Preventative Maintenance Update System

• US 20070299706A1
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Inventors: GALT, John Robert, PHILLIPS, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US11/763,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 17/32 Controlling equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 46/00 Controlling, supervising, not restricted to casting covered by a single main group, e.g. for safety reasons controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76006 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76033 Electric current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/7604 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/7614 Humidity, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76147 Contaminants
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76943 compare with thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76993 Remote, e.g. LAN, wireless LAN
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/768 Detecting defective moulding conditions B29C45/84 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• 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 real time method and apparatus for updating preventative maintenance data in a molding system. The molding system could be a metal molding system or a plastics molding system. Real time threshold status data receives periodic updates based upon historical data, frequency data, trends data, manufacturer data, customer data, and geographic location data.

Claims

1. A method for updating preventative maintenance data of a molding system comprising the steps of:

receiving real time operational parameter data and storing said real time operational data as history data,

sorting said history data into categories,

updating real time threshold data with reference to said categories of history data; and

sending real time periodic updates to real time threshold data.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein said categories include frequency data.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein said categories include trends data.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein said categories include manufacturer data.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein said manufacturer data is a plurality of manufacturer'"'"'s data.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein said categories include customer data.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein said customer data is a plurality of customer'"'"'s data.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein said categories include geographic location data.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein said geographic location data is a plurality of geographic locations data.

10. A method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of assessing said data by an updater and determining which categories are applied to said periodic update.

11. A method as in claim 7 wherein said history data is accessed remotely from said molding system.

12. A method as in claim 7 wherein said history data is accessed locally with said molding system.

13. A method as in claim 7 wherein said history data is accessed from a global repository.

14. A method as in claim 1 wherein said real time threshold data includes at least one of, and any combination or permutation of:

a normal operational range value,

a minimum limit value, and

a maximum limit value.

15. A method as in claim 2 wherein said periodic update modifies at least one data parameter of said normal operational range value, a minimum limit value and a maximum limit value.

16. A method as in claim 7 wherein said normal operational range value, said minimum limit value, or said maximum limit value are based upon at least one of the following types of data, and any combination or permutation:

voltage;

current;

pressure;

temperature;

humidity;

acidity;

alkalinity;

stress;

strain;

vibration;

particulate contamination;

alignment;

viscosity; and

molded part quality.

17. An apparatus for update preventative maintenance data of a molding system comprising:

an updater, and

real time threshold data, and

wherein said updater having access to categories of history data and said updater providing periodic updates to said real time threshold data.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein said categories of history data include at least one of, any combination or permutation of:

frequency data, trends data, manufacturer data, plurality of manufacturer'"'"'s data, customer data, plurality of customer'"'"'s data, geographic location data, and plurality of geographic locations data.

19. An apparatus as in claim 17 or 18 wherein said updater determines which categories are applied to update said real time threshold data.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein said history data is accessed remotely by said updater.

21. An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein said history data is accessed locally by said updater.

22. An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein said history data is access globally by said updater.

23. An apparatus as in claims 19 wherein said real time threshold data includes at least one of, any combination or permutation of:

a normal operational range value,

a minimum limit value, and

a maximum limit value.

24. An apparatus as in claim 23 wherein said updater modifies at least one data parameter of said normal operational range value, or a minimum limit value, or a maximum limit value, or any combination or permutation thereof.

25. An apparatus as in claim 24 wherein said apparatus is located with one of the following, or any combination or permutation thereof:

a molding system;

power pack;

injection unit;

clamp;

mold;

hot half;

cold half;

hot runner;

control system;

a molding system component; and

auxiliary equipment.

26. An apparatus as in claims 24 wherein said apparatus is a plurality of apparatus located with more than one of the following, or any combination or permutation thereof:

a molding system;

power pack;

injection unit;

clamp;

mold;

hot half;

cold half;

hot runner;

control system;

a molding system component; and

auxiliary equipment.