METHOD AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING PRODUCTS

• US 20100280645A1
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Original Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Inventors: Tillie, Lucas Willem Mathieu, PUIK, ERIK CHRISTIAN NICOLAAS
• Application Number:
  US12/819,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20100280645A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0291 Switching into safety or degraded mode, e.g. protection and supervision after failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Method for manufacturing one or more products, comprising operation of two or more processes which are or are suspected to be subject to mutual disturbance, wherein either a process which is or which is suspected to be subject to disturb one or more of the remaining process or processes, or a process which is or which is suspected to be subject to be disturbed by one or more of the remaining processes or processes, causes an interruption or modification of the operation of the relevant remaining process or processes during a state of such potential disturbance.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing one or more products, comprising operation of two or more processes which are or are suspected to be subject to mutual disturbance, characterized in that either a process which is or which is suspected to be subject to disturb one or more of the remaining process or processes, or a process which is or which is suspected to be subject to be disturbed by one or more of the remaining process or processes, causes an interruption or modification of the operation of the relevant remaining process or processes during a state of such potential disturbance.

2. Method according to claim 1, in which the relevant process which is or which is suspected to be subject to disturb one or more of the remaining processes, initiates the transmission of a code to the relevant processes, including a request to interrupt or modify their operation during the state of potential disturbance.

3. Method according to claim 1, in which the relevant process which is or which is suspected to be subject to be disturbed by one or more of the remaining processes, initiates the transmission of a code to the relevant processes, including a request to interrupt or modify their operation during the state of potential disturbance.

4. Process unit (3), fit for being part of a system comprising one or more further process units (3), the system being suitable for manufacturing one or more products, said process unit being or being suspected, in use, to be subject to disturb or to be disturbed by such a further process unit, characterized in that said process unit is provided with means for initiating the transmission of a code to the relevant further process unit, including a request to interrupt or modify its operation during the state of potential disturbance;

and/or is provided with means for receiving and processing a code, initiated by the relevant further process unit, including a request to interrupt or modify the process unit'"'"'s operation during a state of potential mutual disturbance.

5. Process unit (3), according to claim 4, characterized in that said process unit is associated with at least one further process unit to form together at least a part of the system for manufacturing one or more products.

6. Control software, fit for controlling a process unit, fit for being part of a system for manufacturing one or more products and comprising one or more further process units (3), said process unit being or being suspected to be subject to disturb or to be disturbed by such a further process unit, characterized by means for generating and outputting a code to the relevant further process unit, including a request to interrupt or modify its operation, when the process unit becomes in a state of which either it may disturb or it may be disturbed by such a further process unit.

7. Control software according to claim 6, comprising means for generating and outputting a second code when the process unit becomes out of said state of which either it may disturb or it may be disturbed by such a further process unit.

8-9. -9. (canceled)