A new database tool for magnet production

One of the greatest challenges to monitoring the production of the large and complex components at the heart of the ITER magnet system is the quick and efficient exchange of quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) documents and data—important information that needs to be reviewed during the manufacturing process and cleared for acceptance by the responsible Domestic Agency and the ITER Organization.

 

Following the successful implementation of the Conductor Database tool that tracked production data for the ITER conductors at six Domestic Agencies and their suppliers right through to final acceptance tests, it was decided to develop and implement a Magnet Manufacturing Database (MMD) on the same model.

 

The Magnet Manufacturing Database will be the main tool for monitoring the QA/QC processes of the Procurement Arrangements for magnet coils, magnet structures and magnet feeders. This web-based application, integrated into ITER's collaborative platform ICP, provides data and process integration with unified access and workflow. For the manufacturers, it offers an inventory control system with the possibility of integrating test result data and acceptance criteria functionalities, and of automatically generating barcodes and lot/serial numbers to facilitate tracking.

 

For the ITER Organization, the workflow management system included in the database matches the control points defined in each Procurement Arrangement and the manufacturing processes defined in the Manufacturing Inspection Plan. References to ITER documents are included for procedures, instructions, and specifications ... allowing the ITER Organization to identify and manage critical operations such as welding.

 

The Magnet Manufacturing Database can manage any kind of complex manufacturing process chain, regardless of product type. Real-time production status and work-in progress monitoring will be also developed in a near future, using the IT online reporting system to extract and display data from the database in an efficient manner.

 

The success of such a tool will rely on the ability of its users around the world to input data in a timely manner. After a prototype implementation at the European Domestic Agency for the toroidal field coil winding packs, representatives of the ITER Magnet Division were in China mid-May to provide extensive training to the staff of the Chinese Domestic Agency, its supplier ASIPP, and some of the ASIPP sub-suppliers to launch the Magnet Manufacturing Database for the feeders, high temperature superconductor leads, and correction coils.