Automated manufacturing control system

• US 7,286,888 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cogiscan, Inc. (Durr AG)
• Original Assignee: Cogiscan, Inc. (Durr AG)
• Inventors: Dubois, Vincent, Monette, François, Corriveau, André
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard; Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp; Chad
• Application Number:
  US11/331,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 700/95, 700/97, 700/103, 700/104, 700/106, 700/108, 700/109, 700/115, 700/116, 700/121
• US Class Current: 700/95
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31095 Read write intelligent chip on workpiece, pallet, tool for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32197 Inspection at different locations, stages of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33203 Wireless transmission of power and data, inductively, rotary transformer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49302 Part, workpiece, code, tool identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An automated manufacturing control system is proposed to greatly reduce the human interaction relative to the data transfer, physical verification and process control associated with the movement of components, tooling and operators in a manufacturing system. This is achieved by the use of data carriers which are attached to the object(s) to be traced. These data carriers (12) can store all the relevant identification, material and production data required by the various elements, e.g. stations, of the manufacturing system. Various readers, integrated with controllers and application software, are located at strategic points of the production area, including production machines and storage areas, to enable automatic data transfer and physical verification that the right material is at the right place at the right time, using the right tooling.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring and controlling a manufacturing process comprising a number of stages for assembling a manufactured product, each one of said stages involving receipt of input materials or components, at least one assembling action consuming said input materials or components, and discharge of assembled output materials or components, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a manufacturing monitoring and control data system able to identify components or materials to be assembled for each of a plurality of said stages for monitoring and controlling, for each of said plurality of stages, applicable ones of;

(a) discharge routing;

(b) inventory management of said materials or components to be consumed at said stage;

(c) processing equipment configuration specific to one of a plurality of input materials or components to be consumed by said equipment at said stage;

(d) quality of at least one of said components; and

(e) exposure to an environment for at least one of said components, said at least one component having a variable quality due to exposure to said environment;

wherein at least one of said plurality of stages comprises one of (c), (d) or (e);

(2) collecting monitoring and/or control data at said plurality of said stages during said manufacturing process; and

(3) processing said monitoring and control data to provide monitoring and/or control data resulting from said plurality of stages;

whereby said monitoring and controlling is carried across said plurality of stages.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of integrating said monitoring and control data from said monitoring and control data systems from each of said plurality of stages before processing said monitoring and control data.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing in step (3) comprises determining an exposure time interval of said at least one component to said environment.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein step (2) comprises recording a time of receipt and a time of discharge of said at least one component from said environment.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of comparing said exposure time interval with a predetermined maximum exposure time value, and providing indication that said at least one component is at least one of:

expired when said exposure time interval exceeds said predetermined maximum exposure time value; and

close to expiration when said expiration time interval has approached said predetermined maximum exposure time value by a pre-selected warning period.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of updating an expiration date and time of said at least one component each time said component is exposed to said environment, said expiration date and time being determined on the basis of a predetermined maximum exposure time value of said at least one component.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the steps of determining the remaining exposure time available for said at least one component, recording said remaining exposure time as a life data and updating said life data each time said at least one component is exposed to said environment.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said life data is stored and updated on at least one of:

a central database and an ID tag of said at least one component.

9. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein step (3) comprises processing said time of receipt and said time of discharge to obtain said exposure time interval.

10. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of sensing at least one of a temperature level and a humidity level of said environment, and adjusting the value of said exposure time interval as a function of said temperature and humidity level.

11. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least one component is a moisture sensitive electronic component normally stored in a sealed container adapted to be opened at at least one predetermined stage of said plurality of stages.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of collecting comprises reading ID information from ID tags attached one of directly to said components and said input materials and to containers for said components and said input materials.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said ID tags comprise RFID tags.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of updating the ID information contained on said ID tags while said components and said input materials are at said plurality of stages.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said ID tags are read/write electronic tags, wherein a reader is provided at each of said plurality of stages, and wherein the step of updating the ID information of one of said read/write electronic tag is effected by transmitting from the reader of the stage at which the tag is located a write signal containing data to be written to said read/write electronic tag.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of stages is provided with tooling to act on said input materials and said components, said tooling being tagged with a data carrier, and wherein the step of collecting monitoring and/or control data further comprises the step of collecting data from said data carrier.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one stage further includes an operator, said operator being tagged with a data carrier, and wherein said collecting monitoring and/or control data in step (2) further comprises the step of collecting data from said data carrier.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of transferring tool identification data to said data carrier.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of processing the data obtained from said data carrier to ensure that the right tooling is used when the input materials and the components arrive at said at least one stage.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the steps of using said data carrier to track said tooling through a treatment process thereof, and, when said input materials and said components arrive at said at least one stage, reading said data carrier to ensure that the right tooling that has seen the right treatment process is used.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of transferring identification data collected on each of the input material and the components used in the manufacturing of a product to a data carrier associated therewith, thereby enabling complete traceability of the input materials and components of the product.

22. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two of (a), (b), (c), (d) (e) are found in at least one of said plurality of stages.

23. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said manufacturing monitoring and control data systems monitor at least (c), (d) and (e).

24. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of stages comprises each one of (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e).

25. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of integrating comprises exchanging monitoring and control data between said monitoring and control data systems of said plurality of stages.

26. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises interfacing at least some of said manufacturing monitoring and control data systems to enable said systems to communicate with each other.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the step of interfacing is effected by linking said manufacturing monitoring and control data systems to a common central controller.

28. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said containers include JEDEC standard trays, wherein said ID tags include electronic data carriers, and wherein the method further comprises prior to step (2) the step of mounting one of said electronic data carriers on at least one of said JEDEC standard trays to provide ID information thereon.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said one of said electronic data carriers is releasably mounted to one of said JEDEC standard trays with a clip.

30. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the step of mounting an electronic data carrier to a JEDEC standard tray is effected by embedding the electronic data carrier in the JEDEC standard tray.

31. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said RFID tags are embedded in said components.

32. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the steps of mounting said ID tags in respective pouches and securing said pouches on at least one of directly to said components and said input materials and to containers for said components and said input materials.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said pouches are adhesively secured.

34. A computer program product comprising a program code for carrying out the method of claim 1.

35. A data signal embodied in a carrier wave which when loaded into a computer provides the method of claim 1.

36. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein some of said stages are at different manufacturing locations.

37. A method as defined in claim 36, wherein said manufacturing locations include a supplier plant, a product assembly plant and a recycling plant, and wherein said product assembly plant includes a first stage for receiving from the supplier plant component carriers already tagged with ID tags, and wherein said recycling plant includes a stage for receiving the tagged component carriers from the product assembly plant.

38. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of stages is a storage area, the method further comprises the steps of:

tagging the components and materials to be stored in said storage area with ID tags, and integrating at least one reader and associated controller to said storage area in order to register the materials and the components moving in and out of said storage area.

39. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of processing said monitoring and control data to provide business process data from said plurality of stages.

40. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein an identification of at least one of said components to be consumed is provided by a container identification for a container of said at least one component, and wherein said collecting comprises retrieving said identification of said at least one component via said container identification.

41. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said manufacturing and control data systems monitor and control at least two different ones of (a) to (e).

42. A method as claimed of claim 1, wherein said manufacturing and control data systems monitor (e) at said plurality of stages.

43. A method of monitoring and controlling a manufacturing process comprising a number of stages for assembling a manufactured product, each one of said manufacturing stages involving receipt of input materials or components, at least one assembling action consuming said input materials or components, and discharge of assembled output materials or components, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving a signal, said signal carrying monitoring and/or control data collected by;

providing a manufacturing monitoring and control data system able to identify components or materials to be consumed for each of a plurality of said stages for monitoring and controlling, for each of said plurality of stages, applicable ones of;

(a) discharge routing;

(b) inventory management of said materials or components to be consumed at said stage;

(c) processing equipment configuration specific to one of a plurality of input materials or components to be consumed by said equipment at said stage;

(d) quality of at least one of said components; and

(e) exposure to an environment for at least one of said components, said at least one component having a variable quality due to exposure to said environment

wherein at least one of said plurality of stages comprises one of (c), (d) or (e); and

collecting monitoring and/or control data at said plurality of said stages during said manufacturing process; and

(2) processing said monitoring and control data to provide monitoring and/or control data resulting from said plurality of stages;

whereby said monitoring and controlling is carried across said plurality of stages.

44. A method of monitoring and controlling a manufacturing process comprising a number of stages for assembling a manufactured product, each one of said stages involving receipt of input materials or components, at least one assembling action consuming said input materials or components, and discharge of assembled output materials or components, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a manufacturing monitoring and control data system able to identify components to be consumed for each of a plurality of said stages for monitoring and controlling exposure to an environment for at least one of said components, said at least one component having a variable quality due to exposure to said environment;

(2) collecting monitoring and/or control data at said plurality of said stages during said manufacturing process; and

(3) processing said monitoring and control data to provide monitoring and/or control data resulting from said plurality of stages.