ANDON is a call system used in vehicle manufacturing that allows operators to signal issues on the production line. It includes call, notification, and analysis modules. The ANDON system integrates with other manufacturing systems and allows different types of calls to be placed, including quality, equipment, material, and error-proofing system calls. When a call is placed, the ANDON PLC sends signals to notify supervisors and engineers and display information on ANDON boards, lights, and speakers based on the call level and type. The ANDON server collects call data for root cause analysis and production reporting.

1. Vehicle Manufacturing
Automation System
Introduction
Part 2 - ANDON
Tallrain / Oct 2016

2. 1 – What’s
…ANDON?

3.  ANDON is a CALL system, when issue happened in
production line, operators can pull rope, or press button to
call supervisor or engineers to fix issue.
 ANDON system includes Call module, Notification module,
Analysis module.
 ANDON integrates with PMC(Process Monitoring),
AVI(Automatic Vehicle Identification), EPS(Error Proofing).

4. 2- Call
…Types

5. ANDON Types:
 Quality Call
 Equipment Call
 Material Call
 EPS Call
 System Call
 Shift Call
ANDON PLC
MES
Equipment
PLC
ANDON SERVER
Equipment
PLC
1 Quality Call
2
Equipment
Call
3
Material
Call
4 EPS Call
5 System
Call
6
Shift
Call

6.  Quality Call Occurs when
Operator finds Quality Issue
during operation, and needs
help(from leader or engineer).
 Trigger method:
Operator pulls Rope or pushes
Button, and then sends signal to
ANDON PLC  OPC  ANDON
Server.
ANDON PLC
MES
Rope
ANDON Server
OPC
Server
Remote
I/O
CP
Card
IT Network
Control
Network
Quality
Call
Quality Call

7. Equipment Call
 Equipment Call is
triggered by
Equipment Fault
automatically.
 Equipment PLC
sends Faults or
Errors to ANDON
PLC  OPC 
ANDON Server.
ANDON PLC
MES ANDON Server
OPC
Server
Remote
I/O
CP
Card
IT Network
Control
Network
Equipment
PLC
COUPL
ER
Equipment
Call

8. Material Call
 Material Call Occurs when
Operator finds a material
shortage, and requires to get
it delivered in time.
 Trigger method:
 Operator pushes Call Button,
and sends signal to ANDON
PLC  OPC  ANDON Server.
Button
Material
Call
ANDON PLC
MESANDON Server
OPC
Server
Remote
I/O
CP
Card
IT Network
Control
Network

9. EPS Call
 EPS(Error Proofing System) Call is
triggered by an Error Proofing
failure.
 2 Inputs:
1. For PLC-Control Machines such as
Filling Machine, Failure signal is
sent to ANDON PLC via Coupler.
2. For PC-Control Machines such as
Nut Runner, Failure signal is sent to
ANDON PLC via OPC.
 2 Outputs:
1. ANDON PLC notifies Conveyor Stop.
2. ANDON PLC syncs Calls to ANDON
Server for further analysis.
ANDON PLC
MESANDON Server
OPC
Server
CP
Card
IT Network
Control
Network
Equipment
PLC
COUPL
ER
Controller
Nut Runner
Equipment
Server
Conveyor
PLC
COUPLER
OPC
Server
Failure
Command
Command
CP
Card
Failure

10. System Call
 System Call is triggered by system
verification failure or system
exceptions, such as AVI
identification failure Call.
 Example:
MES reads RFID Tag via Conveyor
PLC, when verification failed, then
MES sends error message into
Conveyor PLC via OPC, and then
forwards it to ANDON PLC 
ANDON Server.
ANDON PLC
MESANDON Server
OPC
Server
CP
Card
IT Network
Control
Network
Coupler
Conveyor
PLC
CP
Card
ERROR

11. Shift Call
 Shfit Call is triggered
by Factory Calendar
automatically.
 MES sends shift
information into
ANDON Server, and
then to ANDON PLC via
OPC. ANDON PLC
MESANDON Server
OPC
Server
CP
Card
IT Network
Control
Network
Shift Information

12. 3- Call Level

13. Level Description
Normal Production line & Equipment is running normally.
Info Information, e.g. Shift Change
Alarm Alarm
Error Error & Fault
E-Stop Emergency Stop
Stop Stop
Offline Equipment is offline
Maintenance Equipment is under maintenance
Break Break
 2 Categories:
1) Issue, e.g.
Alarm/Error.
2) Reference, e.g.
Info/Break.
 Level definition is
shared with PMC
module.

14. 4 – ANDON
Notification

15.  ANDON PLC outputs light
signal to LAMP.
 ANDON PLC outputs music
signal to Player & Speaker.
 ANDON PLC maps data into
ANDON Board via SCADA
software.
ANDON PLC
MES ANDON SERVER
OPC
Server
Remote
I/O
CP Card
IT Network
Control
Network
Lamp
Speaker
ANDON Board
Driver

16. LAMP
Level Quality Call Equipment Call Material Call EPS Call System Call Shift Call
Normal
Info
Alarm Yellow/Blink Yellow/Blink Yellow/Blink Yellow/Blink
Error Red/Blink Red/Blink Red/Blink
E-Stop Red/Blink
Stop Red/Keep
Offline
Maintenance
Break

17. Speaker
Level Quality Call Equipment Call Material Call EPS Call System Call Shift Call
Normal
Info Play Music
Alarm Play Music
Error Play Music Play Music Play Music
E-Stop Play Music
Stop Play Music
Offline
Maintenance
Break

18. Board
Level Quality Call Equipment Call Material Call EPS Call System
Call
Shift Call PMC Block
Normal Green
Info Show Text Show Text
Alarm Yellow Yellow Yellow
Error Red Red Red Red
E-Stop Red Red
Stop Red Red
Offline Gray
Maintenance Gray
Break Gray

19. ANDON Screen

20. 5 – ANDON
Analysis

21.  Log data for root
cause analysis.
 Summary report
for bottle neck
analysis.
 Data source of
OEE report.

22. Thank you!
1