DATA MANAGEMENT AND NETWORKING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20060089743A1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Jalluri, Chandra, Lefrancois, Moe, Magadi, Prashanth
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/174
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4065 Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/08 Registering or indicating the production of the machine either with or without registering working or idle time

Abstract

A data management and networking system and method are provided for automatically retrieving and storing data from a machine tool for distribution to a remote terminal over a network. Raw data related to a machine operation parameter, such as vibrations, are collected. This data is associated with machining operation data, such the particular cutting tool being used, or the particular feature being cut by the cutting tool. An algorithm is applied to the raw data to generate a parametric representation of the data, thereby significantly reducing the size of the data. At least some data related to non-machining time is separated out, further reducing the size of the data. The associated data is sent to a network server for storage, where it may be accessed by one or more remote terminals.

Claims

1. A data management and networking system for automatically retrieving and storing data from a machine tool for distribution to a remote terminal over a network, the machine tool being operable to perform at least one machining operation on a workpiece and having at least one sensor operatively connected thereto for sensing a machine operation parameter, the at least one sensor having a first processing unit operatively connected thereto for receiving data related to the machine operation parameter, the machine tool further having a controller operatively connected thereto and configured to output data related to the at least one machining operation to the first processing unit, the system comprising:

a data storage unit for storing data for subsequent retrieval; and

a second processing unit configured to automatically collect the machining operation data and the machine operation parameter data from the first processing unit and to apply an algorithm to the machine operation parameter data to generate at least one parametric representation of the machine operation parameter data, the second processing unit being further configured to associate the at least one parametric representation with respective machining operation data and to send the associated parametric representation and machining operation data to the data storage unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one parametric representation includes at least one of a maximum, a minimum, an average, an average root mean square, a maximum root mean square, a minimum root mean square, a root mean square summation, a kurtosis, a kurtosis average, a kurtosis maximum, a kurtosis minimum, a kurtosis standard deviation, energy band values, and frequency band amplitudes.

4. The system of claim 1, the at least one machining operation including machining time and non-machining time, wherein the second processing unit is further configured to separate out at least some data related to non-machining time before the associated parametric representation and machining operation data is sent to the data storage unit, thereby reducing the amount of data sent to the data storage unit.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the data related to non-machining time is sampled at a predetermined frequency and the sample is sent to the data storage unit, thereby providing data related to operation of the machine tool when the workpiece is not being machined.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data related to the machine operation parameter is at least one of machine tool vibrations, machine tool current draw, machine tool temperature, machine tool torque, machine tool speed, and machine tool feed.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing unit is further configured to automatically collect alarm data from the first processing unit and associate the alarm data with the at least one parametric representation and respective machining operation data before the associated data is sent to the data storage unit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing unit is further configured to automatically collect, from the first processing unit, data related to operation of the machine tool under predetermined conditions, the predetermined conditions including the machine tool selecting a cutting tool and operating at a predetermined speed without work being performed on a workpiece, thereby providing information related to the machine tool independent of workpiece machining.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing unit includes a data bridge application configured to verify the validity of the machining operation data collected by the second processing unit.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the data storage unit resides in a network server, the system further comprising a terminal linked to the server by a network, the terminal being configured for remote retrieval of the associated parametric representation and machining operation data.

11. The system of claim 10, a second machine tool being operable to perform at least one machining operation on a workpiece and having at least one sensor operatively connected thereto for sensing a machine operation parameter, the at least one sensor on the second machine tool having a third processing unit operatively connected thereto for receiving data related to the machine operation parameter of the second machine tool, the second machine tool further having a controller operatively connected thereto and configured to output data related to the at least one machining operation of the second machine tool to the third processing unit, the system further comprising:

a fourth processing unit configured to automatically collect the machining operation data and the machine operation parameter data from the third processing unit and to apply an algorithm to the collected data to generate at least one parametric representation of the machine operation parameter data of the second machine tool, the fourth processing unit being further configured to associate the at least one parametric representation of the machine operation parameter data of the second machine tool with respective machining operation data of the second machine tool and to send the associated data of the second machine tool to the data storage unit, and

wherein the network server is configured to associate the data from the second processing unit with respective data from the fourth processing unit, thereby facilitating analysis of a specific machining operation performed on different machine tools.

3. (canceled)

12. A data management and networking system for automatically retrieving and storing data from a machine tool for distribution to a remote terminal over a network, the machine tool being operable to perform at least one machining operation on a workpiece, the at least one machining operation including machining time and non-machining time, the machine tool having at least one sensor operatively connected thereto for sensing a machine operation parameter and for outputting signals related to the machine operation parameter to a first processing unit, the machine tool further having a controller operatively connected thereto and configured to output signals related to the at least one machining operation to the first processing unit, the system comprising:

a data storage unit for storing data for subsequent retrieval; and

a second processing unit configured to automatically collect the machining operation data and the machine operation parameter data from the first processing unit and to separate out at least some data related to non-machining time, the second processing unit being further configured to apply an algorithm to the separated machine operation parameter data to generate at least one parametric representation of the separated machine operation parameter data, and to associate the machining operation data and the at least one parametric representation and to send the associated data to the data storage unit.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data related to non-machining time is sampled at a predetermined frequency and the sample is sent to the data storage unit, thereby providing data related to operation of the machine tool when the workpiece is not being machined.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second processing unit is further configured to collect the data from the first processing unit at a predetermined frequency greater than a cycle time for the at least one machining operation.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one parametric representation includes at least one of a maximum, a minimum, an average, an average root mean square, a maximum root mean square, a minimum root mean square, a root mean square summation, a kurtosis, a kurtosis average, a kurtosis maximum, a kurtosis minimum, a kurtosis standard deviation, energy band values, and frequency band amplitudes.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the data related to the machine operation parameter is at least one of machine tool vibrations, machine tool current draw, machine tool temperature, machine tool torque, machine tool speed, and machine tool feed.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the data storage unit resides in a network server, the system further comprising a terminal linked to the server by a network, the terminal being configured for remote retrieval of the associated parametric representation and machining operation data.

19. The system of claim 18, a second machine tool being operable to perform at least one machining operation on a workpiece and having at least one sensor operatively connected thereto for sensing a machine operation parameter and for outputting signals related to the machine operation parameter to a third processing unit, the second machine tool further having a controller operatively connected thereto and configured to output signals related to the at least one machining operation of the second machine tool to the third processing unit, the system further comprising:

a fourth processing unit configured to automatically collect the machining operation data and the machine operation parameter data from the third processing unit and to apply an algorithm to the collected data to generate at least one parametric representation of the machine operation parameter data of the second machine tool, the fourth processing unit being further configured to associate the at least one parametric representation of the machine operation parameter data of the second machine tool with respective machining operation data of the second machine tool and to send the associated data of the second machine tool to the data storage unit, and

wherein the network server is configured to associate the data from the second processing unit with respective data from the fourth processing unit, thereby facilitating analysis of a specific machining operation performed on different machine tools.

16. (canceled)

20. A method for managing and networking data for a machine tool, comprising:

performing a machining operation on a first workpiece, the machining operation including machining time and non-machining time;

sensing a machine operation parameter while the machining operation is being performed;

capturing data related to the sensed machine operation parameter;

capturing data related to the machining operation;

separating out at least some data related to the non-machining time;

applying an algorithm to the separated machine operation parameter data to generate at least one parametric representation of the separated machine operation parameter data;

associating the at least one parametric representation with respective machining operation data; and

storing the associated parametric representation and machining operation data for subsequent retrieval by a remote terminal over a network.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

performing the machining operation on a second workpiece, the machining operation including machining time and non-machining time;

sensing a machine operation parameter while the machining operation on the second workpiece is being performed;

capturing data related to the sensed machine operation parameter for the machining operation on the second workpiece;

capturing data related to the machining operation on the second workpiece;

separating out at least some data related to the non-machining time for the machining operation on the second workpiece;

applying an algorithm to the separated machine operation parameter data for the second workpiece to generate at least one parametric representation of the machine operation parameter data for the second workpiece;

associating the at least one parametric representation for the second workpiece with respective machining operation data for the second workpiece; and

storing the associated parametric representation and machining operation data for the second workpiece with the associated parametric representation and machining operation data for the first workpiece, thereby facilitating analysis of the machining operation performed on two workpieces.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second workpieces are machined on the same machine tool.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second workpieces are machined on different machine tools.