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 Route vs. Hierarchy to generate child WO's

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Michael Kervan's profile image
Michael Kervan posted 03-15-2024 09:56

Good morning, we were having a discussion today and wondering why would you use a route vs. hierarchy to generate child work orders or if there is a difference?

Martin Fabra's profile image
Martin Fabra posted 03-15-2024 19:41

Hi Michael! 

Look, I understand that they are used for different things. The route assigns WO/ WO's for the job in question, which could be a lubrication route... a repetitive task, without much analysis, perhaps mechanical where the important thing is to reflect to the operator at which points he should go and perform the lubrication.
 
At this point, a single PM with an associated route is defined. It is clear that when you create the route, you can define that Maximo creates its own OT for each lubrication point, tasks or a single WO with an entry for each point in the route in the multiple assetb/locations section, but that does not mean that it can be compared. with PM hierarchies.
 
On the other hand, hierarchies are that, the possibility of, having many different PMs for a perhaps large location or asset, you can group them into a larger one so that when you execute it, it makes calls to those in a lower hierarchy. You perhaps organize a PM of a "plant shutdown" machine and integrate the different PMs of that machine. You want that when that plant stop, the machine PM is released, it also releases each PM within the hierarchy. It will create a "parent" WO for the parent PM and a child WO for each PM within the hierarchy.
 
This, which is generated in the same way as with a route, does not mean that they can be comparable since the nature of each one is different.
 
1) A PM with a 3 point route
- You need to create a single PM with the associated route
As a result Maximo will create:
One WO for the PM and 3 child WOs (one for each point)
 
2) A parent PM with 3 PMs of lower hierarchy
- You must create 4 PMs (the father and the 3 children)
As a result Maximo will create:
One WO for the father PM and 3 child WO's (one per PM within the hierarchy).
 
Although Maximo's way of solving it is similar, the why is different.
Travis Herron's profile image
Travis Herron posted 03-18-2024 09:11

1) Hierarchy: when any one of the PMs comes due to generate, the whole hierarchy can generate WOs;

Route: only when the parent is due will it generate WOs

2) Hierarchy: would always treat its children as Child Work Orders;

Route: offers the choice of the children being full WOs, Tasks, or a simple list in the MultiAssetLocCI table (which then may have an impact on how you count 'asset touches', how the WOs get assigned, how you record parts and labor to the children, how you track the status of the children, and so on)

3) Hierarchy: I believe would offer more flexibility for rotating Job Plans since each child in the hierarchy is a PM;

Route: Route_Stops don't have a Job Plan Sequencing function

Craig Kokay's profile image
Craig Kokay posted 03-19-2024 18:46

Hi Michael

Firstly, I would "use a route to generate a work order" as that is not a true statement.  Why?  This is because only one of the three options when the route is applied to a work order will be work orders or rather child work orders.

It is unusual to apply a route to a work order, rather you would use it on a PM. 

A route is simply a method to apply multiple assets or locations to a work order either as child work orders, tasks, or Multiple Assets, Locations and CIs.  

A PM is used to schedule when work is to occur.  The outcome for a single PM using a route is that you'll have multiple work orders with the PM one being the master work order to the child work orders, or a single work order that either contains multiple tasks or multiple assets, locations and CIs in the section of the same name.

A PM hierarchy is used when you want to collate a bunch of PM's under a single PM, which will be termed a PM Master.  When the hierarchy is due, it will result in a master work order (for the top PM) plus a child work order per child PM, notwithstanding where a route on any PM is used may result in additional sub-child work orders.

Imagine, you had 10 child PM's each with a route of 10 stops (each route is marked as child work orders BTW).  When this is generated you will get 101 work orders.

I'd like also to correct a misunderstanding of the PM hierarchy.  Firstly, for each child PM it must exist in its own right before it can be applied to the PM Master.  Next, as each PM within the hierarchy must have a frequency, when any one PM from anywhere in the hierarchy is due, then the hierarchy as a whole is due.  This catches many people out.  Think about this, you have intended that the PM hierarchy is set for an annual frequency, yet you have one PM that is set for weekly.  The result is that the PM hierarchy will generate once a week, not what was intended.

To override this behaviour, for each child PM within the hierarchy that you don't want to form part of the PM generation criteria, you need to stop that PM from triggering the PM hierarchy.  There is a flag near the bottom of the screen that is only available to turn off for child PMs.

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