From understanding what a workstation is, through the different workstation types available today, to how permissions control who can operate each one, this guide introduces the Workstations concept in Garment IO.

What Is a Workstation

Garment IO uses a single, unified concept called a workstation to represent any physical or functional location in the factory where a specific production action takes place, such as packing, quality inspection, or a production control checkpoint. Standardizing on workstations, instead of separate station concepts for each module, keeps production organized and makes access control consistent across the factory.

Workstation Types and Workstations

A workstation is set up in two layers:

• A workstation type defines what a category of workstation does. It has a name, a cost per minute calculated the same way as the average cost per minute for machine types, and one or more assigned actions that determine the tasks it performs.
  

Workstation Types

• A workstation is the actual station on the floor. It is created from a workstation type, which automatically links the type's actions to it, and is given its own number, name, location, and production section.
  

Workstations Management

Workstation Actions Available Today

A workstation type's assigned actions determine what operators can do at any workstation created from it. The workstation actions available today are:

• Packing, for packing stations that track packed quantities against the plan and record which user packed them.
• Quality, for quality workstations that inspect bundles, log defects, and record quality grades.
• Merging, for workstations that merge or split batches directly from the station.
• Assign Tags, for workstations that assign tags to batches.
• Control, for control workstations that confirm a batch has completed its required processes without a full quality inspection.
  

Workstation Actions

More actions are expected to be added over time as new workflows move onto the workstation model.

Configuring Workstations

• Open Production Configuration, then Workstation Types, to define each type: its name, cost per minute, and assigned actions.

Add Workstation Types

• Open Production Configuration, then Workstation Management, to add the actual workstations: their number and name, location and production section, and the workstation type they use.

Add New Workstation

• From the same workstation, assign the users authorized to operate it. Only assigned users can perform its actions.

Assigning users to a workstation

Notes

• If you already had access to the Machine Types page, you automatically have access to the Workstation Types page as well.
• Each workstation action has its own dedicated Help Center article covering its specific setup and day to day workflow in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

• What is the difference between a workstation type and a workstation?
  A workstation type defines what a category of station does, through its assigned actions and its cost per minute. A workstation is the actual station on the floor, created from a workstation type and given its own number, name, location, and section.

• Who can operate a workstation?
  Only the users assigned to that specific workstation. Assigning users this way keeps access to each station accountable.

• What workstation actions are available today?
  Packing, Quality, Merging, Assign Tags, and Control. Each one gives the workstations built from it a different set of things operators can do there.

• Can a single workstation type have more than one assigned action?
  A workstation type's assigned actions define everything workstations created from it can do, so this depends on how the type is configured.

• Will more workstation actions be added later?
  Yes. The workstation model is designed to take on new actions over time as more workflows move onto it.

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