Dependent characterstics

[Former Member]

Gurus,

What is the purpose of dependent characterstics.Where & when it can be used?

[former_member42743 · Accepted solution]

People are mixing terms here.

One definition provided above is not really dependent characteristics but conditional characteristics. I've heard people use the term dependent characteristics for this but technically it should be conditional characteristics. This is the case when if a characteristic has a certain value, then another characteristic becomes required to be performed.

The other definition of a dependent characteristic is one where the DMR and sample size is dependent on a preceding characteristic. Technically, this is what SAP means when it refers to dependent characteristics. See this link for the SAP explanation:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_45b/helpdata/en/2d/351ebf448c11d189420000e829fbbd/frameset.htm

This is used primarily to keep characteristics in synch with each other within a DMR.

Others think of dependent characteristics as those where the sepcification range for the characteristic is determined by a material assignment and subsequent dependent characteristic values. These are defined within an inspection plan. You'll find information on this also at the link provided above.

So to give you a better answer, we kind of need to know in what context you talking about.

FF

[anand_rao3 · Accepted solution]

Hi FF,

Thank you for good stuff. Well, I have few doubts here. I would be most grateful to you if you can explain this.

1. I am confused between the exact logic of calculated characteristics and the one quoted by you above for dependent characteristics.

2. I think dependency between 2 or more characteristics can be achieved through calculated characteristics. (correct me if wrong)

3. But in case of dependent characteristics, as narrated by you it finds its application for DMR prominently.

It would be of great help if you can elucidate with one example that how dependent characteristic and DMR are linked.

Thanks in advance

Best Regards

Anand Rao

[former_member42743 · Accepted solution]

A calculated characteristic is usually always done. It uses already completed characteristics and a formula to arrive at its value. You might use the term dependent because the characteristics it uses in the formula have to be completed first. But SAP doesn't refer to these as dependend characteristics. Simply calculated.

If characteristics use DMR at the characteristic level then you want your calculated characteristic to ALSO be a dependent characteristic that follows the same DMR as the characteristics used in its formula. Otherwise you could get a situation where the input characteristic to a calculated characteristic wind up being skip characteristics while the calculated characteristic is not skipped. Then you wind up with a required calculated characteristic but skipped inputs. That wouldn't work. Just because the input values to a formula are in-spec doesn't mean the calculated one alwasy is. Thus they can wind up out of synch.

By using the DMR functionality as described by SAP, you can have the calculated characeristic and all the inputs follow one DMR mapping. You select the primary characteristic where you assign the DMR rule. Then in the DMR column of the other characteristics you refer to the other characteristics. These are now all dependent characteristics.

Examples where this might be used is HPLC. You might normally only shoot a sample onto HPLC once every ten incoming shipments. You might have ten different peaks you want to record values on. But you want all ten characteristics to always remain in synch with each other. So you set the whole group of ten as dependent characteristics. So even though the DMR is at the characteristic level, all ten will basically follow the DMR of only one of the characteristics. None of these would be calculated characteristics. (Ok.. for you techies... one miight be).

Craig

[anand_rao3 · Accepted solution]

Thank you very much Craig for such a wonderful explanation! Its clear now.

Regards,

Anand Rao

[Former Member]

Hi,

I can tell you how dependant charecteristi can be used in chemical or process industry.

In chemical industry QC department take result forMIC1 ASSAY some time assay calculated comes 102 % but assay never being more than 100 %

For that we create dependant charecteristic IN MIC2 ASSAY2 we have to give logic if Assay1 greater than 100% then 100 else take result of Assay1

It is used in process industry by above method.

Regards

SANIL

[Former Member]

HI,

When i try to assign the dependent characterstics it is in display mode, i am not able to assign any MIC.

Sanil i am not able to understand your answer

[anand_rao3]

Hi,

1. After selecting MIC click on dependent characteristic button

2. Here click on + (summation or plus)SYMBOL

3. Then the list of materials assigned to that inspection plan will be displayed to you.

4. Double click on any of the materials and system will let you to editable mode where you can put upper, lower limits.

5. It has its significance if a task list contains more than 1 material assigned to it.

6. If you have only one material in the task list, dependent characteristics will not be useful.

Best Regards,

Anand Rao

[anand_rao3]

Hi,

I try to explain this.

This type of feature is used when MIC is same but its lower, upper or target value differs. Assume you have 100 types of material codes for inspection. Each one of them contains length as inspection parameter. But every material has different values even though the parameter is same. In such case there are 2 options. Either create 100 different MICs for Length or create only one MIC and change its dimension in inspection plan using dependent characteristic.

For details go through [this Link|http://help.sap.com/erp2005_ehp_04/helpdata/EN/2d/351f75448c11d189420000e829fbbd/frameset.htm]

Best Regards,

Anand Rao