Distributed production control

• US 20040084520A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Muehl, Gordon, Irle, Klaus, Kienle, Walter G., Heusermann, Knut
• Granted Patent: US 7,093,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/376
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31095 Read write intelligent chip on workpiece, pallet, tool for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31322 Work still to be done on workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49302 Part, workpiece, code, tool identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Techniques for distributed production control include tagging unfinished products with electronically accessible production information that identifies aspects in which the products are to be produced differently. The production information is used to control an aspect of the production of a given product.

Claims

1. A method for producing customized products comprising:

tagging unfinished products with electronically accessible production information that identifies aspects in which the products are to be produced differently; and

using the production information to control an aspect of the production of a given product.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining characteristics of parts to be incorporated in the products.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining characteristics of process steps to be incorporated in products.

4. The method claim 1, wherein tagging unfinished products includes associating an object containing the production information with each of the unfinished products.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying that each of the products has been produced according to the production information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein verifying includes comparing the production information with information representing results of the production of the products.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling whether production of an unfinished product continues based on when a component specified in the production information is available.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising tagging the production information on a radio-frequency identification tag.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising tagging the production information on an optical memory card.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising tagging the production information on a barcode.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising tagging the production information on a smart card having a processor and memory.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying how a portion of a product is to be processed based on the production information.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying manufacturing resources used to incorporate components into the products.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating production information to indicate whether a process specified by the production information has been applied to the products.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating production information to indicate whether a component specified by the production information has been applied to the products.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising tagging a main component with production information specifying components to be incorporated to the product during production.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising tagging a component with production information specifying how the component is to be incorporated in the product.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing customized products on a mass production line.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating production information with at least one of production condition, as-built information, and identifiers of production resource tools.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising correlating between desired characteristics and actual characteristics of a given product.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing a product from the production line if a specified component is not available.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining whether a component is not available by evaluating production information in a tag.

23. An article of manufacture comprising:

an unfinished product tagged with electronically accessible production information that identifies aspects in which the products are to be produced differently, the production information being used to control an aspect of the production during production of the unfinished product.

24. The article of claim 23, wherein the aspects in which the products are to be produced differently comprise characteristics of parts to be incorporated in the unfinished product.

25. The article of claim 23, wherein the aspects in which the products are to be produced differently include characteristics of process steps to be applied to the unfinished product.

26. The article of claim 23, wherein the production information is carried by a radio-frequency identification tag.

27. The article of claim 23, wherein the production information is carried by an optical memory card.

28. The article of claim 23, wherein the production information is carried by a barcode.

29. The article of claim 23, wherein the production information is carried by a smart card having a processor and a memory.

30. The article of claim 23, wherein the production information specifies how some portion of a product is to be handled.

31. The article of claim 23, wherein the production information specifies manufacturing resources used to incorporate components into the unfinished product.

32. The article of claim 23, further comprising updated production information indicating whether a process specified by the production information has been applied to the unfinished product.

33. The article of claim 23, further comprising updated production information indicating whether a component specified by the production information has been applied to the unfinished product.

34. The article of claim 23, wherein a main component of an unfinished product is tagged with production information specifying components to be incorporated onto the unfinished product during production.

35. The article of claim 23, wherein a component is tagged with production information specifying how the component is to be incorporated onto the unfinished product.

36. The article of claim 23, further comprising updated production information including at least one of a production condition, as-built information, and identifiers of production resource tools.

37. The article of claim 23, further comprising an automatic confirmation of a correlation between desired characteristics and actual characteristics of a given product.

38. The article of claim 23, further comprising instructions to remove a product from a production line if a specified component is not available.

39. The article of claim 38, further comrpising instructions to determine if a component is not available by evaluating production information in a tag.

40. A production system comprising:

a production line that includes equipment to read and act on electronically accessible production information carried by unfinished products, the production information identifying aspects in which the products are to be produced differently, wherein the production information is used to control an aspect of the production of the unfinished products.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the aspects in which the products are to be produced differently comprise characteristics of parts to be incorporated into the unfinished products.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the aspects in which the products are to be produced differently comprise characteristics of process steps to be applied to the unfinished products.

43. The system of claim 40, further comprising a verification module to verify that each of the products has been produced according to the production information.

44. The system of claim 40, further comprising a comparison module to compare the production information with information representing results of the production of the products.

45. The system of claim 40, further comprising a control module to control whether production of an unfinished product continues based on whether a component specified in the production information is available.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein the production information is carried by a radio-frequency identification tag on the unfinished product.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein the production information is carried by an optical memory card on the unfinished product.

48. The system of claim 40, wherein the production information is carried by a barcode on the unfinished product.

49. The system of claim 40, wherein the production information is carried by a smart card having a processor and memory on the unfinished product.

50. The system of claim 40, further comprising a speecifyication of how some portion of a product is to be processed using the production information.

51. The system of claim 40, further comprising a specification of manufacturing resources used to incorporate components into the products using the production information.

52. The system of claim 40, further comprising an update of the production information to indicate whether a process has been applied to the products.

53. The system of claim 40, further comprising an update of the production information to indicate whether a component has been applied to the products.

54. The system of claim 40, further comprising a tagging module for tagging a main component of a product with production information specifying components to be incorporated onto the product.

55. The system of claim 40, further comprsising a tagging module for tagging a component with production information specifying how it is to be incorporated into the product.

56. The system of claim 40, further comprising a mass production line for producing products.

57. The system of claim 40, further comprising an update module for updating production information with at least one of a production condition, as-built information, and identifiers of production resource tools.

58. The system of claim 40, further comprising a correlation module for determining a correlation between desired characteristics and actual characteristics of a given product.

59. The system of claim 40, further comprising a module for removing a product from the production line if a specified component is not available.

60. The system of claim 40, further comprising an evaluation module for determining whether a component is not available by evaluating production information in a tag.