Cockpit enables the user to setup the parameters and settings required to carry out data collection in Variable Data Collect.
This is done by creating a Setup. When you define a Setup you specify that it will only be available at certain stations. When the operator selects the Setup at one of the specified stations they will then be able to choose which Product and Process they wish to create a data set for. They will also enter information (Labels) to help identify the data set.
When the information has been entered and the data set has been created the operator will be presented with a table. This is the first subgroup. The subgroup a number of characteristics that must be measured. The characteristics and the number of times each characteristic must be measured is specified in the Setup.
For this reason, there are several different items that need to be configured. These are listed below:
| Name | Description | Requires |
| Characteristics | The variable being measured. | Units of Measure, Causes |
| Actions | The possible action that can be taken to rectify a measurement that is out of spec. | N.A. |
| Causes | The possible cause for a measurement being out of spec. | Actions |
| Units of Measure | The UoM for the characteristic being measured | N.A. |
| Products | The product being measured. | N.A. |
| Stations | The station at which the measurement will be taken. | N.A. |
| Processes | The process that is being monitored. | N.A. |
| Labels | Information that identifies an individual batch of tests. | N.A. |
| Setup | The batch of measurements that will be taken at a given station on a given product. | Products, Characteristics, Stations, Labels |
There are many ways in which the user can put together the variable data collection setups.
The following is only a suggestion:
6. Associate Actions with Causes
9. Associate Causes with Characteristics
10. Define Labels
11. Define Setups