Creating control variables
Prerequisites
- Access to the Configuration > Control variable (MA001) menu.
- Previously created measurement unit.
- Standard activity previously created for the variable to trigger the "Ask whether to create activity" and "Activity execution" actions.
Introduction
The control variable menu is intended for creating and managing variables that act as inspection points on assets. These variables are essential to monitoring and controlling equipment, thus ensuring that operations remain within established standards.
For example, in a production system, variables such as the temperature, pressure, or vibration of a piece of equipment, can be monitored. If any of these variables exceeds pre-established limits, the system will warn the technicians so that they perform an inspection or maintenance, ensuring that the equipment continues to operate safely and efficiently.
Control variables are classified into two types: objective and subjective. Each type has distinct characteristics that impact how they are measured and interpreted.
Objective variable
Objective variables are those that can be precisely quantified by means of standardized methods and specific equipment. They are measurable and provide exact numerical data, such as recording the amount of energy consumed in kilowatt-hours.
Subjective variable
Subjective variables are those that depend on personal judgments or assessments to be determined, such as evaluating the quality of a product's finish based on an inspector's opinion.
Creating an objective control variable
1. Access the File > Control variable (MA001) menu.
2. Expand the 
button and click on the Objective variable option.
3. On the screen that will open, enter an ID # and a name for the variable.
4. In the Measurement unit field, select the measurement unit that will be used to measure the control variable.
5. In the No. of decimal places field, enter the number of decimal places that will be used to input the values of the variable.
6. In the Limits section, select how the limit of the variable will be defined:
- Bilateral: allows for entering the upper and lower limits.
- Unilateral up: allows for entering the upper limit only.
- Unilateral down: allows for entering the lower limit only.
7. In the Lower limit and Upper limit fields, enter the value corresponding to the limit range of the variable.
8. In the Action tab, click on the button and add the actions that must be taken if the variable reaches a certain value at the time of its reading.
Configuring an action
1. On the screen that will open, in the Condition field, select one of the following options:
- greater than: the action will be triggered when the value obtained from the variable reading is greater than the initial value configured below.
- greater than or equal to: the action will be triggered when the value obtained from the variable reading is greater than or equal to the initial value configured below.
- less than: the action will be triggered when the value obtained in the variable reading is smaller than the initial value configured below.
- less than or equal to: the action will be triggered when the value obtained from the variable reading is less than or equal to the initial value configured below.
- between (inclusive): the action will be triggered when the value obtained from the variable reading is between the initial value and the final value configured below, with both included.
- between (exclusive): the action will be triggered when the value obtained from the variable reading is between the initial value and the final value configured below, with both being disregarded.
- equal to: the action will be triggered when the value obtained from the variable reading is equal to the initial value configured below.
2. In the Initial value field, enter the number corresponding to the beginning of the range that will be used for the condition.
3. In the End value field, enter the number corresponding to the end of the range that will be used for the condition.
4. In the Action field, select the action that will be taken if the condition is met:
- E-mail notification: the system will send an e-mail notification with the reading data of the variable to the members of the team responsible for the asset. These members must have their e-mail properly registered on the user data screen.
- Ask whether to create activity: once the variable reading is saved, the system will ask if the user wishes to create maintenance activity(ies) from it.
- Activity execution: once the variable reading is saved, the system will show the maintenance activity(ies) created from it, in the execution step.
5. The Activity field will be enabled if one of the "Ask whether to create activity" and "Activity execution" actions is selected. In this case, select the standard activity from which the maintenance activity will be created.
6. In the Activity type field, select the corresponding option to indicate that the maintenance activity will be created in the programming (programmed maintenance) or execution (corrective maintenance) step.
7. Click on Save to include the action in the variable.
9. In the Description tab, write important notes about the variable.
10. Click on the 
button to save the record.
Creating a subjective control variable
1. Access the File > Control variable (MA001) menu.
2. Expand the button and click on the Subjective variable option.
3. On the screen that will open, enter an ID # and a name for the variable.
4. In the General tab, click on the button and add the values that will trigger the actions.
5. Click on the 
button to enable the Action tab.
6. In the Action tab, click on the button and add the actions that must be taken if the variable reaches a certain value at the time of its reading.
Configuring an action
1. On the screen that will open, in the Condition field, the "Equal to" option is displayed, indicating that the action will be triggered when the value obtained from the variable reading is equal to the value configured below.
2. In the Value field, select the value that, when reached, will trigger the action. The values available for selection are those added in the General tab.
3. In the Action field, select the action that will be taken if the condition is met:
- E-mail notification: the system will send an e-mail notification with the reading data of the variable to the members of the team responsible for the asset. These members must have their e-mail properly registered on the user data screen.
- Ask whether to create activity: once the variable reading is saved, the system will ask if the user wishes to create maintenance activity(ies) from it.
- Activity execution: once the variable reading is saved, the system will show the maintenance activity(ies) created from it in the execution step.
4. The Activity field will be enabled if one of the "Ask whether to create activity" and "Activity execution" actions is selected. In this case, select the standard activity from which the maintenance activity will be created.
5. In the Activity type field, select the corresponding option to indicate that the maintenance activity will be created in the programming (programmed maintenance) or execution (corrective maintenance) step.
6. Click on Save to include the action in the variable.
7. In the Description tab, write important notes about the variable.
8. Click on the button to save the record.
Conclusion
Control variables, once created in the system, can be used to read the variables of an asset. To this end, it is necessary to configure the reading in the Events > Characteristics > Variables section of the asset in SoftExpert Asset. This way, it will be possible to execute variable reading in SoftExpert Maintenance.
With this resource, organizations can ensure the integrity and efficiency of their assets, maximizing productivity and reducing operational costs through targeted activities.