Method and apparatus for collecting manufacturing equipment downtime data

• US 6,128,543 A
• Filed: 06/24/1998
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jim Hitchner
• Original Assignee: Jim Hitchner
• Inventors: Hitchner, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Calcano, Ivan
• Application Number:
  US09/104,052
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 701/114, 706/912, 700/79, 700/80, 700/174, 700/175, 700/108, 700/111
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31411 Down time, loss time estimation, calculation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/005 during manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A method and apparatus for collecting manufacturing equipment downtime data which electrically blocks stopped equipment (production) from restarting until an acceptable reason (either by code or direct identification) has been entered and recognized by an electronic logic system. Locking out the restart capability until the downtime cause has been entered ensures that the causes for all downtimes are recorded in a timely fashion. This data is gathered and recorded to measure and define explanations for lost equipment running time. Other related data may also be gathered.

Claims

1. A method for collecting downtime data for powered manufacturing equipment, said manufacturing equipment adapted for starting, stopping, and restarting, said downtime data including manufacturing equipment shutdowns of both mechanical and non-mechanical nature, said method comprising the steps of:

connecting an independent electronic logic system to the manufacturing equipment;

electrically blocking the manufacturing equipment from restarting after stopping until an acceptable reason has been entered and recognized by the electronic logic system; and

manually entering an acceptable reason into said electronic logic system to enable restarting of the stopped manufacturing equipment.

2. The method for collecting downtime data for manufacturing equipment of claim 1 wherein said manufacturing equipment includes a circuit interconnecting a power supply source, a stop switch, a start switch, a latching relay contact, a safety contact, and a motor starter coil, in which when conditions have been met to satisfy the safety contact, momentary pressing of the start switch completes the circuit to turn on the motor starter coil and start the equipment, said method further including the step of recording the entered reason for evaluation.

3. The method for collecting downtime data for manufacturing equipment of claim 1 wherein said step of electrically blocking the manufacturing equipment from restarting after stopping comprises mechanically blocking with electronic controls.

4. The method for collecting downtime data for manufacturing equipment of claim 1 further including the step of recording the duration of the downtime event.

5. A method for gathering and organizing downtime data for powered manufacturing equipment, said manufacturing equipment adapted for starting, stopping, and restarting, said downtime data including manufacturing equipment shutdowns of both a mechanical and non-mechanical nature, said method comprising the steps of:

connecting an electronic logic system to the manufacturing equipment;

electrically blocking the manufacturing equipment from restarting after stopping until an acceptable reason has been entered and recognized by the electronic logic system;

identifying the cause of said manufacturing equipment shutdown via human sense perception;

manually entering an acceptable reason into said electronic logic system to enable restarting of the stopped manufacturing equipment; and

organizing and sorting said manually entered acceptable reasons with a spreadsheet on a time and priority basis.

6. A method for gathering downtime data for powered manufacturing equipment, said manufacturing equipment adapted for starting, stopping, and restarting, said downtime data including manufacturing equipment shutdowns of both a mechanical and non-mechanical nature, said method comprising the steps of:

connecting an independent electronic logic system to the manufacturing equipment;

programming said electronic logic system to recognize and accept a plurality of manually entered reasons for said manufacturing equipment downtime;

electrically blocking the manufacturing equipment from restarting after stopping until an acceptable reason has been entered and recognized by the electronic logic system;

identifying the cause of said manufacturing equipment shutdown via human sense perception; and

manually entering an acceptable reason into said electronic logic system to enable restarting of the stopped manufacturing equipment.

7. A method for gathering and organizing downtime data for powered manufacturing equipment, said manufacturing equipment adapted for starting, stopping, and restarting, said downtime data including manufacturing equipment shutdowns of both a mechanical and non-mechanical nature, said method comprising the steps of:

connecting an independent electronic logic system to the manufacturing equipment;

programming said electronic logic system to accept a plurality of manually entered reasons for said manufacturing equipment downtime;

electrically blocking the manufacturing equipment from restarting after stopping until an acceptable reason has been entered and recognized by the electronic logic system;

identifying the cause of said manufacturing equipment shutdown via human sense perception;

manually entering an acceptable reason into said electronic logic system to enable restarting of the stopped manufacturing equipment; and

organizing and sorting said manually entered acceptable reasons with a spreadsheet on a time and priority basis.

8. An apparatus for collecting mechanical and non-mechanical manufacturing equipment downtime data, said manufacturing equipment including a circuit switch, a latching relay contact, a safety contact, and a motor having a motor starter coil, in which the conditions have been met to satisfy the safety contact, momentary pressing of the start switch completes the circuit to turn on the motor starter coil and start the equipment, said apparatus comprising:

at least one pair of logic contacts connected in series with the start switch and connected to the latching relay contact to selectively block the manufacturing equipment from starting; and

logic means for operating said at least one pair of logic contacts, said logic means being programmable for accepting a plurality of manually entered causes for machinery downtime, said logic means enabling the manufacturing equipment to restart upon manual entry of an acceptable reason into said logic means.

9. The apparatus for collecting manufacturing equipment downtime data of claim 8 wherein said at least one pair of logic contacts is connected in parallel with the latching relay contact.

10. The apparatus for collecting manufacturing equipment downtime data of claim 8 further including:

a relay coil connected to said logic contacts to close said logic contacts when the motor comes on, and open said logic contacts when the motor turns off.

11. A functional operations meter adapted for use as a comparator for measuring the benefit and detriment of operational conditions of manufacturing machinery and processes, said meter comprising:

data gathering means for collecting both mechanical and non-mechanical manufacturing equipment downtime data, said manufacturing equipment including a circuit switch, a latching relay contact, a safety contact, and a motor having a motor starter coil, in which the conditions have been met to satisfy the safety contact, momentary pressing of the start switch completes the circuit to turn on the motor starter coil and start the equipment, said data gathering means comprising at least one pair of logic contacts connected in series with the start switch and connected to the latching relay contact to selectively block the manufacturing equipment from starting, and logic means for operating said at least one pair of logic contacts to enable the manufacturing equipment to restart upon manual entry of an acceptable reason into said logic means.