Barco WeaveMaster Brochure

WeaveMaster

Barco’s leading MES system for the textile industry, WeaveMaster monitors and synchronizes
all manufacturing and logistic activities within the weaving mill, from yarn purchasing and
inventory up to the shipment of the fi nished fabric.

Using the Microsoft Windows® operating system and ORACLE® database, WeaveMaster
offers a collaborative suite of application modules. Through a Graphical User Interface (GUI),
WeaveMaster users are constantly informed about the actual situation on the production
fl oor resulting in faster reactions to problems and an increased effi ciency.

Powerful analysis tools allow quick identifi cation of poor performing machines and bottlenecks
in planning, resulting in an optimal usage of production capacities.

With today’s small order quantities and short delivery times, scheduling has become a critical
function for the textile mill. WeaveMaster offers the planning department an interactive tool
allowing them to optimize loom loading based on real time information.

Manufacturing Execution System (MES)

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Monitoring and reporting

Real time machine monitoring

WeaveMaster’s most important real time analysis tool is the
“Color Mill”. On this color-coded lay-out of the mill, the machines
are displayed in a number of colors, each color indicating a certain
machine status or alarm condition.

The user selects the type of information to be displayed: ef­fi ciencies, stop levels, speeds,… For each data item, exception
limits can be defi ned and problem machines are automatically
fl agged.

User defi nable “fi lter sets” allow the user to display only these
machines which correspond with a certain condition, for example
all machines with an effi ciency below 85%, all machines waiting
for an intervention, machines weaving a specifi c style, …

A “mouse click” on a specifi c machine opens a window with
a detailed report showing all required information for the
selected machine. As a unique feature within WeaveMaster,
these detail reports may contain any user defi ned mixture of
text and graphics.

Each individual event (automatic stop, declaration,…) is date
and time stamped and stored in the WeaveMaster data base.
Based on user defi nable time intervals, the “stop cause map”
makes a complete machine diagnostic and shows whether ef­fi ciency losses are due to automatic stops, logistic problems, or
any other reason.

Besides stop information, the stop cause map also allows to
visualize any other event logged at the machine. By means of
colored fl ags, the system indicates when operators logged on
and off at the machine, when piece change or yarn lot changes
occurred ... All this information can easily be exported to Barco’s
traceability module.

Reporting

All data is stored in an Oracle relational database. By means of
a powerful report and formula generator, users can defi ne and
confi gure their own calculations and reports. Once a report lay­out has been defi ned, the user can select it for a variety of keys
such as by machine type, by weaver, by style,… and for any
period such as shift, day, week, month or even year.

Integrated graphics allow managers to build their own person­alized “dashboards” for a quick and transparent analysis and
evaluation of all Key Performance Indicators (KPI).

All reports can be printed on request, defi ned as automatic print
reports or as export fi le.

The latter allows easy and transparent data transfer between
the monitoring system and any other information system within
the company.

Production scheduling

The graphical plan board

With WeaveMaster, the planner conducts his demanding job by
means of an electronic plan board. Integrated with the style
database and the monitoring system, the plan board software
automatically calculates the time needed for every order and
warp and updates it based on real time information such as
actual speed, effi ciency and stop level.

The WeaveMaster scheduling software supports multiple plan­ning levels: some textile mills only require single warp planning,
other companies such as terry towel and upholstery weavers
require the scheduling and follow up of multiple warps as well
as single pieces on every loom.

By means of simple “drag and drop” functions, the planner can
allocate pieces to warps, re-schedule warps and pieces, assign to
another loom, etc… Production orders can be entered manually
in the system or can be downloaded from a host computer.

Printing of warp tickets and piece
labels

From the plan board, the user has access to the style specifi ca­tions data base with all style related technical details. Based on
the loom loading and the information available in this database,
WeaveMaster prints the beam ticket, piece labels as well as
instructions for warp preparation, drawing in, etc…

Warp out prediction and yarn
requirements calculation

Based on the loom loading and the real time information,
WeaveMaster knows exactly when each warp has to be ready.
This information allows the system to calculate backwards
to generate a production schedule for the warp preparation
department.

As the style defi nition fi le contains yarn type, yarn count, number
of ends/picks per yarn type as well as all contraction and waste
factors, WeaveMaster can calculate yarn requirements for warp
as well as fi lling yarn. Several reports are available such as a
consumption report used to transfer yarn from inventory to the
weave room and reports with requirements of yarn to be dyed
or to be purchased.

Optional modules

Yarn inventory management

The software module for yarn inventory management is fully
integrated with the WeaveMaster planning software.

The fi rst function of this module is the management of the yarn
delivery contracts with all its technical and commercial details.
For each delivery of yarn to the mill, the quantities are booked
against the contract and are added to the grey yarn stock. The
system prints the barcoded identifi cation labels with yarn iden­tifi cation, lot number and warehouse location.

As WeaveMaster calculates the requirements for grey and dyed
yarn, reservations can be made for warp yarn, grey weft yarn
as well as for dye lots.

Consumption of the yarn is registered by reading the barcoded
labels on the cartons as the yarn enters in preparation or in the
weaving department.

Traceability

Combining machine monitoring with yarn inventory manage­ment allows the system to assign warp stops and weft stops
to the yarn origin, the yarn lot and the yarn supplier. Since the
WeaveMaster system knows which yarns were used to produce
the warp or were taken for weft, the system can offer a full
yarn traceability. For each cloth roll coming out of the mil, the
system reports about yarn lots used, stop levels and quality
information.

Temperature and humidity moni­toring

As the environmental conditions are very important for the
quality of the weaving process, WeaveMaster can be extended
with hard- and software for climate monitoring in the weave
room.

Barco’s climate monitoring solution consists of temperature and
humidity sensors connected to one of Barco’s data units and a
software module. With this software, actual temperature and
humidity values are displayed in the weave room lay-out and
in the trend reports, effi ciency and stop levels are compared
with the temperature and humidity levels as function of time.

Wireless connection of machines to WeaveMaster

DU7P: looms with VDI in ter face

Microprocessor controlled looms equipped with the VDI interface
are connected by means of the DU7P interface board. Automatic
stops are transmitted through the microprocessor’s VDI interface
and weavers enter manual declarations through the keyboard
and display of the loom. As such, the weaver uses the same
user interface for operating the loom as for communicating with
the monitoring system. Unlike with other systems, no extra
keypad is required.

Through bi-directional communication, the DU7P has access to all
information and can activate any function within the machine’s
microprocessor.

Looms with Ethernet interface

The latest generation of microprocessor based looms are often
equipped with an Ethernet interface for host communication.
These looms are connected to the WeaveMaster system by
means of a standard Ethernet network (wired or wireless)
without the need for any additional hardware.

DU8P and DU10P: looms with
parallel interface and preparation
machines

A DU8P or DU10P data unit is used for looms with parallel inter­face and for the connection of preparation machines.

Up to 8 automatic stops can be detected through parallel inputs
and a keyboard and display is available for manual declarations.
The DU8P offers nine user defi nable “quick entry” keys for fast
entry of the most important stop reasons.

Special versions are available for direct and sectional warpers
as well as for sizing machines, allowing real time monitoring of
speeds, yarn breaks and eventually process parameters such as
temperatures and pressures.

Backup and recovery

All data units can be extended with a module for backup and
recovery. With this unit, all data can be stored for at least 24
hours locally in the data unit in case of server or network break­down. As soon as the server or network is available again, the
WeaveMaster software automatically recovers all data stored
in the data units. This feature is extremely important in case
WeaveMaster is used in combination with ERP systems, assuring
correct information about orders and work in progress.

Notes :

- All Barco data units are also available for wired networking.

- All data units can be extended with barcode scanners or RF-ID
tags.

- For applications where only basic monitoring is required, Barco
offers the DU2P/WDL, equipped with a pick counter and three
automatic stop inputs.

www.barco.com

WeaveMaster Client-Server concept

Barco n.v.
Th. Sevenslaan 106
8500 Kortrijk
BELGIUM
Tel (intl) 32 56 26 26 11
Fax (intl) 32 56 26 26 90
e-mail: [e-mail]

15/11/2006

BARCO SEDO GmbH
Neuwies 1
35794 Mengerskirchen
GERMANY
Tel (intl) 49 64 76310
Fax (intl) 49 64 763131

BARCO - Loepfe s.r.l.
Via El Alamein, 11/C
22100 Como
ITALY
Tel (intl) 39 031 3370457
Fax (intl) 39 031 305565

BarcoVision LTD
Capricorn Park
Blakewater Road
Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 5QR UK
Tel (intl) 44 1254 66 22 44
Fax (intl) 44 1254 58 25 95

BarcoVision LLC
4420 Taggart Creek Road
Suite 101
Charlotte, NC 28208 USA
Tel (intl) 1 704 392 93 71
Fax (intl) 1 704 399 55 88

Other applications

Weaving: on-loom inspection, fabric inspection, yarn inventory.
Spinning: monitoring and on-line quality control.
Dyeing and finishing: planning, lot tracking, monitoring, fabric inspection, optimized cutting.

Networking the machines

WeaveMaster supports both cabled and wireless networks to
connect machines to the central server. Machines are equipped
with one of Barco’s data units for automatic as well as manual
data collection or linked directly to the server through their
Ethernet interface.

ERP system integration

WeaveMaster is easily integrated with the customer’s ERP
system. Through a standard interface, order and style data is
transferred from the ERP system and imported in the Weave­Master database.

The integrated export functionality allows a straightforward
upload of production data, calculated production schedules,
work-in-progress and performance indicators from WeaveMaster
to the ERP system.
WeaveMaster uses standard TCP/IP protocols for integration with
the host computer.

Peripherals

Scoreboards indicating efficiency or quality ratios as well as TV
monitors (CIMkiosk) bringing comprehensive messages and
information to the operators form an integral part of today’s
WeaveMaster system, improving communication within the
mill.

Connecting remote sites

WeaveMaster supports the connection of multiple plants to one
central server.
In the remote site, M-Servers or WDL-Servers, connected to
the company’s Intranet or to a leased telephone line, link the
machines to the central computer system.

System requirements

-Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 for server applications.

-Windows 2000, Windows 2003 or Windows XP Pro for clients.

-Windows TSE or Citrix for remote connections.

GTFI/WDL

WDL - Server

M - Server

Scoreboard

Windows Server

Host

Fabric Inspection

Planning

Production

CIM Kiosk

DU10P/WDL

DU8P/WDL

DU7P (VDI)

Ethernet (UTP5)

HSDL

HUB

Ethernet

Ethernet

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