System and method for managing welding consumables

• US 7,996,276 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blankenship, George Daryl, Hsu, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNHAM, JASON B
• Application Number:
  US12/818,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 219/130.5
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1062 with computing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for managing welding consumable(s) is provided. The invention includes a welder having a consumable(s) monitor, a customer system and/or a remote system. The invention further provides for monitoring of welding consumable(s) usage and ordering of welding consumable(s) from suppliers, distributors and/or manufacturers. The invention further provides for an optional arc/weld quality monitor that provides information regarding weld quality. The invention further provides for invoicing a customer for welding consumable(s) as the consumable(s) are used by the customer. The invention further provides for invoicing of customers for welding consumable(s) that produce acceptable welds. The invention further provides for remote management of customer welding consumable(s) inventory based at least in part upon information received regarding welding consumable(s) usage. The invention further provides for communication with a production component, financial accounting component and/or materials management component in order to facilitate automation of welding consumable(s) management.

Claims

1. A system for managing at least one welding consumable, comprising:

a welder comprising a consumables monitor that monitors an amount of at least one consumable remaining; and

a local system operatively coupled to the welder via a first network, the local system comprising a processor that executes the following components stored in memory;

a production control component that receives information regarding the amount of the at least one consumable remaining from the consumables monitor and measures a consumable demand rate based at least in part upon a production control policy and the information regarding the amount of the at least one consumable remaining;

a financial account component that receives the information regarding the amount of the at least one consumable remaining from the consumables monitor and performs accounting tasks based at least in part on the information regarding the amount of the at least one consumable remaining;

a materials management component that receives the information regarding the amount of the at least one consumable remaining from the consumables monitor and performs inventory control tasks based at least in part on the information;

an inventory management component that maintains data regarding an inventory of the at least one consumable at a customer location, adjusts the inventory based at least in part on the information regarding the amount of the at least one consumable remaining received from the consumables monitor, determines a change in the inventory based at least in part on the information regarding the amount of the at least one consumable remaining, and invoices for an amount of the at least one welding consumable used based at least in part upon the change in inventory;

a procurement management component receives the information regarding the amount of the at least one consumable remaining and initiates reordering the at least one consumable based at least in part upon the information regarding the amount of the at least one consumable remaining and forecast data associated with a vender managed replacement contract; and

a reorder proposal component that generates a reorder proposal when the procurement management component initiates reordering of the at least one consumable.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote system operatively coupled to the local system via a second network, wherein the remote system supplies the at least one consumable based.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first network or the second network is at least one of a local network, an extranet or the Internet.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the local system initiates orders from the remote system for the at least one consumable based at least in part upon the information received from the consumables monitor regarding the amount of the at least one consumable.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one consumable is at least one of wire, gas, flux, contact tip or consumable electrode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the welder further comprises an arc/weld quality monitor that provides information regarding weld quality to the local system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the customer is invoiced by the local system for the at least one consumable based at least in part upon the information regarding the weld quality.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the local system further comprises a customer component that facilitates management of the at least one consumable based at least in part upon the information from the consumables monitor regarding the amount of the at least one consumable.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the local system further comprises a supplier component that receives information from the customer component to facilitate at least one of purchasing or ordering the at least one consumable.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the local system further comprises an inventory replenishment component that receives the aggregate from the aggregation component.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the local system further comprises an authorization component that authorizes the reorder proposal.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the local system further comprises a reorder transmittal component that transmits a consumable reorder according to the reorder proposal.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for a process, the process comprising:

monitoring usage of at least one consumable consumed by a welder through a consumables monitor coupled to the welder;

receiving information from the consumables monitor, via a local system communicatively coupled to the welder, regarding the usage of the at least one consumable;

measuring a consumable demand rate based at least in part upon the usage;

performing accounting tasks based at least in part upon the usage;

performing inventory control based at least in part upon the usage, comprising;

maintaining data regarding an inventory of the at least one consumable at a customer location based at least in part upon the usage;

adjusting the inventory based at least in part upon the usage, and charging a customer based in part upon a change in inventory;

initiating a reorder of the at least one consumable based at least in part upon the usage and forecast data associated with a vendor managed replacement contract; and

generating a reorder proposal upon initiating the reorder of the at least one consumable.

14. A method for managing welding consumables, comprising:

monitoring an amount of at least one consumable consumed by a welder through a consumables monitor coupled to the welder;

receiving information from the consumables monitor, via a local system communicatively coupled to the welder, regarding the amount of the at least one consumable consumed;

measuring a consumable demand rate based at least in part upon a production control policy and the information;

performing one or more accounting tasks based at least in part upon the information;

performing an inventory control based at least in part upon the information;

maintaining data regarding an inventory of the at least one consumable at a customer location, adjusting the inventory based at least in part on the information and invoicing for an amount of the at least one welding consumable used based at least in part upon the change in inventory;

initiating a reorder of the at least on consumable based at least in part on the amount of the at least one consumable consumed and forecast data associated with a vendor managed replacement contract; and

generating a reorder proposal upon initiating the reorder of the at least one consumable.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether a supply of the at least one consumable has fallen below a predefined ordering threshold amount based at least in part on the information.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising ordering the at least one consumable based at least in part upon a determination that the supply of the at least one welding consumable has fallen below the predefined ordering threshold.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising monitoring a quality of at least one weld made by the welder through the local system.