Shop Floor Control Management
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based on the routing flow, the SFC will move to next operation and will be in the
INQUEUE state in next operation. In the following sections, we will discuss gen-
erating SFCs through shop order releases, creating and releasing SFCs, creating
trackable SFCs, return material authorization SFC receipts, SFC groups, and SFC
statuses.
6.1.1 Generating SFCs through Shop Order Releases
In regular practice, an SFC is generated by the release of a shop order (through the
Shop Order Release activity), and the number of SFCs generated depends on the
lot size configuration (available in the Material Maintenance activity) of the mate-
rial. For example, in a plant, one shop order contains fifty units of a material
MAT56 used in a shop order for production. A lot size of ten is configured in
material MAT56. If the shop order is released, the system will generate five SFCs
from that shop order, and each SFC will contain a quantity of ten, as shown in
Figure 6.1.
Figure 6.1 SFC Generation from Shop Order Release
Shop Order
(100006421)
Quantity 50
Material
(MAT56)
Lot Size 10
Release Shop Order
SFC_1
Quantity
10
SFC_2
Quantity
10
SFC_3
Quantity
10
SFC_4
Quantity
10
SFC_5
Quantity
10
Overview of SFCs and Generating SFCs on Order Release
6.1
189
SFCs can contain a quantity of one or more, depending on the lot size. For exam-
ple, in a car assembly process, each car can be identified as an SFC with a quantity
of one. Each SFC number can be used as a vehicle identification number (VIN) for
the individual car or a serial number of the material when the SFC quantity is
defined by the lot size as one. An SFC that contains a quantity greater than one is
a non-serialized SFC and represents the lot size of the material.
In the next sections, you will learn how SFC numbers are generated in SAP ME.
SAP ME provides an activity called Next Number Maintenance (explained in
Chapter 2), which is used to configure the number generation pattern for SFC. In
this activity, you can define the pattern for SFC numbers. When a shop order is
released, SAP ME checks the last generated number from the WIP database, and
based on the last number it generates the next unique number for an SFC. SFCs
can also be generated when a shop order is downloaded from SAP ERP to SAP ME
through SAPMEINT. However, enhancement in SAPMEINT is required in that
scenario, to execute the SFC creation service available in SAP ME.
6.1.2 Create and Release SFCs
In addition to being generated while releasing a shop order, SFCs can also be cre-
ated through the Create and Release SFC activity in SAP ME. Through this activ-
ity, the shop order creation and SFC release for a material can be performed
together. You need to enter a material number for which the SFC will be gener-
ated and the corresponding quantity of the SFC. You can also enter Shop Order
number, LCC (labor charge code), and the Work Center to be used. You cannot
use same shop order number for repeated SFC releases. Select Add to New Pro-
cess Lot to group the SFC numbers to a process lot. The material for the SFC must
have a routing assigned in the Material Maintenance activity before the SFCs can
be released. Released SFCs are placed in the queue at the first routing operation,
as assigned in the material. By clicking on Create, you can create and release SFCs
that will be displayed in a new screen with the SFC number and other details (Fig-
ure 6.2). This activity also creates the shop order (based on next number configu-
ration for shop order) which is local to SAP ME and the shop order is not linked
with SAP ERP.
Note
The
Customer Order field is used to specify the customer order (sales order) optionally,
if linked with the shop order specified.
