System to monitor a consumable part and method to monitor performance life and predict maintenance thereof

• US 8,279,072 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kanthal Thermal Process, Inc. (Sandvik AB)
• Original Assignee: Sandvik Thermal Process, Inc. (Sandvik AB)
• Inventors: Peck, Kevin B., Larsson, Bjorn W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US12/404,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 340/588, 702/130
• US Class Current: 340/588
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time

Abstract

A method for determining a maintenance interval for a consumable part and/or for equipment containing a consumable part obtains a plurality of measurements of temperature of the consumable part, receives each of the measurements at a totalizing unit, correlates each of the measurements to one of a plurality of temperature subranges, accumulates for each of the subranges an amount of time the measurements of temperature were correlated to each of the subranges, determines a total time by aggregating the accumulated time for each subrange with a weighting function, and generates a signal to prompt a maintenance event when the total time equals or passes a runtime setpoint. In supplement to or in alternative to the above, the method also correlates a subrange of two sequential measurements, indexes a breakpoint register if the correlated subranges are different, and generates a signal to prompt a maintenance event when a value of the breakpoint register equals or passes a breakpoint setpoint. A system for collecting, storing, and displaying runtime data of a resistive heating element in a semiconductor processing unit is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a lifetime of a consumable part of a piece of equipment, the system comprising:

a totalizing unit to accumulate an amount of time spent at each of a plurality of temperature operating ranges of the piece of equipment; and

a measuring unit to measure a temperature of the consumable part and in operable communication to the totalizing unit,

wherein a temperature operating range is divided into a plurality of temperature subranges,

wherein the totalizing unit accumulates an amount of time the consumable part is at a temperature within each temperature subrange, and

wherein the consumable part includes a heating element, a thermocouple or a quartz tube.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the amount of time accumulated by the totalizing unit for each temperature subrange is aggregated by a weighting function, and wherein a first temperature subrange is given a fractional weight relative to a second temperature subrange, the first temperature subrange being lower than the second temperature subrange.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a signal is generated to prompt a maintenance event when the amount of time aggregated by the totalizing unit equals or passes a runtime setpoint.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the amount of time accumulated by the totalizing unit for each temperature subrange is aggregated by summing with the weighting function.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein adjacent temperature subranges are separated by a break point and the totalizing unit accumulates the number of breakpoints.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the totalizing unit indexes a register for each breakpoint, and wherein a signal is generated to prompt a maintenance event when the register is equal to or passes a breakpoint setpoint.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the totalizing unit accumulates a number of transitions between each temperature subrange.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is embedded in (a) a control unit, (b) software saved at a control unit, at a computer or on a server, or (c) firmware.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the piece of equipment is a semiconductor processing unit and the consumable part includes a resistive heating element.

10. A system for monitoring a lifetime of a consumable part of a piece of equipment, the system comprising:

a totalizing unit to accumulate an amount of time spent at each of a plurality of temperature operating ranges of the piece of equipment; and

a measuring unit in operable communication to the totalizing unit,

wherein the measuring unit measures at least one of a temperature of the consumable part and a parameter correlated to temperature of the consumable part,

wherein a temperature operating range is divided into a plurality of temperature subranges,

wherein the totalizing unit accumulates an amount of time the consumable part is at a temperature within each temperature subrange, and

wherein the consumable part includes a heating element, a thermocouple or a quartz tube.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the parameter correlated to temperature is a supply current or a gas flow rate.

12. A system for collecting, storing, and displaying runtime data of a consumable part in a piece of equipment, the system comprising:

a plurality of measuring units to measure a temperature of the consumable part or to measure a parameter correlated to temperature of the consumable part;

a totalizing unit to one or more of (a) accumulate an amount of time spent at each of a plurality of temperature operating subranges based on an output from the plurality of measuring units and (b) accumulate a number of breakpoints through which the output from the plurality of measuring units has transitioned, the breakpoints separating adjacent temperature subranges;

a computer network for receiving and storing at least one of the accumulated time and the accumulated number of breakpoints; and

a graphical user interface for displaying and retrieving at least one of the accumulated time and the accumulated number of breakpoints,

wherein the consumable part includes a heating element, a thermocouple or a quartz tube.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the piece of equipment is a semiconductor processing unit.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the consumable part includes a resistive heating element.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the parameter correlated to temperature is a supply current or a gas flow rate.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the amount of time accumulated by the totalizing unit for each temperature subrange is aggregated by a weighting function, wherein a first temperature subrange is given a fractional weight relative to a second temperature subrange, the first temperature subrange being lower than the second temperature subrange.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a signal is generated to prompt a maintenance event when the amount of time aggregated by the totalizing unit equals or passes a runtime setpoint.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the totalizing unit indexes a register for each breakpoint, and wherein a signal is generated to prompt a maintenance event when the register is equal to or passes a breakpoint setpoint.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the totalizing unit indexes a register for each breakpoint, and wherein a signal is generated to prompt a maintenance event when the register is equal to or passes a breakpoint setpoint.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is embedded in (a) a control unit, (b) software saved at a control unit, at a computer or on a server, or (c) firmware.

21. A method for determining a maintenance interval for equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a plurality of measurements of temperature of a consumable part or a plurality of measurements of a parameter correlated to temperature of the consumable part;

receiving each of the measurements at a totalizing unit;

correlating each of the measurements to one of a plurality of temperature subranges;

accumulating for each of the subranges an amount of time the measurements were correlated to each of the subranges; and

determining a total temperature normalized operating time for the consumable part by aggregating the accumulated time for each subrange with a weighting function, wherein a first temperature subrange is given a fractional weight relative to a second temperature subrange, the first temperature subrange being lower than the second temperature subrange,

wherein the consumable part includes a heating element, a thermocouple or a quartz tube.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the piece of equipment is a semiconductor processing unit.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the consumable part includes a resistive heating element.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the parameter correlated to temperature is a supply current or a gas flow rate.

25. The method of claim 21, comprising generating a signal to prompt a maintenance event when the total temperature normalized operating time equals or passes a runtime setpoint.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein aggregating is by summing with the weighting function.

27. The method of claim 21, comprising:

comparing the correlated subrange of two sequential measurements;

if the correlated subranges are different, indexing a breakpoint register; and

generating a signal to prompt a maintenance event when a value of the breakpoint register equals or passes a breakpoint setpoint.

28. The method of claim 21, comprising remotely monitoring the total temperature normalized operating time over a computer network.