Dependencies of Appointments

MAIN-TOOL understands the term “Dependencies” as the linking of appointments, which can be chained together with equal or different priorities.

In this document two easy to follow examples are explained:

• A maintenance of a vehicle is to be done either after 2 years or 30,000 kilometers (equivalent)
• There are several maintenance tasks with different intervals, which are theoretically all due at the same time on certain dates, e.g. maintenance after 3, 6, and 12 months. In this case, the quarterly maintenance is automatically part of the semi-annual maintenance and this in turn is part of the annual maintenance (different "priority").

 

Equal Dependencies Setup

The first example is an equivalent dependency, which must be taken into account accordingly when entering the object monitoring lines.

Setting up an equivalent dependency ensures in MAIN-TOOL that the object monitoring lines update each other with respect to the appointment. I.e. as soon as one monitoring line is activated and updated, the other one is updated in parallel, but MAIN-TOOL suggests only one, the activity due first.

The following example is based on one and the same schedule, since both triggers propose the same activity/maintenance work. However, in principle, different schedules can also be linked.

 

Recording the Time Schedule (Activity)

As explained in the example, a vehicle inspection is set up as the time schedule, which is to take place either after 2 years or after 30,000 km. In the "General" info tab of the time schedule, "Object Monitoring Template" must be selected in the "Type" field, see the figure below:

 

 

Recording the Object Monitoring Line – Time Slice

The definition of an object monitoring is started, which refers to a time slice (here 2 years). The link to the technical object is established via the time schedule. For this purpose, a “Time Schedule Object Monitoring Line" is added to the time schedule, in which the technical component and the time slice for this time schedule are defined.

 

 

Recording the Object Monitoring Line – Counter Reading (here Milage Indicator)

An object monitoring must be defined that refers to a Counter Reading (Milage Indicator). The link to the time schedule is established via the technical object. For this purpose, an “Object Monitoring Line” is added to the technical object and the time schedule and Counter Reading interval (e.g. 30,000 km) are defined in it.

The Object Monitoring Line of the Technical Object is opened:

 

 

When setting up a vehicle, an object monitoring template for counter readings (milage indicator) is usually stored in order to record the mileage for maintenance orders. This is displayed in the following figure in the top line.

By defining the Time Schedule Object Monitoring Line, the time schedule for inspection every 2 years has automatically been assigned to the technical object, as can be seen in the second line.

Now an object monitoring line is added and the template code of the Counter Reading (Milage Indicator) as well as the same schedule of the known inspection is assigned to it, since the maintenance activity is identical as mentioned above (otherwise the 2^nd, deviating time Schedule with a different maintenance activity would be selected here).

For better differentiation, the “Type of Monitoring” column can be shown and the description of the object monitoring line can be adjusted.

 

 

Subsequently, clicking on „Process“ and then „Card“ switches to the card view of the object monitoring line for entering the interval information and inheritance of the Counter Reading (Milage Indicator) to this object monitoring line in the "Counter" info tab:

 

 

Dependencies Setup

After the object monitoring lines have been defined on the technical object, the equivalent dependency between the two object monitoring lines concerned must be set up. After selecting the line that refers to the counter, clicking on „Process“ and „Dependencies“ opens the following list.

 

 

 

Now the object monitoring line is selected that refers to the Appointment ("Inspection every 2 years") and finally the query whether a double-sided dependency should be created is confirmed with "Yes".

 

 

Thus, the equivalent and double-sided dependency has been created.

 

Chained Dependencies Setup

In the second example, multiple dependencies are set up and chained. Here, the "direction" is crucial when assigning the dependencies. The dependency is basically set up from the higher priority to the next lower one, starting with the highest priority, negating the "both sides dependency" query.

This leads to the fact that in each case only the appointment with the highest priority is proposed and in the background the activity/activities with lower priority are automatically updated.

 

Specifically related to the example:

• As soon as the semi-annual maintenance is due, this is proposed and the quarterly maintenance "moves into the background".
• As soon as the annual maintenance is due, this is proposed and the semi-annual maintenance "moves into the background".

Recording of the Time Schedules (Activity)

Now three time schedules for the maintenance with three different intervals have to be created.

The type of the time schedule is "Object Monitoring Template" because this time schedule will be related to a technical object, from whose object monitoring line the time schedule information should come.

The time schedule for the "Small Pump Maintenance" could be created as follows with regard to the "recommended minimum information" (without planning the material consumption and resources in the "Lines" info tab):

 

 

 

Recording the Object Monitoring Line via Technical Object (Time Slice)

The respective object monitoring lines must now be created at the technical object concerned or via the time schedule, in which the start date can now also be defined.

By navigating to the technical object and clicking on "Process" and "Monitoring Lines", object monitoring lines can now be added and the time schedule in question selected.

In the card page of the object monitoring line, e.g. of the "Large Pump Maintenance", the following interval information is stored:

 

 

The object monitoring lines of the technical component have been setup as follows:

 

 

Dependencies Setup

To set up the dependencies, the line with the highest priority must now be selected in the object monitoring lines of the technical object and the list "Dependent Object Monitoring Lines" must be opened by clicking on "Process" and then "Dependencies".

 

 

The list for this Line Number is empty as expected.

 

 

Now the line of the next lower priority has to be selected and the query of the “double-sided dependency” has to be answered with “No”.

 

 

 

 

The definition of the dependencies of the line with highest priority is completed.

Back in the object monitoring lines of the technical object, the line with the next lowest priority must now be selected in this example and the "Dependent Object Monitoring Lines" list opened by clicking on "Dependencies" in order to define the dependency on the line with the next lowest priority.

In the "Dependent Object Monitoring Lines" list, the line with the lowest priority is now selected and the query for the "double-sided dependency" is answered with "No".

 

 

This completes the definition of the chained dependency.