Lessons Learnt From the Use of the Manufacturing Database for the ITER Magnet System

In the period from 2010 to 2014, the manufacture of components for the ITER Magnet System has started. Manufacturing of such complex components is associated not only with technical difficulties but also with managing an enormous amount of data and documentation. For example, the magnet feeders have more than 600,000 different parts, which need to be traced for quality control purposes. Another challenge is managing parts distribution among manufacturers. ITER Organization (IO) as a hub had received more than 20 thousand instrumentation components (sensors, cables, etc.) from its suppliers that needed to be stored and then distributed timely among components’ manufacturers. To solve these and other tasks, the Manufacturing Database (MDB) has been developed and deployed by the IO. The MDB consists of several modules that store information about raw materials, acceptance test results, drawings, procedures, electronic Manufacturing and Inspection Plans (MIPs), etc. When a component is being manufactured its related section of the MDB is filled with manufacturing records and reports and the Control Points (CPs) are approved online. When component manufacturing is completed, the final document is formed in the database with a full set of data and possibility to trace raw materials and easily find relevant manufacturing records. Brief description of the MDB modules and the interaction between them is provided in the article. The main advantages of its use are shown, as well as lessons learnt. The need for such a tool for the implementation in large and medium scientific or industrial projects, both local and international, is discussed.