Now that we know a little about relational databases, SQL, and Transact-sql, it's time to dig in
and put them to work.
A great way to learn new skills is to create a useful project that utilizes them.
We'll be designing a database and then using SQL Scripting and Graphics Designer to create a useful
application that lets us track production defects.
This exercise will expose you to some of the challenges and considerations you will face when developing
database driven applications for your company or customers.
So let's take a look at the current situation.
Introducing the Production Defect Tracking project.
The manufacturing line is missing daily production goals due to high production defect rates.
We'll need to capture and identify the cause of production defects to reduce their impact on our production
goals, operators will need to record production defects via wink screens at the operator stations,
repair technicians should enter notes on existing defects when they analyze them.
The supervisor will identify and resolve supply chain issues that cause these defects.
Now let's take a look at the plant floor.
This is the, I guess, battery production line number one.
There are four operator stations where operators will assemble, power up, test, and pack new batteries
behind them.
There are three repair stations for each defect category cosmetic and packing, electrical and functional
Assembly and mechanical.
We need to capture and record defects from the manufacturing line such as missing or damaged parts,
incorrect assembly, no or low power bad temperature readings.
Power not stable cosmetic damage, packing material issues, box label damage, box tape or seal, bad
or other defects.
There's also a supervisor station where supervisors add comments to defect records that are caused by
operational or supply chain issues.
Our task is to create a database driven application that models the process and allows production defects
to be captured, analyzed, and reported.
Our requirements for this project are as follows.
We need to design a relational database that models process entities to capture defect data, including
staff stations, defect categories, and defect reasons.
We'll add Ansi C screens to allow, add, update and delete functions for all entities.
Operators will record defects and assign a category and a reason, as well as notes that are relevant
to the defect.
Repair technicians will add comments to existing defect records.
Once they've analyzed and corrected the problem.
Supervisors will add comments to defect records that are due to operations or supply chain issues.
Production defects reports should be generated from the database weekly or manually for analysis.
So here is our task list for this project that will cover the next couple of sections of this course.
First, we'll create a production database.
And then we'll define process entities and create relational tables.
We'll learn how to add initial data into the tables via the SQL Server Management Service UI, as well
as doing straight SQL commands.
Then we'll create Wehncke screens and write VB scripts to create our database interfaces.
We'll enter data via these interfaces for testing and then create and refine production defect reports.