looks something like this:
Part Number: unset
Printer Used: Formlabs
Material Used: SLS TPU
What stock should be used?
-
How should the part be made, what steps should be followed?
1.
2.
3.
Document Name: Robotics Pit - Super Pit Bionics
Tab Name: Corner Bumper
Release Date: Fri, 06/02/2023, 07:04:00 PM
Released By: Blake Bourque
Version: V10 Add middle bumper
This topic was automatically closed 365 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.