The Manage Serialized Configuration process consists of three sub processes which covers the definition and maintenance of serial structures.
This sub process handles all the activities required to build an entire serial structure and make it available for use in IFS/Vehicle Information Management. To enable usage of a serial part in a serial structure, the part must be created and defined properly. Registering and defining a new serial part in the structure can involve defining its sub serial parts. All new serials are based on existing serial parts. A new serial can be installed into a predefined serial structure or it can be located in inventory. Some top serials can be defined as vehicles. A serial structure must be built according to the serial structure template. The template structure can be copied to the serial structure and adjusted. If the new serial structure holds alternate parts, you can save time by copying and using a similar serial structure.
Vehicles, such as aircrafts, locomotives, and ships are serial types holding data that is not relevant to underlying items in the structure. Examples of such data include weight, balance data, dimensions, and loading capacity.
Use the Compare Structures window to help you work with your structures. This window enables you to compare a serial structure with a template structure and sort out the similarities and/or the differences.
This sub process handles the activities required to maintain a serial structure during it's lifetime. This sub process also includes activities to scrap or delete a serial.
Serials are replaced during scheduled maintenance or because of malfunction. Changes are required to be made to the serial structure in conjunction with the replacement of the serials. The system has several features to assist you in making these serial structure changes.
For serials that are available in inventory and defined as new or available after maintenance, the system has a best fit feature to help select the serial and arrange its next maintenance to coincide with its parent vehicle's maintenance. This secures balanced usage of the vehicles and smooth and low throughput of the maintenance in the workshops.
Serials not usable must be removed from the structure. These serials can
either be scrapped or repaired.
A serial can be deleted if:
it is not installed in a structure.
it has an operational status of Scrapped.
Even if a serial has been deleted from the application it is still possible to view historical data for the serial. This depends on the options you select when deleting the serial.
All configuration rules for the serials are built into template structures and these rules are validated when a serial undergoes changes.
This sub process handles entering historical information for serials that have had a previous life (i.e., with another operator). A complete serial is a serial having a structure that is according to the rules of the template structure and thus can have the Operational operational condition. An incomplete serial is a serial having a structure that is not according to the rules of the template structure and thus must have the Non Operational operational condition. A incomplete serial will typically have something missing from the minimum configuration. Once either type of serial is registered, you need to compliment it with historical data.
The usual method for entering data for a complete serial is to build the entire structure of the serial and then set it to the Operational operational condition and let the operational status remain in Planned For Operation. This will enable you to enter historical data without having anyone else starting to use the serial in the application. When the serial is set to Operational, all possible modifications, condition limits, maintenance codes, and operational parameters defined for the serial part or revision are assigned to the serial. Listed below is the recommended order to enter historical values for a complete serial:
Once this data is entered, the serial is set to the In Operation operational status.
The process for incomplete serials is to promote the operational status from Planned For Operation to Out Of Operation. The operational condition remains as Non Operational. This operation will assign all possible modifications to the serial. Listed below is the recommended order to enter historical values for an incomplete serial: