Tooling system

• US 9,740,790 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2016
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Difr-Tek Digital, LLC
• Original Assignee: Proper Digital LLC
• Inventors: O'Brien, Geoffrey C., Rusch, Mark A., Brolley, Sean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US15/075,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20160203232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2033/705 Mould inspection means, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/1796 Moulds carrying mould related information or codes, e.g. bar codes, counters
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 31/006 Handling moulds, e.g. between a mould store and a moulding machine movable moulds B29C33/34; for injection moulding B29C45/1756
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/70 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/17 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49304 Tool identification, code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products

Abstract

A tooling system may comprise a tool scanner, a tool database, and a user interface device. The tool scanner may be configured to scan a tool identifier on a tool. The tool database may have tool information associated with the tool identifier. The user interface device may be in communication with the tool scanner and the tool database. The user interface device may receive tool information from the tool database in response to the scan by the tool scanner, concurrently display a tool issue description and a tool issue image from the tool information of the tool database, receive a tool area selection with respect to the tool issue image, and provide access to a tool issue history from the tool database in response to the tool area selection.

Claims

1. A tooling system comprising:

a tool scanner configured to scan a tool identifier on a tool;

a tool database having tool information associated with the tool identifier; and

a user interface device in communication with the tool scanner and the tool database, wherein the user interface device;

receives tool information from the tool database in response to the scan by the tool scanner,

concurrently displays a tool issue description, a tool issue image from the tool information of the tool database, and a plurality of sections on the tool issue image, the plurality of sections including first and second sections on a cavity side of a mold and third and fourth sections on a core side of the mold,

receives a tool area selection with respect to at least one of the plurality of sections on the tool issue image, and

provides access to a tool issue history from the tool database in response to the tool area selection of the at least one of the plurality of sections,

wherein the tool information includes tool set-up information, design information, maintenance instructions, tool condition, manufacture date, warranty information, and authenticity information from the tool information of the tool database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface device further concurrently displays boxes, windows, areas, or buttons associated with the tool set-up information, design information, maintenance instructions, tool condition, manufacture date, warranty information, and authenticity information from the tool information of the tool database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface device further concurrently displays a tool location from at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) and cellular triangulation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface device further sends tool information to a predetermined list of contacts associated with the tool.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool identifier is at least one of a bar code, a quick response (QR) code, a universal product code (UPC), and a radiofrequency identification (RFID).

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool scanner includes at least one of a code scanner, a cellular phone, or an optical machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool database includes a cloud database.

8. A method of using a tooling system comprising:

providing a tool scanner configured to scan a tool identifier on a tool, a tool database having tool information associated with the tool identifier, and a user interface device in communication with the tool scanner and the tool database;

receiving tool information from the tool database in response to the scan by the tool scanner,

concurrently displaying a tool issue description, a tool issue image from the tool information of the tool database, and a plurality of sections on the tool issue image, the plurality of sections including first and second sections on a cavity side of a mold and third and fourth sections on a core side of the mold,

receiving a tool area selection with respect to at least one of the plurality of sections on the tool issue image, and

providing access to a tool issue history from the tool database in response to the tool area selection of the at least one of the plurality of sections,

wherein the tool information includes tool set-up information, design information, maintenance instructions, tool condition, manufacture date, warranty information, and authenticity information from the tool information of the tool database.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user interface device further concurrently displays boxes, windows, areas, or buttons associated with the tool set-up information, design information, maintenance instructions, tool condition, manufacture date, warranty information, and authenticity information from the tool information of the tool database.

10. The method of claim 8, further concurrently displaying a tool location from at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) and cellular triangulation.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending tool information to a predetermined list of contacts associated with the tool.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the tool identifier is at least one of a bar code, a quick response (QR) code, a universal product code (UPC), and a radiofrequency identification (RFID).

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the tool scanner includes at least one of a code scanner, a cellular phone, or an optical machine.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the tool database includes a cloud database.

15. A tooling system providing operations comprising:

provide a tool scanner configured to scan a tool identifier on a tool, a tool database having tool information associated with the tool identifier, and a user interface device in communication with the tool scanner and the tool database;

receive tool information from the tool database in response to the scan by the tool scanner,

concurrently display a tool issue description, a tool issue image from the tool information of the tool database, and a plurality of sections on the tool issue image, the plurality of sections including first and second sections on a cavity side of a mold and third and fourth sections on a core side of the mold,

receive a tool area selection with respect to at least one of the plurality of sections on the tool issue image, and

provide access to a tool issue history from the tool database in response to the tool area selection of the at least one of the plurality of sections,

wherein the tool information includes tool set-up information, design information, maintenance instructions, tool condition, manufacture date, warranty information, and authenticity information from the tool information of the tool database.

16. The system of claim 15, the operations further comprising concurrently display boxes, windows, areas, or buttons associated with the tool set-up information, design information, maintenance instructions, tool condition, manufacture date, warranty information, and authenticity information from the tool information of the tool database.

17. The system of claim 15, the operations further comprising concurrently display a tool location from at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) and cellular triangulation.

18. The system of claim 15, the operations further comprising sending tool information to a predetermined list of contacts associated with the tool.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the tool identifier is at least one of a bar code, a quick response (QR) code, a universal product code (UPC), and a radiofrequency identification (RFID).

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the tool scanner includes at least one of a code scanner, a cellular phone, or an optical machine.