Processes

Processes

Processes in Steelhead are blueprints for how Parts flow through your facility. They are made up of all the steps a Part must go through before it is completed. Every other aspect of Steelhead revolves around Processes.

The more accurately Processes mirror what is happening on the plant floor, the more accurate Steelhead will be in tracking production and costing.

Processes are represented as groups of individual Process Nodes that are arranged into Process Trees.

Process Trees

Process Nodes are the individual steps of a Process. When combined together, they are arranged into Process Trees. A Process Tree graphically describes each step in the workflow.

Processes vs. Recipes

Process and Recipes in Steelhead are related, but there are some important differences in how they are used by the Steelhead software.

It can be helpful to think of a Process as a generalized blueprint, while a Recipe is an exact set of instructions for one specific Work Order. Every single Work Order has its very own unique Recipe.

Recipes are derived from Processes. A Process includes all options that a Recipe may be assigned to.
Each Work Order has its own Recipe which describes the Treatments, Routing, and other information about the work completed on the Parts.

How do Processes and Recipes differ?

Managing Processes

In the Processes Dashboard, accessible from the Processes Tile on the Homepage, all Processes which include a Parent Node are listed and searchable. Specific Process Nodes can be found by their Tags.

This view shows the Product assignment for each Process, Default Lead Time (Days), and Date Created. With clickable icons you can Copy (as a template for creating a similar Process), Edit, and Archive any of the existing Processes.

Making a New Process

1. At the top of the screen you will see a button that says +NEW PROCESS.
2. This open the "New Process" dialog for the following data entry:
   • Name
     • Title of the Process
   • Product
     • Category or type of work (see the Products article for more information).
   • Lead Time (Days)
     • Total time to complete the Process
   • Type
     • Two options for Type are available: "Process (Root Node)" or "Sub Process".
       Enter your preferences and click SAVE.

3. Click on your newly made Process from the list on the Processes Dashboard to see the Process Tree, among other details. Nodes are arranged into flow charts to show the Processes clearly. Your newly created Tree will just show the root of your Process. To add to the Process Tree, click the button that says +NEW CHILD NODE.

4. Now you can click on the new Node that has been created.
   • If you want to connect other steps of your Process here, click the newly created Node, and create a Child Node.
   • If you want to add the new steps onto the original Node that makes up the root of the Process Tree, repeat the steps used to make the first Child Node.
     

Duplicating a Node within a Process

1. If a single Node is repeated in one Process, you can enter Part Number work instructions which will only display on the Node instance of your choosing.
   1. As you edit the information for a created Node, add a Tag to identify it, by selecting Add Tag under the Process tree.
   2. In the Child Nodes, click +ADD EXISTING NODE and select the Tag to identify the same Node you wish to duplicate. Select the same Node to add it again.
   3. Create or find a Part Number which is assigned to the same Process.
   4. When you have two instances of the same Node, you can enter customized work instructions below the Part Number Process tree for each instance of the Node.

Attaching Treatments to Processes

To add a default Treatment to a Process Node, attach it to the name card at the top of the page. In this case any part that goes through the Gel Cure Node will get the Gel Cure Treatment, and that Treatment will not have to be selected at order entry.
You can also select a default Station here, if Gel Cure only happens at one Station.

To add Treatment options to Process Nodes, select the Node and scroll to the bottom of the page.
Here you will see options to add either a Treatment choice, or a Treatment Group.
When you add a Treatment Group, all Treatments inside of that Group will be available to choose from at order entry.
If you add Treatment choices, meaning each Treatment individually, only Treatments that are listed will be an option at order entry.