====Line Tracking Module====

The **Line Tracking** [[analytic_modules|analytic module]] is used to track the progress of a product, batch start, fault or other point of interest along a **moving path** through your system.

It has significant benefits in applications such as **production lines** and **conveyors**.

Tracking allows people to build [[synchronised reporting|synchronised reporting]] and can have applications in system modelling.

===Starting Out===

This analytic varies from many others in that the initial layout is based on your **relationships**. When you initially create your analytic, you'll not only choose an ARDI //asset//, but also a //relationship// that represents the path of your product through the system.

{{linetrack_start.png}}

The system creates a [[linetrack_point|Tracking Point]] for each of the assets along the relationship path.

===Tracking Point Properties===

Each tracking point has several different inputs, and a single **destination** output.

You use **destination** and **input** to connect each of your nodes in the order they appear in your system. The //destination// of node A feeds into the //input// of node B, and so-on down the relationship until it reaches the end.

The other three inputs to each tracking point are...

^Name^Description^
|Speed|The speed of the line at this point|
|Size|The length of the line between this point and the next (the **len** option will be used if this isn't connected)|
|Active|Indicates if this part of the line is running and available. This is used if you have branches in your line - a product will flow down the line into the //active// asset.|

===Connecting Speed===

It isn't required to connect the speed on every node. When no speed is specified, the system uses the speed of the //previous node that has a speed input//. 

On a line that has a consistent speed throughout, you might only connect the speed of the first node - it will then flow down to all of the others.

===Varying Sizes===

**Most** systems such as this have fixed lengths between assets - the conveyor between A and B is always 30m long.

However, there are some cases where lines have moving loaders, accumulators, hoppers, and variable storage. This is why the system allows you to adjust the //size// (ie. length) of each of the assets.

===Scaling Output===

The [[linetracking_options|Options]] node is used to interact with the tracking system as a whole.

The most important element is the **multiplier** option. This specifies an overall multiplier you'd like to apply to your line speeds.

For example, if your speed is in **meters per minute**, a multiplier of '1/60' (0.01666) can be used to bring your line speeds down to meters per //second//, which is needed by the tracking analytic.

===Dropping Hotspots===

Tracking works by dropping what are called //[[tracking_hotspot|hotspots]]//. A hotspot is a point that will be tracked along the relationship.

For each hotspot, you get a list of **when the point passes each asset along the [[graph|graph]].**

You'll have one hotspot that 'drops' at the start of the reporting range, but you can also drop more hotpots based on triggers.

For example, if you'd like to track the start of **batches**, you could use logic to set up a 'drop' when the batch number changes...

{{linetrack_fulloptions.png}}

===Output===

The output of the analytic is a list of hotspots (in the example above, one for every batch) that indicates where the //head// of that batch passes each of our assets.

This can then be used to create //synchronised// or //length-based// reporting - showing values from sensors **as the product passes the sensor**.

===Specific Nodes===

[[linetrack_point|Tracking Point]] \\
[[linetracking_options|Options]] \\
[[linetrack_merge|Merge]]