Computer-aided system for monitoring production

• US 20040024481A1
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avensy Ingenierie
• Original Assignee: Avensy Ingenierie
• Inventors: Labourier, Raphael
• Application Number:
  US10/380,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31205 Remote transmission of measured values from site, local to host
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/04 using counting means or digital clocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A computer-aided system for monitoring production of one or several machines (2, 3, 4) includes at least a primary real-time system (1, 1′) comprising at least an input connected to at least a machine (2, 3, 4) and/or to at least a secondary real-time system (2a, 3a, 4a) of the machine(s) (2, 3, 4) and at least an output connected to at least a server (5). The primary real-time system (1, 1′) and/or the secondary real-time system (2a, 3a, 4a) comprise a programme designed to determine the operating mode of the machine (2, 3, 4) and/or the operating time in each of the modes, the server (5) formatting in the form of Web pages the data of the primary real-time system (1, 1′) to supply them to client computers (6, 7, 8) which are connected to the server (5).

Claims

1. Computer-aided system for monitoring production of one or more workshops or production lines comprising respectively one or more machines (2, 3, 4), characterized in that it is constituted by at least one “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) comprising at least one input connected to at least one machine (2, 3, 4) and/or to at least one secondary real-time system (2a, 3a, 4a) of the machine(s) (2, 3, 4) and at least one output connected to at least one server (5), said “

primary”

real-time system (1) and/or said “

secondary”

real-time system (2a, 3a, 4a) of the machine(s) (2, 3, 4) comprising a programme designed to determine the operating modes of said machine (2, 3, 4) and/or the operating times in each of these modes, the server (5) formatting in the form of “

Web”

page the data of the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) to place them at the disposal of client computers (6, 7, 8) of the different production, quality or like services which are connected to the server (5) by an “

Intranet”

or “

Ethernet”

network and equipped with “

Web”

navigators called “

browser”

to read said “

Web”

pages.

2. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) and/or the “

secondary”

real-time system (2a, 3a, 4a) comprises a programme adapted to determine the counting of pieces and/or the cycle time from a taking of binary data such as the piece counting datum taken on the machine (2, 3, 4) then to deduce therefrom the operating mode of said machine (2, 3, 4) and/or the operating time of each of the cycles.

3. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating mode of the machine (2, 3, 4) is directly transmitted to the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) by the machine (2, 3, 4) or by the operator of the latter.

4. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) consists in a programmable automat comprising a central unit (12) and an input/output unit (11) enclosed in a chassis (10).

5. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) consists in the real-time part (17) enclosed in a chassis (19) of a computer of PC type and an input/output unit (18).

6. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the server (5) is positioned in the chassis (10, 19) of the “

primary”

real-time sytsem (1, 1′

), the server (5) in that case consisting in a microprocessor card bearing a programme connected to the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

).

7. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to claim 4, characterized in that the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) consists in the programmable automat of a machine, the server (5) in that case consisting in a microprocessor card bearing a programme connected to the output of the automat of said machine (4).

8. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the input/output unit (11, 18) of the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) is positioned outside its chassis (10, 19), said input/output unit (11, 18) being connected to the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) by ground buses.

9. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 4 to 12, characterized in that it comprises an “

intranet”

server (15) connected between the server or servers (5) and the client computers (6, 7, 8).

10. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a light client (16) connected to the server (5) or (15) allowing the operators to enter the causes of stop of the machine(s) (2, 3, 4) and to display data relative to the production underway, quality, production, assembly, adjustment, maintenance slips or photos, plans, etc . . . .

11. Computer-aided production monitoring system of claim 10, characterized in that the light client (16) is constituted by a computer of the PC type comprising a screen, a keyboard, a central unit without hard disc and a network card of the ethernet type.

12. Computer-aided production monitoring system of claim 10, characterized in that the light client (16) consists in a computer of the PC type constituted by a screen, a keyboard, a central unit and a network card and equipped with a “

browser”

.

13. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the light client (16) is connected to the server (5) or (15) by a link by wire or by a radio-frequency link.

14. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises operator control desks (14) networked to the “

primary”

real-time system (1, 1′

) and/or to the secondary real-time system (2a, 3a, 4a) allowing the operator to enter a cause of stop of the machine (2, 3, 4) and possibly to display or enter the quantities discarded by the machine, the orders of manufacture or the references.

15. Computer-aided production monitoring system according to claim 14, characterized in that the operator control desk (14) consists in a bar code reader connected to the “

primary”

real-time sytsem (1, 1′

) and/or to the “

secondary”

real-time system (2a, 3a, 4a) by a link by wire or radio.