How To Setup Vertical Blind Type¶
‘Calc Width From Vanes’
For blind identifier = Vertical, there is now a flag called ‘Calc Width From Vanes’.
If this is set to true, then when a detail line is entered for a vertical blind, the number of vanes is displayed and the user can enter an amount.
The width is then calculated and the blind priced (just like ‘Vanes Only’).
If ‘Calc Width From Vanes’ = false for blind identifier = Vertical, then the ‘Vanes Multiplier’ field is not shown and validated.
Also, if ‘Calc Width From Vanes’ = false for blind identifier = Vertical, then ‘Vanes’ is not shown in order detail line entry.
We created a flag in the blind type record for ‘Calc Width From Vanes’ if blind identifier = Vertical.
If this is switched on, then the number of vanes is calculated by dividing the width by the ‘Vanes Multiplier’.
However this created a problem – if the bunch is a ‘Split Bunch’ it should always be an even number, but sometimes it isn’t using this method.
We have changed this so if you enter a vertical blind (with ‘Calc Width From Vanes’ = true), it still looks up the vertical vanes table, but only calculates the width if the vanes field in the order entry is changed.
‘Calc Vanes By Headrail Cut’
For vertical blinds, there is now an option to get the system to use the headrail cut size to then work out the number of vanes for verticals, instead of using the blind size width.
There is a parameter in the blind type form (if blind identifier = Vertical) called ‘Calc Vanes By Headrail Cut’.
Curved Headrail
We had a problem when we wanted to price vertical blinds that had curved headrails.
There is an add on price for a curved headrail, but this price is not dependent on width and drop, it is dependent on width and depth.
When an order detail line is entered for a vertical blind, we do not know it will be a curved headrail until we choose the headrail option.
If a curved headrail option is chosen, we now display the ‘Vanes’ and ‘Depth’ fields. Previously this only happened only when ‘Curved Headrail’ = true in the blind type record.
We have made the following changes:
1. Created a new field in the Fabrics table called ‘Display Depth’. If this is true, then the Depth field now appears in the order detail entry form.
2. There is a new ‘Price Method’ in the Pricing > Option Price Enquiry’ form, called ‘Width and Depth’. It is possible to hold the option prices in here for curved headrails.
3. The option price is now calculated by looking at the width and depth instead of the width and drop.
Order Processing > Orders > Number Of Louvres
For vertical blinds, there is now an option to display the number of louvres in the order detail line, with the possibility of overriding it.
There is a new parameter in the blind type record (if blind identifier = Vertical) called ‘Display Number Of Louvres’, which defaults to false.
If true, the number of louvres shows in the order detail line entry. If the number of louvres is changed, then it is flagged as changed.
Modra Barcode
We have created a new parameter to print a Modra barcode on works order documents.
A Modra barcode is used by a Modra machine to cut fabric for vertical blinds, so the barcode will only be required when the blind identifier = Vertical or blind identifier = Vanes Only.
The parameter is called ‘Print Modra Barcode’ and is in Administration > Parameters > Report Parameters. At the moment the Modra barcode only prints on ‘Works Order – Bespoke 17’.
‘Alternative Spacer Selection’
For blind identifier = Vertical and Headrail, there is a new flag called ‘Alternative Spacer Selection’, which defaults to false.
If set to true, the spacer information is picked from fields Link1, Qty1, Link2, Qty2 in Single Bunch Louvre Slats or Split Bunch Louvre Slat.
This information is then printed on ‘Label Print – Bespoke 67’, beneath the number of vanes (#Vanes:). (ask the support team regarding details - Redmine 3788)
It supports only 'lb', 'rb', 'bs' (Single bunches) and 'sb' and 'cb' (Split bunches)
The table's description can be held in Administration > System Tables > Slat Description.
Administration > Import from Excel > Import Slat Tables
There are two new import options in Administration > Import from Excel that will allow the importing of vertical single/split bunch slats and also Venetian/pleated tables.
The layout of the tables is as follows:
Vertical slats:
Slat table description, Width , Number of vanes, Single/split (True/False)
Venetian/Pleated:
Slat table description, Drop, Number of slats/pleats
Number of Vanes Calculations
It is now possible to calculate the number of vanes for vertical blinds based on the headrail used, rather than the blind type. If you want to use this method, you should set the following:
Administration > System Tables > Option Names
Then records must be set up that relate the slat descriptions to the vertical headrails.
This is also done in Administration > System Tables > Headrail Slat Tables:
Once these records have been set up, the system will calculate the number of vanes this way, rather than from the blind type record.
Senses / Nexus Vanes Calculator
We did a dev item recently (4919) to calculate the spacers for Nexus/Senses headrails on vertical blinds. This is calculating the spacers correctly but it was not picking up the number of vanes.
Instead of it looking up the number of vanes table, we can calculate it by adding the spacers. For a single bunch blind it is the total of the spacers + 1, for split bunch it is the (total +1) * 2.
In this example, the total should be 16. It therefore stores this figure in the number of vanes field in the order detail line table so the fabric calculation etc will work.
This is only required for Nexus/Senses headrails. When it finds the spacers that have to be used, it updates the ‘Number Of Vanes’ field.
Sloping Verticals
There is a new flag for blind identifier = vertical, called ‘Sloping Headrail’. This has an impact on the order detail entry.
If blind type is flagged as sloping headrail, the user should be able to enter ‘Small Drop’ as well as width and drop.
A small drop now appears on works order labels.
Order Processing > Orders
For sloping vertical blinds, there is a new field in Blind Types > Blind Type Setup > Measure To called ‘Small Drop Add On’.
This is applied to the entered small drop when calculating the manufacturing size.
Scrap Cut Allowance for Vertical and Vanes Only Blinds
There is a new option on each vertical fabric to have a scrap cut allowance as each item has a different scrap allowance for production.
The new field is called ‘Scrap Allowance’ and is held in Stock Setup > Stock Items.
It is only applicable to vertical and vanes only blind types.
When we calculate the fabric usage for verticals and vanes only (as displayed in bill of materials and Production List Preview with Fabric Total), the calculation now works as follows:
((Man Drop – Headrail Depth + Fold Over Size + Scrap Allowance) * Number of vanes) * Quantity
New Calculator – PVC Slat
There is a new calculator to work out stock usage for PVC vertical slats. These are plastic slats that are used to make vertical blinds (instead of fabric).
They are bought in lengths (approx 5 metres long). The stock will be held in lengths and not metric units.
The unit cost price will be for one length.
We therefore calculate the number of lengths that are to be used and not the number of metres that are used.
The following functionality has been introduced. First of all, we hold the length of the slat in the roll width field in the ‘Stock Items’ form. When a blind is entered, and the fabric chosen has a calculator = PVC Slat, then the stock usage is calculated as follows:
Stock usage = (number of vanes / ((roll width / vane length) rounded down to whole number)) rounded up
Example: 15 vanes are being used, the vane length for the blind is 1200 and the full length is 5000, then:
Stock usage = (15 / ((5000 / 1200) rounded down)) rounded up = (15 / 4) rounded up = 4 full lengths.
Vertical Vane Production Report
This report is required for a customer that has a Modra vertical fabric cutting machine. The report can be printed at the same time as the works orders in ‘Production Documentation’. There is a new parameter in Parameters > Report Parameters called ‘Print Modra Vertical Vane Report’. If this is set to true, then this report will print immediately after the works orders. The report only print for blind types where blind identifier = ‘Vertical’ or ‘Vanes Only’.
In the report the barcode signifies:
Size = Blind Type Code
Ref = Order Detail ID & Sequence Number,
Qty = 1 (always)
Drop = Man Drop – Headrail Depth
Slats = Number of Vanes
Temp = Fabric Temperature (from Fabrics table)
Time = Iron Time (from Fabrics table)
Usage = Quantity of fabric used
T5 = "*"
O5 = DHex(Prog, 2) Always 0A
P5 = DHex(Drop, 3) Hex of (Man Drop – Headrail Depth)
Q5 = DHex(Quantity, 2) Hex of Number of Vanes
R5 = DHex(VTemp, 1) Hex of Fabric Temperature (Fabrics)
S5 = DHex(VTime, 1) Hex of Iron Time (Fabrics)
V5 = Special Always A
BSBarCode = T5 & O5 & P5 & Q5 & R5 & S5 & V5 & T5
Example:
0A43E15C4A
The barcode font is ‘ABC Code 39 Regular’.
Vertical Fabric Calculation
There is a new calculator called Louvres Plus One * Fabric Length. This calculate stock as (Louvres + 1) * Fabric Length.
Spacer Calculation for Verticals
It is now possible to calculate the size of spacers to be used in a vertical blind, for up to three different sizes of spacer.
These are used in the headrail to connect the vanes together.
The system will work out the best combination to use, depending on the width of the headrail, which is calculated as width (blind size) – headrail cut.
Example: a 127mm vertical blind is 1000mm width (blind size) and the headrail cut deduction is 15mm, so the headrail size is 985.
There are two spacer sizes, 110mm and 106mm. 985/110 = 8 remainder 105, so we would use 8 x 110, 1 x 106 which totals 986. But if the headrail size was 954, you could use 9 x 106, which is exactly correct.
It is further complicated by the fact that the vanes might be in a split bunch ie the blind opens from the middle.
This means an even number of vanes on each side, which complicates the problem.
We then divide the headrail size by two and do the calculation for one side, then add the results together.
In Administration > System Tables, there is a new table to hold spacer sizes against blind types.
There is a new parameter in Blind Details > Blind Types called ‘Fixed Size Spacer Calc’.
This cannot be switched on at the same time as ‘Calc Spacer’.
If ‘Fixed Size Spacer Calc’ is switched on, then the result is printed on ‘Works Order – Label Blind Size’.
Benthin Spacer Calculation
We have a customer that uses a Benthin vertical headrail system.
There is a calculation for working out the number of louvers and the spacers that apply, depending on the width of the blind.
It is a bit like the Impala system, except not as complicated.
The following work has been done.
The ‘Vertical Slats’ import has been adjusted so that four extra fields that contain the spacer data ie Qty1, Link1, Qty2, Link 2 can be imported.
It is still possible to import the spreadsheet in it’s existing format.
The ‘Single Bunch Louvre Slats’ and ‘Split Bunch Louvre Slats’ forms have been adjusted so the new fields can be edited.
When a headrail is chosen in the detail line entry, we can then work out the slat table to use by looking at the ‘Headrail Slat Table’ form, and then selecting the number of vanes and spacers from this.
‘Works Order – Bespoke 40’ has also been adjusted so the spacers are shown for vertical blinds.
Blind Types > Blinds Per Carrier (Tuffnells)
We have made a change to the way the number of parcels is calculated for Vertical blinds in Tuffnells delivery.
There is a new field in the blind type record called ‘Parcel Multiplier’, which defaults to 1.
The formula for calculating the no of parcels is now ((no of blinds / Blinds Per Carrier Package) * Parcel Multiplier). (1 in all cases except verticals which will be 2).
Blind Types > Cutting Sizes
We need to record ‘Single Draw Support’ and ‘Split Draw Support’ for verticals. The rule is 0 for up to 1500mm width, 1 up to 2500mm width, 2 above that. It varies by headrail system and bunch.
Therefore we have expanded the formula functionality to include rounding (use INT) and also have a nested IF function.
There can be 3 types of rounding: ROUND, FLOOR and CEIL. First is rounding to INT, second is rounding down to INT value and third is rounding up to INT value.
Here is an example of a nested if statement. If width < 1500, then use 1, else if width >= 1500 use 2.
You can have as many cases as you like, as long as the formula text does not exceed 2000 characters.
Vertical Fabric Optimisation
There is a new button on the Order Processing > Order Enquiry form called ‘Vertical Opt Export’.
There is a button visibility flag for this in Administration > Users > Button Visibility.
When this button is selected, it exports all filtered records into a spreadsheet which has the format that is in the Vertical Optimisation file in Redmine 895 (attached here).