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Method of controlling a manufacturing process using multivariate analysis

  • US 5,442,562 A
  • Filed: 12/10/1993
  • Issued: 08/15/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A computer implemented method of controlling a manufacturing process, comprising the steps of:

  • a.) during operation of the process, measuring the process with sensors of data representative of a plurality of process/product variables;

    b.) in a computer, connected to receive data from the sensors using multivariate analysis, said computer generating a surrogate variable having a value representative of whether or not the process is in control, said surrogate variable being a function of a plurality of intermediate variables, each of said intermediate variables being a weighted function of the process/product variables;

    c.) when the value of the surrogate variable is outside a predetermined limit, said computer determining which of the intermediate variables primarily contributed to the value of the surrogate variable;

    d.) for the intermediate variable determined in the previous step, identifying which of the process variables primarily contributed to the value of the determined intermediate variable; and

    e.) said computer modifying the process to change the process variable identified in the previous step to bring the value of the surrogate variable within the predetermined limit.

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