There is a new link in the PC-Topp.NET Waste Reasons page toolbox that lets you print out all detailed waste reasons in PDF format.

The PDF file contains code, name and position of all waste reasons, ranged by group like on the web page.

As of now PC-Topp lets you define default reasons for downtimes and waste. This feature prevents unaccounted-for downtimes and waste in the statistics. (You have to use the Detailed Waste functionality for this feature to be available for waste.)

In the Waste Reasons page and the Downtime Causes page there is a new option to mark the default reason in the detailed view of each waste reason resp. downtime cause. If this is checked the default reason is marked with an asterisk in the overview. Setting a default reason has the following effects:

• Default Waste Reason
  If Detailed Waste Entry is enabled and a default waste reason is defined PC-Topp automatically assigns this default waste reason for waste quantities below a certain customizable limit.
• Default Downtime Cause
  All downtimes the user doesn’t specify a cause for are automatically assigned the default downtime cause.

A new column has been added to the Waste Terminal interface that optionally displays either the number of sheets or cuts per order.

Moreover there is a new marker for orders whose pallet labels are already printed.

Waste at the machine occurs in three distinct locations:

• Before the machine
• During set-up
• During production

Waste entry in the PC-Topp Machine Terminal is done in separate fields to reflect those locations.

Those waste quantities can be further subdivided by defining detailed waste reasons in the PC-Topp Settings. An example would be:

In the Detailed Waste Report, the waste is then shown in detail, along with totals for each location.

If you have already been doing detailed waste entry using the old personalized module, please contact us so we can switch your plant to the new functionality.

A more detailed explanation how to enable and use the detailed waste reasons in PC-Topp.NET can be found here:

Detailed Waste Reasons in PC-Topp.NET

PC-Topp.NET prints pallet labels in real time at the machine: Ideally, the person at palletisation will find just one label in the printer when he needs it, the label for the pallet he is just finishing. This is ensured by printing the label when the pallet is half full (or alternatively at the beginning or at the end of the pallet).

This gets desynchronized by waste during production: The counter shows the pallet as half full, but in fact that quantity is not reached yet. Small differences are not a problem, but when the waste goes near the quantity on a pallet the user will find two labels in the printer, the right label and – on top of it - the label for the next pallet. Of course, this can lead to errors.

Therefore, we created buttons to enter waste during production to re-synchronize the label printing in such a case. And while we were at it, we added a few more buttons, to make the solution complete.

Set-Up Waste

Sheets used during set-up are usually waste, and the terminal can be configured to count set-up waste automatically (the number can be corrected manually during or after set-up). Set-up waste is entered in sheets (and not in finished goods, e.g. on a die-cutter).

Production Waste

Waste occurring after set-up is entered as the number of faulty products taken out before palletisation.

Waste Before the Machine

Sheets sorted out before feeding them into the machine have no influence on label printing synchronisation. But if a high quantity must be sorted out, then PC-Topp's estimated ending time should be adjusted. To do so, enter the waste before the machine using the corresponding button (quantity is entered in sheets).

Sheets From / to Stock

Like waste occurring before the machine, sheets added from stock (or excess quantities not converted but moved to stock instead) can change production time quite dramatically. Therefore, we added a button that lets you change the quantity that will go through the machine by entering the number of sheets going to (or coming from) stock.

This information is not stored at this time. We have future plans to keep quantities moved into stock in memory so that the terminal can later suggest what quantities (and from which production orders) could be added from stock for a given article.

Products Moved to Stock

A final button added at the end of the machine lets the crew reduce the quantity going to Shipping or to the next machine. This is useful if e.g. printing is done for a big overrun coming from the corrugator, but because the customer accepts only exact quantities, only a smaller number must go to the die-cutter.

The reduced quantity gives the order a correct duration on the next machine and thus allows more precise planning.

The entries are not stored, however: Again, we have future plans to create a memory of quantities of an article (or semi-finished goods) moved into stock, so that they can later be identified and retrieved.

The terminal has two main functions:

• The operator can enter the number of waste sheets for each run of an order, so that the number of sheets arriving in conversion (or, in the case of sheet orders, in shipping) is correct.
• Pallet labels can be printed for each order displayed on the screen. All labels required for the order can be printed with just one click, or the operator can request just one label.