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4.5 Scanning, Databases & MES Links

Readers on the line, APIs to MES/ERP, and closing the loop from board to box.

Scanners and simple APIs are the glue that turns marks into living data and stitches board → unit → box into one story. Fixed 2D imagers and handheld readers feed MES (Manufacturing Execution System) at a few smart gates, while ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) ties in for shipments—so each SN (serial number) is more than ink. With clean routes and lightweight calls, stations validate the right code at the right moment, log test outcomes (ICT/FCT: in-circuit/functional), and open repair tickets without side spreadsheets. The payoff is fast genealogy: given a return (RMA), the system can pull route, panel, tests, and box label in seconds. This section frames where to scan, what to store, and how to link it—so the line stays calm and traceability becomes automatic rather than an after-the-fact hunt.

4.5.1 Reader lineup (what lives where)

  • Fixed-mount 2D imagers at stations that must never miss (panel ID in at SMT; unit SN after laser/label).
  • Handheld 1D/2D for flexible spots (rework cells, debug benches, pack-out exceptions).
  • In-process verifiers near printers/markers to grade freshly printed/lasered codes and block bad ones. All readers should speak the same symbologies you froze in 4.3 and write results straight into MES/ERP via API.

4.5.2 Where to scan in the route (minimal but sufficient)

Wire scan points into the MES route/operations/WIP states so the right code is required at the right moment.

  • SMT panel in: scan panel barcode on the rails (stable, easy to hit) to start genealogy.
  • After marking (laser/label): scan/verify unit 2D to bind SN ↔ panel/WO/BOM rev and write the record. (Ties to 4.2–4.4.)
  • Depanel: scan panel ID then each unit SN to create the panel→units split record.
  • Test (ICT/FCT): station reads SN at start, writes results at end (pass/fail, limits, firmware rev). Failures auto-open repair tickets.
  • Final pack-out: scan unit SN → print/scan box label → post shipment record that links box↔unit(s). This “closes the loop” so a return can jump straight to its full build/test history.

4.5.3 Data model (the few tables that matter)

Keep it simple and relational; these keys unlock fast RMAs and clean audits.

Object

Primary key(s)

Joins to

Why it matters

WorkOrder

WO

Panels, Units

Scope quarantines and yields.

Panel

PanelID

WO, Units

Bridges line scans before depanel.

Unit

SN

PanelID, WO, BOMRev

The star of genealogy and returns.

ScanEvent

(SN/PanelID, timestamp)

Unit/Panel

Who/when/where every code was read.

TestResult

(SN, station, run)

Unit

Pass/fail, limits, firmware—hooks to repair.

MaterialLot (optional)

LotID

Unit (critical parts)

Component-level genealogy when required.

Shipment

BoxID

Units

Links box labels to units for customers.

Dashboards and alerts read from these same tables to watch early lots after changes.

4.5.4 API patterns (how stations talk to systems)

You don’t need a complex bus—just clear calls and webhooks:

  • POST /scan {code, type, station, op, timestamp} → MES validates the op and advances WIP; rejects wrong codes.
  • POST /test-result {sn, station, verdict, params} → logs to TestResult and (on FAIL) opens a repair ticket.
  • GET /label-data?sn=… → returns customer-facing fields (SN, BOM rev, config) for box labels; ERP link adds ship-to/order info.
  • Webhook: unit-ready → pack-out printers subscribe and print labels only for good units.

4.5.5 Guardrails (make bad data hard)

  • Grade before accept: marking stations must verify code quality and block WIP on failure (your 4.4 gate).
  • Duplicate & format checks: MES rejects reused SNs, wrong revs, or scans out of sequence based on the active operation.
  • Store-and-forward: readers buffer when the network blips, then replay; no side spreadsheets.
  • Operator feedback: short, colored station banners/alerts help leads react fast to scan/test spikes.

4.5.6 “Board to box” proof (what a clean record looks like)

Given an SN, you should pull in seconds:

  • WO/line/shift, panel ID & depanel mapping, every scan event, ICT/FCT logs, rework/repair records, and box/shipment data—one story from the first rail scan to the shipping label. That’s the definition of closing the loop.

4.5.7 Release checklist (print this)

  • Readers placed at panel-in, mark verify, depanel, ICT/FCT, pack-out.
  • MES route/ops/WIP require the right scan at each step.
  • APIs live: /scan, /test-result, /label-data; ERP link for shipments.
  • Repair tickets auto-open on test fails; dashboards watch early lots.
  • Panel rails reserved for codes; scanners can hit them fast.



Bottom line: put fast, reliable readers at a few smart gates, push every scan/result through simple APIs into MES/ERP, and you’ve truly linked board → unit → box. That’s how RMAs turn into precise searches, not warehouse recalls—and how the line stays calm.   


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