How SCOREMATE™ Works

Once SCOREMATE™ has generated the Numerical Control cutting instructions for a layout in real-time, the instructions must be transferred to the cutter’s control where they can be acted upon.  The means for communicating these needs to the cutting table may differ, based upon each table’s capabilities.  SCOREMATE™ uses the most appropriate means for each table.  To provide maximum flexibility and speed, real-time download of a single sheet’s worth of instructions is used.  This transfer may occur using any of the following methods:

Shared network drive

RS232 communications cable

Batch transfers

Floppy disks

Note:  In the case of older model tables, batch transfers or floppy disks are often the only transfer method available.

Line Control

The components that make up a complete glass cutting line may come from different suppliers or may have been designed for batch mode operations.  SCOREMATE’s Line Control feature delivers real-time control over all the equipment components of the line.  Signals received directly from the equipment via the PMC Software installed photo eyes help to identify the exact location of each piece of glass as it moves down the line.  As sheets leave an area, “all clear” signals are automatically sent to up-stream devices so that they can initiate their approached task, thus keeping the line at maximum efficiency.

Example of User Interface

The SCOREMATE™ DNC Active screen displays the Runs to be cut at this table and lists details about each layout within the Run.  As each layout is processed, detailed information about its status displays. 

You select runs for processing by using the mouse, function keys, or by manually entering run numbers.

Next, prioritize the order that the runs are downloaded, should it be necessary to change the sequence selected previously. 

You then proceed to Layout Adjustment where you can perform the following adjustments to a layout:

• Adjust sheet count
• Eliminate low yielding layouts
• Rearrange sequence in which layouts are to be cut

You may also display the layout, as it is seen on the breakout monitor display, to learn more about a particular layout. 

If your facility uses a multi-rack loading system, you now verify the racks from which glass is to be pulled.  If no glass is found matching the thickness, color and size required, the requirements will be associated to Free Fall or Miscellaneous racks.

If your facility maintains infinite inventory levels, you may choose to automatically process through Layout Adjustment and Rack Assignment without user intervention. Once all runs have been verified for processing, SCOREMATE™ will populate the DNC list and process the runs.

If automatic processing encounters a racking problem, such as no rack for this glass type/size or not enough inventory, only then will the Inventory Summary Screen be displayed so the user can make the appropriate manual adjustments.

In most circumstances, processing occurs as described above, with minimal cutting operator intervention.  The operator presses a button or foot pedal at the breakout end of the cutting table to advance the layout from the cutter to breakout.  SCOREMATE™ then displays breakout information for the layout on the optional large TV breakout monitor display.

If an interruption in glass processing should occur, the Cutting workcenter operator has the ability to recover.  The status of the affected layout(s) can be changed to quickly recover and resume processing.  The operator clicks the “OOPS” button to display the DNC Recovery screen. 

The DNC Recovery screen allows for a status change when necessary to recover the sequence of processing.  The operator selects a layout, views a list of status values, and then changes the status as necessary.  Personnel maintain complete control over the sequence, prioritization and any required adjustments to Runs.  Rush Runs can also be inserted into the day’s cutting workload without disturbing previously selected production and causing minimum interruption. 

SCOREMATE’s Powerful Options

Breakout Monitor Display Option

SCOREMATE’s Breakout Monitor Display offers the ability to display the cutting layout currently at the Breakout table on a large TV monitor mounted above the table.   The following abilities are available for viewing, interpreting and navigating the breakout monitor display of cutting layouts. 

• Display piece identification as either Rack/Slot or Cutlist Sequence number
• Orientation indicators can be used to show base or long dimension of a piece
• Dimensions can be displayed in fractional or decimal format, listing incremental or absolute dimensions
• Positioning the mouse over a lite to display detail about it, including order-item number, shape number, and dimensions
• Zoom in to view detail about small lites within the layout
• Navigate the display using a mouse or remote keypad 

You allocate glass through the SCOREMATE’s Inventory Summary screen, allowing you to select the rack from which to pull glass.

You maintain specifications about the glass that resides on each rack and add new racks to your configuration as the need arises using the Rack Summary screen. 

Inventory Racks Report

Specifications on the glass contained on the inventory racks in your facility are available through the Inventory Racks Report.  The user has the ability to generate the report by stock type (Virgin, Offal or All) and rack or by stock type and thickness and color.  For both sort orders, the user may select to generate a report for all tables, or one specific table, and all stock types or one specific type.   

A-Frame Shuffle Option

Some float plants are now shipping large sheets on returnable steel racks.  When delivered to a plant, the entire dual-sided rack is moved into the glass loader/retrieval area.  Since these racks are not bolted to the floor, it is desirable to shuffle the sheet removal from alternating sides to keep the load balanced.  SCOREMATE can accommodate this safety consideration as a subset of its automated loader option.

Pack Management Option

Many business systems inventory stock not only by thickness, color and size but also by the case or pack in which the sheets were received.  To keep accurate accounting of inventory levels requires that stock decrementing include case or pack information.

To improve quality, your vendors also need feedback when defects are found in the glass.  By providing pack data, the sheet can be traced back to its original batch and production date.

SCOREMATE™ offers the optional ability to maintain and track glass by packs.  Packs of glass may be loaded onto a rack, which may hold several packs of glass.  You have the ability to add and track each pack of glass on a rack.

Real-Time Inventory Usage Reporting Option

The Real-Time Inventory Usage Reporting option provides real-time collection of glass inventory usage and yield results at NC controlled glass cutting tables.  This results in a highly efficient method to accurately obtain detail about all glass processed on your automated glass cutting machinery.  For many plants, Low Priority is used to increase cutting yields, but companies lack checks the balances to insure that this glass is not being tossed into the dumpster. 

The collection of this information is transparent to the cutting machine operator.  Information is automatically and transparently collected by SCOREMATE™ at the cutting line and stored on the file server when each sheet is cut.  This information is available for detailed reports at any time thereafter.

Your personnel have the ability to generate reports for a particular day, month or year, which assist you in collecting inventory glass usage data to accurately pinpoint product costs.  Reports are also available by shift.

Reports by Date Range

Reports generated for a date range (a day, week, or month, for example) are as follows. 

• Inventory Usage – Usage for the selected date range by unique color and thickness and by inventory size, listing square footage cut and finished and yields for both overall usage and High Priority usage only.
• Yield Summary – Summary of High priority and overall yields for the date range selected, listing stock and non-stock sizes.
• Low Priority Cross Reference – Orders used as Low Priority that were cut for the date range selected, and the runs in which they were cut.

Reports by Shift

Reports are available for each shift’s usage, as described below. 

• Cutting Log – Listing all layouts cut for the shift, including when they were cut, square footage, and yield information.
• Inventory Usage – Usage for the shift by unique color and thickness and by inventory size, listing square footage cut and finished and yields for both overall usage and High Priority usage only.
• Yield Summary – Summary of High Priority and overall yields for the shift, listing stock and non-stock sizes.
• ·Low Priority Cross Reference – Orders used as Low Priority that were cut for the shift, and the runs in which they were cut.

Real-Time Production Reporting Option

Real-Time Production Reporting offers the ability to obtain shift production statistics in real time.  This data is available in the following formats:

Workstation Display

Real-time production data for the workstation is displayed.  There is a button for each shift, unique to your facility, and a Daily Totals button.

Office Display

The Real-Time Production Reporting application can be accessed in the office to monitor real-time production for all workstations in your facility.  This functions similarly to the display on each workstation on the production floor.  In addition, personnel may view the DNC lists from the office workstation to see what has not yet been processed.

Printed Reports

The Real-Time Production Report provides production statistics and a graphical representation of these statistics. The report can be generated for a particular workstation or shift, or all workstations or shifts, for a particular date range.  The report may be sorted by Workstation or Date. 

Real Time Remakes Option

Real Time Remakes automates the processing of rejected lites while it increases yields and reduces material costs.  The system automatically includes the lites within the lowest yielding layout of a Run along with any lites rejected at the Breakout table in its real time re-optimization.  You choose whether to process the re-optimized layouts at either the end of the Run or end of the Schedule.  This processing keeps the cutting line loaded and running with maximum productivity and throughput.  It eliminates operator intervention to optimize remakes manually, make decisions about dropping low yielding layouts, and determine the best piece of glass for the layout.

How Real Time Remakes Works

Lites that have been rejected from cutting layouts will be processed along with low yielding layouts, increasing the potential of improved yields.  The system determines if the layout can be cut from a sheet of offal, again increasing the yield.  Only when no offal is available will virgin stock sizes of glass be considered.

Offal Maintenance

The Real Time Remakes system provides an Offal Maintenance option which is used to set the criteria for the database of offal pieces you want to automatically maintain and consider for Real Time Remake processing.

Breakout Monitor Display

As glass reaches the Breakout table, from processing either standard layouts or Real Time Remake layouts, the system determines if a piece of scrap meets the criteria for offal.  If so, it is marked with an asterisk (indicating reusable offal) and a slot location in which to store the offal for later use and is automatically entered into the Offal Maintenance database. 

These recommendations will positively affect operations by giving them the results they are looking for to achieve their goals.  Specifically, we see the following business benefits as a direct outcome from implementing PMC's products and services.

Maximized efficiency

Operator intervention is minimized and operating costs reduced as all processes at the Cutting workcenter are tracked, resulting in increased profits and less down-time.  Glass is processed quickly and efficiently through the Cutting workcenter, therefore decreasing turnaround time.   Orders reach customers on time; increasing positive cash flow. 

Real-time functionality

Real-time generation of NC (Numerical Control) cutting instructions saves both disk space and processing time by generating instructions for just the table processing that Run.  The operator has a real-time interface to the cutting line equipment and can modify the data being processed in real-time to account for, and easily recover from, any interruptions in processing.

Fully configurable system

Optional add-on features allow you to tailor the system to your equipment and processing. The system offers complete cutting line control and interfaces with both grab and free fall systems, including a Rack Maintenance option for multi-rack loading systems and optional Pack Maintenance functionality, for those facilities that track glass by packs.  The system also offers a Breakout Monitor display package and real-time reporting options.

Identical look and feel across multiple cutting tables, regardless of machinery vendor

Having the same interface for all your cutting lines reduces operator training and makes it possible for your company to mix and match cutting systems to best fit your operational needs.