Electronic supervisor

• US 8,078,303 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Southwire Company
• Original Assignee: Southwire Company
• Inventors: McGuinn, Jackie, Stephens, Tom, Wilson, Steve, Logan, Stephen, Crumpler, Mike, Stewart, Alon, Butler, Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US12/166,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 707/634, 707/687, 700/22, 700/109, 700/110, 700/95, 700/117, 324/326, 324/508, 324/555, 439/578
• US Class Current: 700/109
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32196 Store audit, history of inspection, control and workpiece data into database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Electronic supervision may be provided. First, a stock number may be sent to a database server. The stock number may correspond to a product comprising, for example, an electrical cable. In response to sending the database server the stock number, specification information corresponding to the product may be received from a database stored on the database server. The specification information may comprise, for an electrical cable, a number of wires, a weight per thousand feet, and a diameter. Next, product production may be monitored to determine faults occurring during production. Monitoring the production may comprise displaying a data monitoring screen to production personnel. The data monitoring screen may provide data regarding the product and product comparison against a standard maintained within the database for the product. Fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production may be saved to the database.

Claims

1. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product comprising an electrical cable from a database, wherein retrieving the specification information comprises retrieving at least one of the following;

a number of wires in the electrical cable, a weight per thousand feet of the electrical cable, and a diameter of the electrical cable, in response to sending, through a web interface module, a database server a stock number corresponding to the product, the database server containing the database;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the production further comprises collecting data from a diameter measuring device connected to one of the following:

a digital control and an analog control.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the production further comprises displaying a data monitoring screen to production personnel on a thin client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the production further comprises displaying a data monitoring screen to production personnel on a thin client, the data monitoring screen providing data regarding the product and a comparison of the product against a standard maintained within the database for the product.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occurs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occurs, the deviation comprising at least one of the following:

a mechanical surface flaw, a surface flaw, a lump flaw, and a neck flaw.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occur, the deviation comprising an insulation flaw.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occur, the deviation comprising an insulation flaw, the insulation flaw being detected using a spark test apparatus on a manufacturing line used to make the product, the spark test apparatus being connected to one of the following:

a digital control and an analog control.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein saving the fault data comprises saving the fault data comprising time a fault occurs, a date the fault occurs, a footage count at which the fault occurs, a machine number at which the fault occurs, the stock number of the product, a type of the fault, and physical values associated with the fault.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a time value from the database server containing the database; and

updating a supervisory controller with the obtained time value via a web interface module, the supervisory controller being configured to control the manufacturing of the product.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing electronic supervision, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

sending a database server a stock number corresponding to a product, the product comprising an electrical cable;

in response to sending the database server the stock number, retrieving specification information corresponding to the product from a database stored on the database server, the specification information comprising at least one of the following;

a number of wires in the electrical cable, a weight per thousand feet of the electrical cable, and a diameter of the electrical cable;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production, wherein monitoring the production further comprises displaying a data monitoring screen to production personnel on a thin client, the data monitoring screen providing data regarding the product and a comparison of the product against a standard maintained within the database for the product; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein saving the fault data comprises saving the fault data comprising at least one of the following:

a time a fault occurs, a date the fault occurs, a footage count at which the fault occurs, a machine number at which the fault occurs, a stock number of the product, a type of the fault, and physical values associated with the fault.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining a time value from a database server containing the database; and

updating a supervisory controller with the obtained time value via a web interface module.

14. A system for providing electronic supervision, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

retrieve specification information corresponding to a product from a database, the processing unit being operative to retrieve the specification information comprises the processing unit being operative to retrieve the specification information in response the processing unit sending a database server a machine number of a programmable logic controller, the database server containing the database, the programmable logic controller being configured to control a manufacturing line configured to manufacture the product, wherein the specification information comprises a recommended line speed for the manufacturing line;

monitor production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production, wherein the processing unit being operative to monitor the production further comprises the processing unit being operative to display a data monitoring screen to production personnel on a thin client;

save, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production, wherein the processing unit being operative to save the fault data comprises the processing unit being operative to save the fault data comprising a time a fault occurs, a date the fault occurs, a footage count at which the fault occurs, a machine number at which the fault occurs, a stock number of the product, a type of the fault, and physical values associated with the fault;

obtain a time value from a database server containing the database; and

update a supervisory controller with the obtained time value via a web interface module.

15. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product from a database, wherein retrieving the specification information comprises retrieving the specification information in response to sending a database server a stock number corresponding to the product comprising an electrical cable, the database server containing the database, wherein the specification information comprises at least one of the following;

a number of wires in the electrical cable, a weight per thousand feet of the electrical cable, and a diameter of the electrical cable;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production.

16. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product from a database, the product comprising an electrical cable, wherein retrieving the specification information comprises retrieving at least one of the following;

a number of wires in the electrical cable, a weight per thousand feet of the electrical cable, and a diameter of the electrical cable;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production, wherein monitoring the production further comprises collecting data from a diameter measuring device connected to one of the following;

a digital control and an analog control; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production.

17. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product from a database;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production, wherein saving the fault data further comprises saving, to the database, footage marker counts between which a deviation from a standard for the product occurs, the deviation comprising an insulation flaw.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the deviation further comprises at least one of the following:

a mechanical surface flaw, a surface flaw, a lump flaw, and a neck flaw.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the insulation flaw is detected using a spark test apparatus on a manufacturing line used to make the product, the spark test apparatus being connected to one of the following:

a digital control and an analog control.

20. A method for providing electronic supervision, the method comprising:

retrieving specification information corresponding to a product from a database;

monitoring production of the product to determine faults occurring during the monitored production; and

saving, to the database, fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production, wherein saving the fault data comprises saving the fault data comprising time a fault occurs, a date the fault occurs, a footage count at which the fault occurs, a machine number at which the fault occurs, a stock number of the product, a type of the fault, and physical values associated with the fault.