Operation Types

B Batch

A batch operation processes multiple units of an item in one cycle. Examples are heat treat, plating, or other processes that can be related to "racks" of parts being produced. Machine capacity often determines batch size. The run time represents the time to process the batch.

R Regular

A regular operation is a job or task performed by one or more workers on a machine in a work center. Examples are tooling, assembly of components, preparation of an item for another operation, inspection, and packing. It is an “employee paced operation. Only one manufacturing operation can be active for a given employee or crew at one time.

P Outside Service

An outside service is an operation in which value is added to an item by a vendor performing some type of task. For example, you may send out items to be painted if you do not have in-house resources or if a vendor can perform the task more economically than you can. Items are shipped to vendors on labor (L) purchase orders. When the item is received back from the vendor, the receipt of the purchase order line updates work in process.

I Indirect

An indirect operation is a manufacturing processes that you want to document, but do not want to directly cost to the item. The costs are part of the work center overhead. Examples include printing documents associated with the manufacturing order and operations in which an indirect employee is performing statistical testing of multiple products.

U Unattended

An unattended operation is one that is "machine paced" and typically can run without an operator for at least a portion of the run time. It is common for the operator to be producing units on multiple work centers simultaneously. When entering labor data, you enter the machine ID badge which can also be related to the operator overseeing the task.