Continuous Processing

 
 

Our definition

 
We view Continuous Processing as a procedure with no natural breaks. Raw materials are entering the process constantly and the processed product and bi-products are being produced constantly.
For Performance Analysis breaks need to be imposed without stopping the flow. The breaks maybe after a set time (1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month) or made to coincide with a natural break in the company day e.g. shift change. At the break results need to be documented for future analysis and comparison.
 
 
  

Operation of Processing Stages

As Raw material is processed into refined product there maybe several key stages where stock levels may need to be recorded, samples maybe taken for analysis or a bi-product leaves the process. The recognisable stages should be set up as Work In Progress (WIP). If the stage in the process is identifiable the
WIP account should be assigned the numeric processing stage. 1 represents the first stage where the raw material enters the process. By assigning a process stage number to the WIP trace reports will be clearer.
 
 

Procedure

Intakes of raw material are received from the weighbridge and processed into ITAS. A record for each intake is created and will be available for detailed reporting. During the shift samples may be taken and linked to the appropriate stage (WIP account).
At the time of the defined ‘break’ (end of shift, end of day) the movements will be recorded. The weights of the intakes are summed and presented on a screen where the value is assigned. The receiving WIP account (which could represent a stock shed, tank, hopper) is defaulted as an account that has been assigned stage one.  When satisfactory the details should be confirmed. A new trace will be assigned to the Movement and consequently to the receiving WIP account. The individual intakes are assigned the new trace.
Where appropriate more movements are entered between the stages. If, following the first process, a bi-product leaves the process a movement will be created between stage one and the bi-product stage. Movements will be created between the WIP that received the intake to the next stages in the process cycle where levels have been recorded. Movements may be entered between subsequent stages until the quantity of the finished refined product is entered.
From the movements the yield at each process stage can be calculated and the overall yield from the Intake quantity is known.
 

Intakes

Intakes may take the form of deliveries of raw material/crop from a plantation. An intake may be recognised by the field from which it came, registration number of the truck, collection point. This information should be obtained from the report generated by the Weighbridge software and imported into ITAS. It is stored on ITAS so traceability is possible from final sale to field. Intakes are also available for separate reporting and analysis.

Trace

Trace enables the origin of a final sale to be determined. The movements between the process stages are used to trace back from sale to origin.
At the start of each shift a new trace id is generated and assigned to the selected WIP account at stage 1 and the movement from intakes to stage 1.
When the movements are entered from stage one they carry the new ID. If the WIP at the receiving stage is empty it will be assigned the new ID. If stock is present the stock from different shifts is being mixed so a new trace id is required for the WIP. If it has a stock level the existing stock is moved out (with its old trace) and moved back in with the new trace. The stock being moved in from stage one will also be converted into the new trace.
The same trace procedure operates for each recorded movement so the trace id of the finished product may be different from the new one generated at the start of the process. Using the movements the original intakes can be located.
The finished product (or any bi-products) may be used for a local delivery or to create a new purchase to be loaded onto a vessel and subsequently to be allocated to a sale. The trace id on the finished product is carried through on to the purchase and sale.
Reports exist to ‘trace’ from origin to destination and from destination to origin.

Sampling

Sampling may be taken at different stages of the process cycle.
At stage one the raw product may be sampled visually to ascertain ripeness and age of fruit. Further along the process cycle more scientific procedures may be adopted and a sample taken to be sent to a laboratory for analysis to determine percentages of pure oil, dry matters, sugar content.
The results of the analysis will be assigned to a WIP account which represents a process stage or stock unit. Over time the results can be reported to show trends, deficiencies, movements from the standard for some or all of the analysis codes individually or as averages.
For ease of input analysis codes as maintained in PHYSCODES can be grouped into Portfolios and the appropriate portfolio can be assigned to a WIP account to enable standard sampling.
 

Reporting

Reporting for traceability is carried out in the STOCKSQ option where other general Inventory reporting is available.
Sampling results and analysis of the results is performed through REDBOOK, LABIN (also used for laboratory analysis) and WIP (Analysis/chart).
Graphical representation of yields can be found in STOCKSQ and WIP.
Detailed analysis of Intakes is available through the report writer.
 

Company Setup

For the above operation to be active the company needs to be set up to run ‘trace’ (ctrl50_trace =’Y’) and ‘continuous processing’ (ctrl50_continuous = ‘Y’)

Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback

Recently viewed