Methods and apparatus for monitoring equipment productivity

• US 20060069660A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matthew L. Vogen, Sandra L. Vogen
• Original Assignee: Matthew L. Vogen, Sandra L. Vogen
• Inventors: Vogen, Sandra L., Vogen, Matthew L.
• Application Number:
  US10/954,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069660A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

The disclosed invention comprises methods and apparatus for affordably optimizing the efficiency and cost effectiveness of manufacturing one or more production parts from one or more production machines. A preprogrammed microprocessor receives and stores, data from sensors attached to a production machine and transmits the data to an Ethernet hub which in turn transmits the data to a production monitoring computer. The data allows for adjusting the controls of the machine to optimize the operations of the machine to either maximize production, to minimize the costs of the operations, or to increase the efficiency of the operations.

Claims

1. A method for affordably optimizing the efficiency and cost effectiveness of manufacturing one or more production parts from one or more production machines comprising the steps of:

determining the operating parameters of one or more machines taken from the group of operating parameters to maximize production from the machine, to minimize the costs of production, or to increase the efficiency of production;

preprogramming one or more microprocessors to receive, store, and transmit the predetermined operating parameters

connecting one or more sensors to the one or more machines in accordance with the determined operating parameters;

connecting the output of the sensors to the one or more microprocessors;

connecting the microprocessor to one or more Ethernet hubs;

connecting the one or more Ethernet hubs to one or more production computers;

operating the one or more machines whereby data from the one or more sensors is transmitted to the one or more microprocessors, from the one or more microprocessors to the one or more Ethernet hubs and from the one or more Ethernet hubs to the one or more production computers.

2. The method of claim 1, including the step of evaluating the data.

3. The method of claim 1 including the step printing the data.

4. The method of claim 1, including the step of adjusting the controls of the one or more machines to optimize the operations of the one or more machines taken from the group of operating controls to maximize production, to minimize the costs of the operations, or to increase the efficiency of the operations.

5. The method of claim 1, including the steps of connecting the one or more machines, connection the one or more microprocessors, connecting the one or more Ethernet hubs, and connecting the one or more production computers in a network arrangement.

6. Apparatus for affordably optimizing the efficiency and cost effectiveness of manufacturing one or more production parts from one or more production machines comprising

one or more microprocessors preprogrammed to receive, store, and transmit data, said data taken from the group of operating parameters of said one or more production machines to maximize production from the machine, to minimize the costs of production, or to increase the efficiency of production,

one or more sensors connected to said machine and to said microprocessor one or more Ethernet hubs connected to said one or more microprocessors, one or more production monitoring computers connected to said one or more Ethernet hubs,

whereby the output of said one or more sensors is input to said one or more preprogrammed microprocessors, the output of said one or more microprocessors is input to said one or more Ethernet hubs, and the output said one or more Ethernet hubs is input to said one or more production monitoring computers.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including said one or more microprocessors, said one or more Ethernet hubs, and said one or more production monitoring computers being arranged in a network.