Baler machine monitoring and performance interfaces, systems and methods

• US 8,046,192 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Original Assignee: Smurfit-Stone Container Enterprises Incorporated (WestRock Company)
• Inventors: Byers, Rick, McClain, Stephen B., Schuster, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Charioui; Mohamed
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desta; Elias
• Application Number:
  US12/174,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 702187-189, 700/90, 700/95, 700/213, 700/258, 564/74
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37214 Detect failed machine component, machine performance degradation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]

Abstract

Monitoring and performance interfaces are disclosed for baler machines. The interfaces collect and analyze runtime and downtime data and present reports or varying detail to interested personnel that allow objective assessment of baler machine performance. Multiple baler machines may be monitored and analyzed to reveal human and machine-related issues that inhibit optimal performance but are otherwise extremely difficult to detect.

Claims

1. A monitoring interface for evaluating a production performance of at least one baler machine, the monitoring interface comprising:

at least one sensor device detecting a downtime condition of the baler machine;

a controller interfaced with the at least one sensor device and configured to record data associated with the detected downtime conditions, the recorded downtime data including at least a duration of time between detection of the downtime condition and re-starting the baler machine; and

an input device coupled to the controller and configured to;

accept user-provided runtime data inputs regarding runtime operation of the baler machine, the runtime data inputs including at least a material type input, an acceptable bale input, and an unacceptable bale input; and

accept user-provided downtime data inputs regarding a downtime of the baler machine after the downtime condition is detected, the downtime data inputs including at least a specific cause of the downtime condition,

wherein the controller is configured to communicate the recorded data and accepted data inputs to a computer-implemented performance interface for generation of a production report.

2. The monitoring interface of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to trigger an alarm condition in response to predetermined signals from the at least one sensor device.

3. The monitoring interface of claim 2, further comprising an alarm beacon activated by the controller in the alarm condition.

4. The monitoring interface of claim 1, wherein the baler machine is fed bale material by a conveyor, and the at least one sensor device comprises one of a conveyor motor sensor and a conveyor eye sensor.

5. The monitoring interface of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a touch sensitive display.

6. The monitoring interface of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a keyboard.

7. The monitoring interface of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a display, the data inputs selected from the display.

8. The monitoring interface of claim 7, wherein the input device is further configured to receive at least one of an operator identification input, a shift input, a maintenance person input from a user as the runtime data inputs.

9. The monitoring interface of claim 7, wherein the input device is further configured to receive at least one of a material type input including one of an corrugated cardboard (OCC) type input, a paper input, a fiber input, a plastic input, and a metal input from a user as the runtime data inputs.

10. The monitoring interface of claim 1, wherein the input device is further configured to accept at least one of a conveyor input, a baler input, a wire tier input, and a waiting to bale input as the downtime data inputs.

11. The monitoring interface of claim 10, wherein the input device is configured to accept at least one of a mechanical downtime input, an electrical downtime input, a jam downtime input, and a structural downtime input as the conveyor input.

12. The monitoring interface of claim 10, wherein the input device is configured to accept at least one of a mechanical downtime input, an electrical downtime input, a hydraulic downtime input, a jam knives downtime input, a jam overcharge input, and a structural downtime input as the baler input.

13. The monitoring interface of claim 10, wherein the input device is configured to accept at least one of a wire change downtime input, a feed downtime input, a track/fingers downtime input, a reaching home downtime input, a knotter/twister downtime input, a cutter downtime input, a knot eject downtime input, a knot downtime input, an electrical downtime input, and a hydraulic downtime input as the wire tier input.

14. The monitoring interface of claim 10, wherein the input device is configured to accept at least one of a warm up input, a clean up input, a breaks/lunch input, a meetings input, a preventive maintenance input, a no material input, a no loader input, a no forklift input, a no labor input, and a grade change input as the waiting to bale input.

15. A computer-implemented method of evaluating a production performance of at least one baler machine for producing bales of material, the at least one baler machine including a local monitoring interface communicating with a remotely located computer-based performance interface, the method comprising:

collecting, using the monitoring interface, downtime and runtime data for the at least one baler machine, the runtime data including at least acceptable bale production data, the downtime data including at least a duration of time between detection of a downtime condition and re-starting the baler machine and a user-provided cause of the downtime condition;

comparing at least one of the collected downtime data and the collected runtime data to a predetermined baseline performance value; and

generating a production report identifying a difference between the collected data and the baseline performance value.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising establishing at least one baseline performance value for the at least one baler machine.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein establishing at least one baseline performance value comprises collecting runtime data over a predetermined time, and averaging the collected runtime data to establish the baseline performance value.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein establishing at least one baseline performance value further comprises establishing at least one baseline performance value that includes a target tons per hour of baled material produced by the at least one baler machine.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising communicating the collected downtime and runtime data to the remotely located computer-based performance interface.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one baler machine comprises a plurality of baler machines each having a respective monitoring interface, the method further comprising:

receiving, with the remotely located computer-based performance interface, runtime data and downtime data from each of the respective monitoring interfaces; and

assimilating the data from each of the plurality of machines into the production report.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein generating the production report further includes comparing the data from the plurality of baler machines to one another.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein collecting the downtime data comprises:

sensing a downtime condition of the at least one baler machine; and

recording information regarding the sensed downtime condition.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein collecting runtime data comprises accepting data and information being input by a human operator of the at least one baler machine while the at least one baler machine is operating.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

presenting, using the monitoring interface, runtime data inputs and downtime data inputs to a user of the at least one baler machine; and

accepting user-selected inputs from the presented runtime data inputs.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein presenting runtime data inputs and downtime data inputs further comprises presenting at least one of an operator identification input, a shift input, and a maintenance person input as the presented runtime data inputs.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein presenting runtime data inputs and downtime data inputs further comprises presenting material type inputs including at least one of a corrugated cardboard (OCC) type input, a paper input, a fiber input, a plastic input, and a metal input as the presented runtime data inputs.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein presenting runtime data inputs and downtime data inputs further comprises presenting at least one of a conveyor input, a baler input, a wire tier input, and a waiting to bale input as the presented downtime data inputs.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein presenting a conveyor input comprises presenting at least one of a mechanical downtime input, an electrical downtime input, a jam downtime input, and a structural downtime input.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein presenting a baler input comprises presenting at least one of a mechanical downtime input, an electrical downtime input, a hydraulic downtime input, a jam knives downtime input, a jam overcharge input, and a structural downtime input.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein presenting a wire tier input comprises presenting at least one of a wire change downtime input, a feed downtime input, a track/fingers downtime input, a reaching home downtime input, a knotter/twister downtime input, a cutter downtime input, a knot eject downtime input, a knot downtime input, an electrical downtime input, and a hydraulic downtime input.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein presenting a waiting to bale input comprises presenting at least one of a warm up input, a clean up input, a breaks/lunch input, a meetings input, a preventive maintenance input, a no material input, a no loader input, a no forklift input, a no labor input, and a grade change input.

32. The method of claim 20, further comprising generating an alarm during a downtime condition.

33. A network-based system for monitoring and evaluating production performance of a plurality of baler machines in various reclamation facilities, the system comprising:

a monitoring interface local to each of the plurality of baler machines, each monitoring interface configured to collect downtime data and runtime data for each respective baler machine, the downtime data including at least a duration of time between detection of a downtime condition and re-starting the respective baler machine and a user-provided cause of the downtime condition; and

a performance interface configured to receive the downtime data and runtime data from each monitoring interface, the performance interface comprising a database for storing information and a server system coupled to the database, the server system configured to;

receive the downtime data and runtime data from the monitoring interfaces;

compile the received downtime data and runtime data; and

generate a production report identifying operating trends for each of the plurality of baler machines to compare the plurality of baler machines to one another.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the server system is further configured to identify an underperforming baler machine based on the received data.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the server system is further configured to establish performance values for each of the plurality of baler machines based on the received data.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the server system is further configured to send the production reports to responsible personnel.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the server system is further configured to send the production reports via one of facsimile or email.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the server system is further configured to periodically generate the production reports.

39. The system of claim 33, wherein the server system is further configured to archive the received runtime and downtime data.