Designing process structure > Creating operations and activities
Operation types
Each process structure contains individual process operations. These operations describe one step in the manufacturing process of a part. Each operation is executed at a specific work area on the shop floor.
There are many different types of operations that can be included in a manufacturing process model. Examples of operation types include:
Machining (NC CAM) Operations
Painting
Quality Control
Heat Treatment
Assembly
Welding
Each operation is revision controlled independently, and can be shared by several process plans.
Each operation type is associated with different types of data. In general, this data can be classified as follows:
| Data type | Description |
|---|---|
| Input data | Results from a previous operation or activity, such as an in-process model that was generated in the previous step. |
| Work instruction data | Contains all information necessary to execute the work. This may include information about tooling and setup and necessary action to execute the operation. If the work area is not explicitly defined, the requirements for the work area are specified as part of the work instructions. |
| Output data | Generated when work instructions are applied to the input data. An example includes a resulting in-process model and any instructions to be used in the next operation or activity. |
| Analysis data | Derived from work instructions used to perform analysis across different process operations. This may include cost and time. |
| Product data | Associated with one or more parts in the part structure. |
| Work area data | Associated with one work area. |
| Resource data | References resources used during completion, such as standard equipment of the work area or additional items needed. |
Note
By default, classify immediately is disabled for a root item in Manufacturing Process Planner.
Source: https://docs.sw.siemens.com/en-US/doc/282219420/PL20251212545240207.pmphelp/impa0500a · retrieved 2026-07-11