Automated Self Test for a Thermal Processing System

• US 20080162080A1
• Filed: 01/02/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hypertherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hypertherm Incorporated
• Inventors: Chin, Wayne, Passage, Christopher Scott, Brandt, Aaron Donald, Anderson, Richard Ray
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33323 Self diagnostic of boards, own test program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45154 Forming workpiece by using thermal energy, laser forming
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0256 injecting test signals and analyzing monitored process response, e.g. injecting the test signal while interrupting the normal operation of the monitored system; superimposing the test signal onto a control signal during normal operation of the monitored system

Abstract

Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses for automated self test for a thermal processing system. A signal to execute the automated self test is received. The automated self test is executed. The execution includes executing one or more self test instructions for the one or more subsystems of the system. Data can be received from sensors associated with the subsystems. The data can be analyzed to determine the results of the automated self test for the thermal processing system.

Claims

1. A method of an automated self test for a thermal processing system, the method comprising:

receiving, at a switch module, a signal to execute the automated self test;

executing, at a test module, the automated self test wherein the automated self test comprises one or more self test instructions for one or more subsystems of the thermal processing system; and

receiving, at a report module, data from the one or more subsystems.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the executing further comprising:

controllably activating, at the test module, one or more components associated with the one or more subsystems.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the self test instructions test the one or more components associated with the one or more subsystems.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more components comprise a gas supply line, an electrical power line, a part associated with a power supply, a part associated with a gas supply, a part associated with a coolant supply, a part associated with a plasma torch, a part associated with a laser torch, a valve, a consumable, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the receiving data further comprising:

receiving data from one or more sensors associated with the one or more components.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

processing the data at the report module to determine results of the automated self test.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating a report at the report module; and

displaying the report at a displaying device.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating a report at the report module; and

transmitting the report over a network to a remote displaying device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the transmitting over the network is on a serial communications network, a controller area network, an internal network, an external network, a local area network, a wide area network, a private network, a public network, or combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating a report at the report module; and

storing the report on a memory module.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the self test instructions test the one or more subsystems.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more subsystems comprise a power supply subsystem, a gas supply subsystem, a coolant supply subsystem, a plasma torch, a laser torch, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal processing system is a plasma torch system or a laser torch system.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving data comprises receiving the signal from a serial communication network, a controller area network, an internal network, an external network, a local area network, a wide area network, a private network, a public network, or combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more self test instructions are stored on a memory module.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the memory module is volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or combinations thereof.

17. A system for performing an automated self test in a thermal processing system, the system comprising:

a switch module for receiving a signal to execute the automated self test;

a test module for executing the automated self test wherein the automated self test comprises one or more self test instructions for the one or more subsystems of the thermal processing system; and

a report module for receiving data from one or more subsystems.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein:

the test module is controllably activating one or more components associated with the one or more subsystems.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein:

the report module is receiving data from one or more sensors associated with the one or more components, processing the data to determine results of the automated self test, and generating a report.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein:

the report module is displaying the report at a displaying device.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein:

the report module is transmitting the report over a network to a remote displaying device.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein:

the report module is storing the report on a memory module.

23. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a memory module for storing the self test instructions.

24. A system for performing an automated self test in a thermal processing system, the system comprising:

a means for receiving a signal to execute the automated self test;

a means for executing the automated self test wherein the automated self test comprises one or more self test instructions for one or more subsystems of the thermal processing system; and

a means for receiving data from the one or more subsystems.

25. A method for performing an automated self test in a thermal processing system, the method comprising:

receiving a signal to execute the automated self test; and

executing the automated self test by using one or more self test instructions to test the thermal processing system.