System and method of collecting statistically analyzing and graphically displaying quality control data for a manufacturing process

• US 6,574,522 B1
• Filed: 12/28/1999
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Douglas, Leonard Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US09/473,041
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 700/108, 700/109, 700/110, 700/51, 700/83, 700/65, 709/200-203, 709/310
• US Class Current: 700/109
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32191 Real time statistical process monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system and method for handling quality control data for a manufacturing process among a main computer and a plurality of remote computers, including the steps of establishing a connection between at least one of the remote computers and the main computer via a web browser, inputting quality control data of the manufacturing process from the remote computer into a database of the main computer via the web browser, performing a statistical analysis on the quality control data input into the main computer, and posting results of the statistical analysis on a web site of the main computer accessible to the remote computers through the web browser.

Claims

1. A system for handling quality control data for a manufacturing process between a plurality of computers, comprising:

(a) a main computer for analyzing quality control data of a designated area of said manufacturing process by means of a statistical process control method, said main computer further comprising;

(1) memory for storing a database of quality control data; and

(2) a processor for applying said statistical process control method to said quality control data and posting the results of the statistical analysis on a web site;

(b) at least one computer remotely located from said main computer, each remote computer comprising;

(1) communications circuitry for establishing a connection with said main computer web site by means of a web browser; and

(2) an interface for inputting quality control data for a designated area of said manufacturing process into said web browser for receipt by said main computer and receiving results of a statistical analysis of said quality control data from said main computer web site through said web browser.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said main computer processor collects said quality control data from said web browser and stores said quality control data in said memory.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said main computer processor links a graphical display of said statistical analysis results with an identifier on a web page of said main computer web site.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said main computer and said remote computers are connectable via an Intranet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said main computer and said remote computers are connectable via the Internet.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said quality control data is input into said web browser by completing a plurality of form based queries on a web page of said main computer web site linked to a designated area of said manufacturing process.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said quality control data is encoded prior to collection of said quality control data from said web browser.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said quality control data is decoded prior to storing said quality control data in said database.

9. The system of claim 1, said main computer processor further verifying the origin of said quality control data as a proper remote computer prior to storing said quality control data in said database.

10. A method of handling quality control data for a manufacturing process among a plurality of computers, comprising the following steps:

(a) establishing a connection between at least one remote computer and a main computer via a web browser;

(b) inputting quality control data of said manufacturing process from said remote computer into a database of said main computer via said web browser;

(c) performing a statistical analysis on said quality control data input into said main computer; and

(d) posting results of said statistical analysis on a web site of said main computer accessible through said web browser.

11. The method of claim 10, said quality control data inputting step further comprising:

(a) collecting said quality control data from said web browser; and

(b) storing said quality control data in said database of said main computer.

12. The method of claim 10, said posting step further comprising the step of linking a graphical display of said statistical analysis results with an identifier on said web site.

13. The method of claim 10, said performing step further comprising application of a statistical process control method to said quality control data.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said remote computer and said main computer are connected via an Intranet.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said remote computer and said main computer are connected via the Internet.

16. The method of claim 10, said quality control data inputting step further comprising the step of completing a plurality of form based queries on a web page of said main computer web site linked to a designated area of said manufacturing process.

17. The method of claim 11, said quality control data inputting step further comprising the step of encoding said quality control data prior to said collecting step.

18. The method of claim 17, said quality control data inputting step further comprising the step of decoding said quality control data prior to said storing step.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of verifying the origin of said quality control data as a proper remote computer prior to said inputting step.