Preventative maintenance system

• US 9,975,172 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Inventors: Galt, John Robert, Phillips, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Akintola, Olabode
• Application Number:
  US11/763,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20070294121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,994 Days
• Field of Search: 705 8- 10
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 17/32 Controlling equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 46/00 Controlling, supervising, not restricted to casting covered by a single main group, e.g. for safety reasons controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76163 Errors, malfunctioning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76943 compare with thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/76 Measuring, controlling or regulating measuring in general G01; controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/768 Detecting defective moulding conditions B29C45/84 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

A method and apparatus for real time preventative maintenance of a molding system. The molding system could be a metal molding system or a plastics molding system. The method and apparatus are capable for scheduling service, business billing and invoicing, parts management, a remote control of a molding system for assessing the need for preventative maintenance. The indication for preventative maintenance is based upon a real time operational status of the molding system.

Claims

1. A real time preventative maintenance system for real time preventative maintenance of a molding system, the real time preventative maintenance system comprising:

a processor configured to execute a preventative maintenance logic, the preventative maintenance logic directing the processor to;

receive operational data, in real time, from one or more sensors attached to one or more corresponding sub-assemblies and components of the molding system;

identify indicators, based on the one or more sensors being monitored, of a potential premature failure of the one or more corresponding sub-assemblies and components of the molding system;

determine that the operational data indicates a condition outside of an operational threshold that can lead to the potential premature failure of the one or more corresponding sub-assemblies or components of the molding system;

automatically schedule preventative maintenance of the molding system based on the operational data before an actual failure of the one or more corresponding sub-assemblies or components of the molding system at a time that is best fit to a production cycle of the molding system;

throttle operation of the molding system when a determination is made that the operational data indicates a condition outside of an operational threshold that can lead to the potential failure of the one or more corresponding sub-assemblies or components of the molding system; and

update the operational threshold based on one or more events comprising environmental changes, customer data, manufacturer upgrade and geographical location based upon real time use of the molding system.

2. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, wherein:

the preventative maintenance logic directs the processor to;

predict or indicate the potential failure in advance of the actual failure of the one or more corresponding sub-assemblies and components of the molding system.

3. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, wherein:

the preventative maintenance logic directs the processor to;

indicate a trend towards the potential failure as well as indicate the actual failure when it occurs.

4. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, wherein:

the preventative maintenance logic directs the processor to automatically schedule preventative maintenance of the molding system comprises;

the preventative maintenance logic directs the processor to move some or all jobs scheduled for the molding system to another molding system to create sufficient down time for maintenance to occur.

5. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, wherein:

the real time preventative maintenance system is embodied in a control system of the molding system.

6. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, wherein:

the real time preventative maintenance system is embodied as a stand alone system at one of a customer factory and an equipment manufacturer'"'"'s site providing customer service.

7. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, wherein:

the real time preventative maintenance system is partially embodied in a control system of the molding system and interacts with other software systems distributed at a customer site or a manufacturer'"'"'s site.

8. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the preventative maintenance logic directs the processor to:

generate an alert notice.

9. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, wherein:

wherein identifying indicators comprises sampling at least one real time operational parameter data from the at least one sensor of the molding system.

10. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 9, wherein identifying indicators further comprises comparing the real time operational parameter with a real time threshold data.

11. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, in combination with the one or more sensors.

12. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 11, wherein one of the one or more sensors measures one of:

voltage, current, temperature, pressure, humidity, and flow rate.

13. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 11, wherein the component that one of the one or more sensors is attached to comprises one of:

a drive that provides operational power for a screw of the molding system, a barrel of the molding system, and a mold.

14. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 1, further comprising a history module for storing the one or more events.

15. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 14, wherein updating the operational threshold comprises setting a minimum real time operational limit, a maximum real time operational limit and a normal operational range.

16. The real time preventative maintenance system of claim 14, wherein updating the operational threshold comprises updating the minimum real time operational limit based on the operational history of the molding system, and updating the maximum real time operational limit of the molding system.