INTELLIGENT PRODUCTION STATION AND PRODUCTION METHOD

• US 20080154409A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Stratex Networks Operating Corporation (Aviat Networks Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Stratex Networks, Inc. (Aviat Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pong, Frank, Srikumar, Kesavan
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/95
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31044 Assembly of modular products, variant configurability
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31061 Selection of assembly process parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31095 Read write intelligent chip on workpiece, pallet, tool for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31104 Remote configuration of parameters of controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32197 Inspection at different locations, stages of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33199 Transponder
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

One aspect related to design of systems and methods for manufacturing products that include technology in skilled areas is configuring a production station for use by an operator without specialised skills. The present invention contemplates an approach to designing a station configurable to perform one or more of incoming inspection, assembly, testing, and branding. A preferred approach includes verifying data associated with units prior to accepting them for incorporation, preventing incorporation of an incorrect unit, and guiding an operator in possible remedial action. This approach includes storing data in a server and making such data substantially instantly accessible to production stations once written in the server. Such data preferably includes software to configure the production station such that the operator need not have specialized skills. A production station designed using this approach is particularly useful in the manufacture of an outdoor unit of a split-mount microwave radio system.

Claims

1. A production station for processing manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising:

a data retrieval component communicatively coupled to a unit of a manufactured product and operative to retrieve data from this unit, the manufactured product comprising at least one unit, including this unit, that incorporates technology in a skilled area;

a data access component operative to obtain from a server data associated with the manufactured product, the associated data being substantially instantly accessible to the data access component once written in the server; and

a data verification component operative to compare the retrieved data with the obtained data and to generate an output based on the comparison,

wherein the output Indicates whether this unit should be accepted for processing or not.

2. A production station as in claim 1, configured for being operated by a person who is unskilled in the area of technology of such unit.

3. A production station as in claim 1, in which the data retrieval component, the data access component, and the data verification component are together operative to perform a production function.

4. A production station as in claim 3, wherein the production function includes one or more of incoming inspection, assembly, testing, branding, and post functional testing of the manufactured product.

5. A production station as in claim 3, wherein the data access component is further operative to obtain from the server software, instructions, and specifications associated with the production function and wherein the data retrieval component, the data access component, and the data verification component are further operative to execute such obtained software, instructions, and specifications, the software, instructions, and specifications having been developed and written in the server.

6. A production station as in claim 5, wherein the data access component is further operative to initiate obtaining the software, instructions, and specifications from the server.

7. A production station as in claim 5, wherein the data access component is further configured to download the software, instructions, and specifications from the server in response to a download command initiated remotely.

8. A production station as in claim 1, further comprising a data generation component communicatively coupled with the server and operative to generate data associated with the unit, with the manufactured product, or with both.

9. A production station as in claim 8, further comprising a data writing component communicatively coupled to the unit and operative to write the obtained data and the generated data to the unit and further operative to write the retrieved data and the generated data in the server.

10. A production station as in claim 8, wherein the generated data comprises one or more of new or updated assembly data, calibration files, test data, and branding data.

11. A production station as in claim 1, further comprising an interface component communicatively coupled to a peripheral device and operative to transfer obtained data, retrieved data, and the generated output to the peripheral device and to retrieve data from the peripheral device.

12. A production station as in claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is a printer, a data logger, a fixture, a spectrum analyzer, a power meter, a keyboard, a key pad, a pointing device, a voice recognition device, a display, or a light source.

13. A production station as in claim 1, wherein the data retrieval component comprises a scanner, a bar code reader, a keyboard, a key pad, a pointing device, a voice recognition device, or a combination thereof.

14. A production station as in claim 1, wherein the unit comprises one or more of an intermediate frequency subassembly, a radio frequency local oscillator subassembly, a transceiver subassembly, a power module subassembly, a duplexer subassembly, and a mechanical subassembly.

15. A production station as in claim 1, wherein the manufactured product comprises an outdoor unit of a split-mount microwave radio system.

16. A production station as in claim 1, wherein the obtained data includes read-only data portions of which comprise restricted, access read-only data.

17. A production station as in claim 1, wherein the obtained data includes read-and-write data portions of which comprise restricted access read-and-write data.

18. A production station as in claim. 1, wherein the communicative coupling to the unit comprises a data cable, an optical link, a universal serial bus, a fire wire cable, or a wireless link.

19. A production station as in claim 1, wherein the associated data includes data having been written in the server by a data writing component of another production, station.

20. A method for processing manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising:

obtaining from a server data associated with a manufactured product that is being manufactured and comprising at least one unit that incorporates technology in a skilled area including this unit, the data associated with the manufactured product being substantially instantly accessible once written in the server;

retrieving data from the unit;

comparing the data retrieved from the unit with the data obtained from the server; and

generating an output based on the comparison,

wherein the output indicates whether this unit should be accepted for processing or not.

21. A method as in claim 20, further comprising:

processing the unit;

generating data associated with the unit or with the manufactured product; and

writing the generated data in the server.

22. A method as in claim 21, further comprising writing to the unit the generated data.

23. A method as in claim 21, wherein the generated data comprises new or updated assembly data, calibration files, test data, or branding data.

24. A method as in claim 21, wherein processing the unit comprises performing one or more of incoming inspection, assembly, testing, branding, and post functional testing.

25. A method as in claim 21, wherein processing the unit comprises performing assembly, that includes, if the obtained data associated with the manufactured product does not include top level product data, generating the top level product data including a top level part number and a top level serial number, and writing the generated top level product data in the server.

26. A method for processing manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising:

configuring a production station to perform a production function on a manufactured product, wherein the production station can be operated by a person who is unskilled in an area of technology incorporated in the manufactured product and wherein configuring includes

obtaining from a server software, instructions, and specifications associated with the production function, the software, instructions, and specifications having been developed and written in the server, and

installing and executing the software, instructions, and specifications on the production station.

27. A method as in claim 26, wherein obtaining from the server is initiated at the production station.

28. A method as in claim 26, wherein obtaining from the server is initiated remotely and causes the software, instructions, and specifications to be downloaded to the production station.

29. A production station for processing manufactured products with one or more units that incorporate technology in a skilled area, comprising:

means for retrieving data from a unit of a manufactured product comprising at least one unit, including this unit, that Incorporates technology in a skilled area;

means for obtaining from a server data associated with the manufactured product, such data being substantially instantly accessible to such means once written in the server; and

means for comparing the retrieved data with the obtained data and for generating an output based on the comparison,

wherein the output indicates whether this unit should be accepted for processing or not.