SuiteFactory Manual

Overview

This CD Manual provides a complete guide for all of the features and settings found in SuiteFactory version 7.0.117.  It also contains demo software, demo database and free applications.

It includes detailed explanations of database configuration settings with suggested settings.  It explains all of the operating procedures needed for successfully implementing SuiteFactory in your facility.

Select from the various menus to the left to explore what SuiteFactory has to offer.

SuiteFactory Modules

After installing SuiteFactory you can access it by clicking the "Start" => "All Programs" menus.  You should see the following or equivalent:

Note: As you can see SuiteFactory is comprised of four modules and each is responsible for the following:

Communications Engine

This module is responsible for all communications between the Virtual Machine Tool Server and the associated machine tools.  SuiteFactory supports any number of Virtual Machine Tool Servers so a particular site can balance its loads using its particular computing assets. 

Import Assistant

This module provides a mechanism for allowing a PDM/PLM system to automatically "Export" an N/C File to a particular Machine Tool Group within SuiteFactory.  If SuiteFactory is not running it will start up SuiteFactory Runtime for a particular selected  User allowing them immediate access to the PDM/PLM N/C File just "Exported".

Maintenance Engine

This module is responsible for automatically importing any legacy files into SuiteFactory's database and most importantly during the installation phase where there maybe thousands of legacy files.  These files can be N/C Files, process sheets, quality sheets, virtually any documents that may be used by the Office, Engineering or Manufacturing personnel.

This module can also used to import new files that are created during in the normal design and manufacturing phases. 

User Runtime

This module is responsible for providing general access to SuiteFactory's features that allow access to N/C Files and documents for general system operation.  The User Runtime can be fully configured by an Administrator to suit a particular User's needs by limiting them to their assigned tasks, thus providing a secure, controlled environment.

Starting SuiteFactory Runtime

The following Window is displayed when starting up SuiteFactory after performing the initial configurtion.

Enter your User Name and Password, if you have one, and the Main Tool Bar will be displayed.

 Main Tool Bar

If this Virtual Workstation is also a Virtual Machine Tool Server with machine tools assigned to it the following Window will be displayed indicating the assigned machine tools and their present settings and activity statuses.

Communication Engine

Note: The communications Engine has various columns that will be helpful in determining the state of SuiteFactory at anytime. This can be used if you are running into problems.  This also indicate at a glace transfers, aborts, remote requests, port access problems, etc.