Welcome to the user guide for Authentise’s Material Management module. Material Management offers a powerful tool for tracking the life of a material as it flows through the various points of the production process including receiving, storage, initial use, reclamation of unused material, and all of the actions in between. In this guide, we will review what you need to know to get started with the module, how the different parts interact, and how you can get the most out of your materials.

Prerequisites

After activating the Material Management module for your AMES, you are almost ready to begin. The module builds off of the Material Types, Printer Types, and Printer inventory machines that you have in your bureau, so it is worth checking to ensure that they are accurate to your factory floor before beginning use of the Material Management’s Material Lots and Material Batches. You  will also want to ensure you are familiar with the Authentise QR Scanner and are able to access it from your mobile device.

Note: Each of your Printer inventory machines will now have a link to the Printer's QR code. This can be found and printed on the Printer's details page. Clicking this link will generate a printable version of the QR code which should be affixed to its related printer and is used to reference that printer within the QR app. This page will also display a Batch Summary of the batch that is currently loaded into the machine.

New Inventory Objects: Material Lots and Batches

You will notice some changes to your navbar if you activate Material Management after using your AMES for some time. Within the Inventory section, you will notice two new options: Material Lots and Material Batches. These additional inventory objects are the core of the module and are what enable you to manage your broad inventory and production materials down to the individual unit.

Material Lots

Material Lots represent longer-term inventory objects which are received from a material supplier and may be managed separately from material that has been issued to your shop floor in the form of Batches. You can create a new lot within the Material Lots list page. When creating a Lot, you will specify multiple fields including Delivery Date, Delivery Date of Expiration, Delivery ID (Can be used for Internal Tracking or to capture a number from the delivery process) as well as the number of containers and the amount of material they contain. Note: A Material Lot can contain a maximum of 500 containers.

Add a Material Lot

After creating your new lot, you are able to navigate to Lot Details to find key management information for the lot.

1. Print Material Lot Container QR Codes

2. Upload additional documents (such as initial certificates of conformance or testing results)

3. Lot Details and notes

4. Review the list of Material Lot Containers

5. See a list of Initial Batches which were created from this Lot

Lot Details

Clicking the Print Containers QR Codes link will navigate you to a list of printable QR Codes for each Container within the Material Lot. These QR codes are used with the Authentise QR App to track the material as it is issued into a Batch and throughout its lifespan on the shop floor. Carefully affix a single QR code to each container of the newly created Lot and your Authentise receiving process is complete. You will next use these QR codes when you are creating an Initial Batch for use on your Shop floor. 

Material Batches

Material Batches represent usable quantities of material that have been issued to the shop floor for use. They are created from Material Lots using the Batch Creation process and they are able to receive a number of Batch Actions: Load into Machine, Split, Blend, Sieve, Treatment, Relocate, Test, and Scrap. These actions are automatically tracked by Authentise to create a digital history of each Material Batch as it flows through the production process. These actions are administered using a combination of our QR app and QR codes which are affixed to Material Lot containers or generated during the lifespan of the Material Batch.

Creating a Batch

To create a batch, first, ensure your Material Lot Containers have their QR codes affixed. Next, load the Authentise QR Scanner on your handheld device and scan one of the container's QR codes. The application will recognize the container, indicate the 8 digit container ID (also on the container's QR Label) for verification, and offer you to scan additional containers or to proceed. At this point, you will determine how much material you are issuing to the shop floor, in the form of a Batch.

1. Continue to scan additional containers from the same lot until you are satisfied with the quantity of material for the Batch you plan to create. 

2. Select Use Amount Scanned when you are satisfied and this will create your new Batch.

 You have now created an Initial Batch which can be used by your shop to produce parts. The Initial Batch represents the starting point for the Geneology of this material. The Batch has also been added to the Material Batches List and will have now have a Batch Details page which is able to be found from the Material Batches list. 

After creating your new Batch, you are able to navigate to Batch Details to find key management information for the Batch.

1. View the Batch Geneaology Graph

2. Upload additional documents (such as initial certificates of conformance or testing results)

3. Review the Batch Traceability Report or Export a .docx version of the Report

4. Review Batch Details and Notes (Not pictured: Re-containerize material that is currently loose.)

5. Miscellaneous Lot and Material Details

6. See a list of containers for the batch

7. Not Pictured: When requested via Batch Actions, you can see and record test results for the batch.

8. Not Pictured: When your batch is loaded into a Printer, a Printer Details box will also be visible on this page. 

Material Batches List and Batch Details

To use your batch, you need to begin performing Batch Actions on the batch. These are avaialble within the QR App by scanning the Batches' QR code or searching for the Batch within the QR App with the Batches' 8 digit Batch ID. The Batch Actions page offers eight actions that you can perform:

1. Split

2. Blend

3. Scrap

4. Sieve

5. Treatment

6. Relocate

7. Test

8. Load Machine

Batch Actions

By clicking each button, the app will walk you through how to perform each action. Loading a machine is the next step for this guide, so select Load Machine and follow the prompts.

Load Machine from Material Batch

Finally, to complete a print job, you will need to use the QR App to scan the Printer's QR Code and select Complete Print Job. Here, you will have the option to record the material you are removing from the build chamber, or material that makes up the printed object. By clicking save, you have successfully finished your build!

Complete Print Job

1. If you choose the first option of Unloading Reclaimed Material, a new Batch will be created with Usage Cycle: 1. It will be displayed on the Genealogy View with a Light Grey Box.

2. If you choose the second option of Recording the Build amount, a new Batch will be created and will be displayed on the Genealogy View with a Dark Grey Box.

Linking Runs/Pieces to Material Batches

Authentise will automatically link a Run (and the Pieces in that Run) to the batch that is currently loaded into a Machine at the point in time that a Run is started (ie. the Run Status moves from Queued to In Progress). This link allows for the traceability from Run/Piece <> Material Batch. It also allows you to trace through a Material Batch to the full Genealogy of that Batch of Material. 

Runs Page Link

Pieces Page Link