Smart Production Process Management System Based on Automatic Equipment Data Collection

Abstract

A smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection is provided. The smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection includes an integrated management server that automatically collects and analyzes operation information from production equipment to perform real-time process monitoring, an equipment data collection device that relays between the production equipment and the integrated management server to collect information on the equipment's operating status, production quantity, and alarm occurrence in real time, and a field work terminal deployed on the production line for a worker to view work instructions and input the start and end times of the work.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection, and more specifically, to a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) technology that automatically collects and analyzes operational information from various production facilities operated in seafood processing and packaging processes to perform real-time process monitoring and integrated management. Background Technology

[0003] Recently, the manufacturing sector has seen active implementation of smart factories incorporating ICT technologies to improve productivity and quality control. In particular, the food processing industry is emphasizing the importance of hygiene management and manufacturing traceability throughout the entire process, from the receipt of raw materials to processing, packaging, and shipment.

[0004] Traditionally, small and medium-sized food processing sites primarily used a method where workers manually recorded production performance, equipment operating hours, and defective quantities on paper documents and subsequently aggregated them using tools like Excel. This approach has limitations, such as a susceptibility to omissions and errors during data entry, and the difficulty for managers to monitor the situation in real-time and make immediate decisions. For instance, even when production was halted due to equipment breakdowns or material depletion, responses were frequently delayed because these events were not immediately recognized.

[0005] Furthermore, there is a problem in that integrated data collection is difficult due to the coexistence of various equipment from different manufacturers within the process. Since existing equipment such as metal detectors and newly introduced automatic packaging machines use different control methods, a separate interface device and a standardized data collection system are required to integrate and manage the data generated from these machines on a central server. In addition, the absence of a system capable of real-time monitoring of critical quality data—such as foreign object detection information and packaging sealing temperatures directly related to food safety—and the rapid tracking of problems when they occur is causing a decline in production efficiency and the occurrence of claims. Prior art literature

[0007] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2025-0041880, published on March 26, 2025 The problem to be solved

[0008] The present invention has been devised to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and aims to eliminate the inefficiency of manual management and ensure data accuracy by automatically collecting data such as operating status, production quantity, and the presence or absence of equipment abnormalities in real time by linking a data collection device to equipment at a production site.

[0009] In addition, the present invention aims to increase quality reliability and maximize production efficiency by analyzing production performance based on collected data, identifying signs of equipment abnormalities in advance and providing notifications, and tracking and managing the lot history from raw material input to finished product production.

[0010] The problems of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0012] A smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment for solving the above problem includes an integrated management server that automatically collects and analyzes operation information from production equipment to perform real-time process monitoring, an equipment data collection device that relays between the production equipment and the integrated management server to collect information on the equipment's operation status, production quantity, and alarm occurrence in real time, and a field work terminal deployed on a production line for a worker to view work instructions and input work start and end times.

[0013] The above-mentioned integrated management server may include a communication unit for transmitting and receiving data with external devices, a database for structuring and storing data necessary for system operation, a standard information management unit for managing master data essential for production activities, a materials and sales management unit for managing logistics flow from the supply of raw materials to the sale of finished products, a production and process management unit for planning, executing, and controlling production activities at the manufacturing site, an equipment and quality management unit for the efficient operation of production facilities and product quality assurance, and a control unit for coordinating data flow between the above components.

[0014] The above database may store reference information data including employee information, business partner information, customer information, raw material information, auxiliary material information, product information, process routing information, equipment information, and non-conforming code information; material and product data including order history of raw materials and auxiliary materials, incoming inspection results, inventory quantity, and outgoing history; sales and production data including order information, production planning information, work instruction history, and work time by process; and quality and equipment data including real-time operation data collected from equipment, downtime and reasons, equipment error and alarm history, quantity and type of non-conforming products, and quality inspection results.

[0015] The above production and process management department may include a production plan management module that establishes a production plan considering order information, product inventory, and equipment production capacity; a work order management module that generates work orders based on the confirmed production plan and distributes them to each process and equipment manager; a process monitoring module that identifies and visualizes the progress of the production site in real time; and a history tracking module that manages the manufacturing history from raw material receipt to finished product shipment.

[0016] The above-mentioned traceability module maps and stores the lot number of materials input at each process stage, worker information, equipment operating conditions, and inspection results, traces back the raw material information and process conditions used in a specific product when a quality problem occurs in that product, and supports sorting and recall measures by tracing all finished products that used that material when a defect is found in a specific raw material lot.

[0017] The above equipment and quality management department includes an equipment data linkage module that collects and processes raw data through communication with heterogeneous production equipment, and a quality monitoring module that monitors and analyzes quality-related data generated during the process in real time. The equipment data linkage module calculates the operating time, time utilization rate, performance utilization rate, production volume, and number of errors of the production equipment, and can calculate an overall equipment efficiency index based on the inspection quantity, detection quantity, number of errors, and operating time from the inspection equipment.

[0018] The quality monitoring module above monitors whether the sealing temperature of the packaging process deviates from the set upper and lower thresholds, monitors whether a foreign object detection signal is generated by a metal detector, and can send an alarm to a manager terminal if the process data deviates from the control standard or if abnormal signs are detected.

[0019] The integrated management server further includes a performance data verification unit that cross-verifies production performance data using multiple data sources to ensure the integrity of production performance data. The performance data verification unit sets the mechanical cycle count of an automatic packaging machine, the number of barcode scans input through a field work terminal, the converted film consumption length quantity of an automatic packaging machine, and the product pass sensor count of a metal detector as comparison groups. At each set verification cycle, it aggregates the increments of each data source belonging to the comparison group. If the difference between the data sources is within the allowable error range, it assigns a high reliability grade to the production performance data of the corresponding section; if the difference between the data sources exceeds the allowable error range, it assigns a low reliability grade to the data of the corresponding section and saves it in a provisional performance state.

[0020] The above equipment and quality management department further includes a non-operation analysis and recommendation module to improve the accuracy of equipment non-operation data. The non-operation analysis and recommendation module determines a non-operation event if a state in which an operation signal is not received from the equipment persists for longer than a preset time. It analyzes the PLC error code, sensor status value, and recent operation history of the field work terminal that occurred at the time of non-operation to select the top three recommended reasons. It displays the selected recommended reasons in a pop-up form on the field work terminal screen so that the operator confirms the reason through a touch operation within a preset time. It also saves and freezes all PLC error codes, sensor values, and motor load rates in a snapshot form at the time the equipment transitions from operation to stop. Additionally, it excludes any additional error signals occurring before the equipment restarts from the non-operation cause analysis, thereby enabling the initial cause locking operation. Effects of the invention

[0022] According to the smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to an embodiment of the present invention, process data is aggregated in real time through a data collection device linked to production equipment such as an automatic packaging machine and a metal detector, thereby preventing errors caused by manual aggregation and enabling accurate identification of production status.

[0023] In addition, the present invention monitors key factors directly related to quality and operation, such as the sealing temperature of the equipment, film consumption, and metal detection signals, in real time, and supports a rapid response by immediately notifying the manager when the set threshold is exceeded or an abnormality occurs. Through this, equipment downtime can be shortened and the product defect rate can be reduced.

[0024] Furthermore, the present invention integrates and manages data for the entire process from raw material receipt to product shipment and provides a lot tracking function, which enables the rapid tracing of the cause in the event of quality issues and has the effect of minimizing material loss through systematic inventory management. Through this, overall hourly production volume can be increased and customer claims reduced, thereby strengthening manufacturing competitiveness.

[0025] The effects according to the embodiments are not limited to those exemplified above, and a wider variety of effects are included in this specification. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the structure and process flow of a smart factory in which a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment is implemented. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the interlocking structure of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an integrated management server of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a database of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the production and process management unit of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment. FIGS. 6 to 9 are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of manager interfaces of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0028] The advantages and features of the present invention and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0029] All flowcharts, state transition diagrams, pseudocode, etc., which can be substantially represented on a computer-readable medium, should be understood as representing various processes performed by a computer or processor, regardless of whether the computer or processor is explicitly depicted.

[0030] The functions of the various elements illustrated in the drawings, including functional blocks represented as processors or similar concepts, may be provided by the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in conjunction with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, said functions may be provided by a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or a plurality of individual processors, some of which may be shared. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components.

[0031] Terms such as "...part," "module," etc., as described in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and this may be implemented in hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software.

[0032] The contents within parentheses used in the specification may be examples. Specifically, where indicated as "Network (Bluetooth)," "Bluetooth" may be proposed as an example of "Network." In this case, the "Network" of the present disclosure is not limited to "Bluetooth," and "Bluetooth" is proposed as an example of "Network."

[0033] Specific embodiments will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the structure and process flow of a smart factory in which a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment is implemented.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 1, a smart factory operates within a series of value chain structures in which raw materials and auxiliary materials are supplied from suppliers, products are produced, and the products are shipped to customers. A smart production process management system (10) (hereinafter referred to as the MES system) according to an embodiment of the present invention is located at the center of such a smart factory and serves as a platform that integrates and manages information generated throughout the entire production process.

[0036] Specifically, the MES system is networked with production equipment installed in the factory, such as internal packaging equipment (automatic packaging machines) and metal detectors, to collect data on equipment operating status, production performance, and quality inspection in real time. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the MES system does not stop at simply collecting equipment data but organically combines and provides core functions necessary for factory operations, such as master data management, production management, product warehouse management, equipment management, and quality management.

[0037] For example, material information received from suppliers is registered in the system through master data and product warehouse management functions, and is fed into inner packaging equipment according to the production plan. While the process is in progress at the equipment, equipment management and quality control functions operate to monitor process data in real time, and finally, the finished product is systematically managed until it is delivered to the customer. In this way, the system of the present invention realizes a smart factory environment where the data flow from raw material receipt to finished product shipment is uninterrupted, as each process stage and management function is interconnected around the MES system.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the interlocking structure of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 2, a smart production process management system (10) based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment may be configured to include an integrated management server (100), an equipment data collection device (200), a field work terminal (300), and a production equipment group (400). The system is installed at a manufacturing site, such as a seafood processing plant, and performs the function of digitizing and managing data from the entire process from the receipt of raw materials to processing, packaging, inspection, and shipment.

[0041] The integrated management server (100) is a device that performs a pivotal role in the system and can be implemented as a physical server computer located in an office or a separate computer room within the factory, or as a cloud server managed remotely. The integrated management server (100) is operated by a production manager or a quality manager, and collects data transmitted from various devices in the field, stores it in a database, and analyzes it to provide Manufacturing Execution System (MES) functions such as establishing production plans, monitoring processes, managing inventory, and tracking quality history. The integrated management server (100) transmits and receives data with lower-level devices via wired or wireless networks and provides a web-based interface so that managers can check the status of the factory anytime and anywhere through a PC or mobile device.

[0042] The equipment data collection device (200) is an interface device that relays between heterogeneous equipment installed at the production site and the integrated management server (100). This can typically be implemented as hardware dedicated to data collection, such as UPAN (Ubiquitous Process Agent Network). The equipment data collection device (200) is physically connected to the control unit (PLC, etc.) of the production equipment group (400) to acquire raw data in real time, such as the operating status of the equipment, production quantity, and whether an alarm has occurred. Since the communication method or data specifications may differ for each piece of equipment, the equipment data collection device (200) acts as a gateway that converts the acquired data into a standard protocol that the integrated management server (100) can recognize and transmits it. This allows the operating status of the equipment to be automatically aggregated on the server without the need for separate manual input.

[0043] Specifically, the equipment data collection device (200) includes a protocol conversion unit that converts raw data of various specifications collected from a production equipment group (400) into a standardized format that can be processed by an integrated management server (100). Here, "converting to a standard protocol" means a process of parsing data packets transmitted via different communication standards for each equipment manufacturer (e.g., Mitsubishi Melsec, Siemens Profibus, serial RS-232 / 485, etc.) and reconstructing them into one or more open communication standards, such as OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture), MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport), or a JSON format based on RESTful API.

[0044] The field work terminal (300) is placed on the production line and includes input / output devices that are directly operated by field workers. It may consist of a kiosk equipped with a touchscreen, a monitoring PC serving as a status board, and a barcode scanner and printer for material identification. Through the kiosk, the worker can view work instructions assigned to them, input the start and end times of the work, or report reasons for equipment non-operation. Additionally, by scanning information on raw materials being input or finished products being produced using a barcode scanner, it serves to align the movement of physical materials with the flow of computer data. The field work terminal (300) transmits the worker's operation information to the integrated management server (100) and displays process information received as feedback from the server on the screen to help the worker perform tasks efficiently.

[0045] The production equipment group (400) is a collection of physical mechanical devices that perform the manufacturing and inspection processes of actual products. In this embodiment, it may include an automatic packaging machine (410) that packages processed seafood products such as smoked salmon, and a metal detector (420) that detects metal foreign objects within the packaged products. Each piece of equipment operates through its own control unit (PLC) and generates various status information (temperature, speed, pressure, inspection results, etc.) that occurs during the execution of the process. This information is extracted in real time through the equipment data collection device (200) described above and is used as integrated management data for the entire system.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an integrated management server of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 3, the integrated management server (100) may include a communication unit (110), a database (120), a standard information management unit (130), a material and sales management unit (140), a production and process management unit (150), an equipment and quality management unit (160), a system support unit (170), an administrator interface provision unit (180), and a control unit (190). The integrated management server (100) is a device that serves as the data hub and functional core of the system, and is composed of a combination of various software modules and hardware resources to systematically process complex production process data and provide meaningful information to the user.

[0049] The communication unit (110) is a communication interface that enables the integrated management server (100) to exchange data with external devices. The communication unit (110) supports standard network methods such as wired LAN (Ethernet) and wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), and maintains a continuous connection with the equipment data collection device (200) and field work terminal (300) at the production site. The communication unit (110) transmits and receives data based on the TCP / IP protocol and can support industrial standard communication specifications such as OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) for reliable transmission of equipment control data. In addition, the communication unit (110) can also perform data exchange functions through API (Application Programming Interface) calls when integration with external cloud services or customer systems is required. The communication unit (110) checks the integrity of received data packets and monitors network traffic load to ensure a stable communication environment.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a database of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 4, the database (120) is a storage facility that structures, stores, and manages all data necessary for system operation. Depending on the nature and use of the data, the database (120) may be subdivided into reference information data (121), material and product data (122), sales and production data (123), quality and equipment data (124), document and system data (125), etc.

[0053] The reference information data (121) stores master data that serves as the basis for system operation. Specifically, it includes employee information for user account and permission management, information on suppliers of raw materials, customer information on product delivery destinations, information on raw materials, information on auxiliary materials, and product information on items of products being produced. In addition, process management information for each product, process routing information, equipment information, and non-conforming code information according to defect types are also stored here and used as reference information in other modules.

[0054] The material and product data (122) stores real-time changes in inventory based on the logistics flow. This includes the order details of raw materials and auxiliary materials, the results of incoming inspections, the storage locations within the warehouse, and the current inventory quantities. In addition, it manages all transaction data related to receipts and disbursements (income and expenditure), such as the details of materials issued after being consumed in the production process, the inventory status of finished products received after production is complete, and the details of outgoing shipments following product shipments. Through this, the system can accurately determine the material and product inventory at any given time.

[0055] Sales and production data (123) records the workflow from a customer's order to the completion of product production. Order information received from customers (order quantity, delivery date, etc.) and production plan information established based on this information are stored. In addition, dynamic data regarding process progress is accumulated, such as work instructions issued to each production line and equipment, work start / end times for each process entered by workers through a kiosk, and the quantity of work-in-process (WIP) moving between processes. This data is used as key information for productivity analysis and delivery compliance rate management.

[0056] Quality and equipment data (124) stores technical data indicating the quality level of the product and the operating status of the equipment. In particular, real-time operation data (temperature, speed, pressure, etc.) collected from production equipment such as automatic packaging machines and metal detectors, non-operation time and reasons, and history of equipment errors and alarms are stored. Additionally, data generated from quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) activities are included, such as the quantity and type of non-conforming products that occurred during the process, history of foreign object detection signals from metal detectors, and quality inspection results for finished products. These data are used as supporting data for equipment predictive maintenance and quality improvement activities.

[0057] Document and system data (125) includes data for the stable operation of the system and support for administrative tasks. Various electronic document files and their metadata, such as HACCP certificates, work standards, and equipment manuals, are stored. In addition, log data for system security and auditing, such as announcement posts, system access logs by user, menu access history, and data modification history, are stored and managed.

[0059] The Master Data Management Department (130) performs the function of establishing and managing a standardized information system that serves as the basis for system operation. The Master Data Management Department (130) provides an interface and logic for registering, viewing, modifying, and deleting master data essential for production activities, such as employees, clients, items, and processes. Specifically, the Master Data Management Department (130) defines each user's department, rank, and assigned duties through the employee information management function and grants system access rights. In addition, it manages customer and partner company information to establish standards for sales and material management, assigns unique codes to all items such as raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished products, and manages attribute information such as specifications, units, and safety stock levels.

[0060] In particular, the standard information management unit (130) defines in detail the sequence of processes that each product must go through to be produced, the time required for each process (Tact Time), information on equipment and workers to be input, and the Bill of Materials (BOM) required through the process routing management function. This process routing information serves as a key standard to be referenced when establishing production plans and generating work instructions in the future. In addition, through the equipment standard information management function, it registers the specifications, inspection cycles, and management personnel of the equipment held in the factory, and systematizes defect type codes (non-conforming codes) for quality control to support the convenience of data input at the site and the accuracy of statistical analysis. The data organized through the standard information management unit (130) plays a role in ensuring data consistency throughout the system.

[0062] The materials and sales management department (140) is configured to manage logistics and upstream flow from the supply of raw materials to the sale of finished products, and includes a raw materials management module and a sales and shipment management module.

[0063] The raw materials and auxiliary materials management module performs the function of tracking the flow of raw materials and auxiliary materials required for product production and optimizing inventory. The module calculates the required quantities based on the production plan to generate material orders, and upon the receipt of materials from suppliers, it processes the receipt along with inspection results to increase the inventory in the system. At this stage, incoming materials are assigned a unique lot number or issued a barcode, allowing for individual identification until they are input into the process or consumed. Furthermore, it processes material releases in response to requests from the production site and maintains the accuracy of material receipt and disbursement data by providing an inventory adjustment function that corrects discrepancies between computerized and physical inventory through regular physical checks.

[0064] The Sales and Shipment Management Module supports the sales process from customer order receipt to product shipment. It registers order information from clients and establishes delivery schedules and shipment plans based on this data. Upon receipt of completed finished products, they are registered as inventory, and products are picked and packaged according to shipment instructions to process the shipment. In particular, this module is integrated with a barcode system to prevent incorrect shipments by scanning product box barcodes during dispatch, and enhances the efficiency of shipment operations by automatically generating transaction statements and outbound ledgers. Furthermore, it assists managers in decision-making by providing various statistical data necessary for sales activities, such as shipment status against orders, unsold inventory, and sales performance by period.

[0066] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the production and process management unit of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 5, the production and process management unit (150) is responsible for the core function of planning, executing, and controlling production activities at the manufacturing site. This is composed of a production planning management module (151), a work order management module (152), a process monitoring module (153), and a history tracking module (154).

[0068] The production plan management module (151) establishes an optimal production plan by comprehensively considering order information received from the sales department, current product inventory, and the production capacity (Capa) of the equipment. The production plan management module (151) generates daily, weekly, and monthly production plans and provides a function to flexibly modify the plan when changes occur, such as urgent orders or equipment breakdowns. In addition, it can also perform the function of calculating the required amount of materials based on the established plan and requesting procurement from the materials department.

[0069] The work order management module (152) generates specific work orders based on the confirmed production plan and distributes them to each process and equipment manager. The work order includes items to be produced, target quantity, scheduled work time, lot information of raw materials to be input, and information on equipment and molds to be used. The generated work order is transmitted to a kiosk or terminal at the site so that the worker can check it in real time, and the worker selects the order to start the work and enters the completion results.

[0070] The process monitoring module (153) identifies and visualizes the progress of the production site in real time. The process monitoring module (153) aggregates data collected from the equipment data collection device (200) and the field work terminal (300) and provides the current operating status of each line, production performance against the target, process progress rate, and defect occurrence status in the form of a dashboard. Through this, the manager can grasp the flow of the entire process at a glance without having to go to the site in person, and can immediately recognize and take action in the event of a bottleneck or anomaly.

[0071] The traceability module (154) transparently manages the manufacturing history from the receipt of raw materials to the shipment of finished products. The traceability module (154) maps and stores the lot number of materials input at each process stage, worker information, equipment operating conditions, inspection results, etc. Through this, when a quality problem occurs in a specific product, the cause can be identified by backward tracking the information on the raw materials used in the product and the process conditions at that time. Conversely, when a defect is found in a specific raw material lot, it supports forward tracking to take sorting and recall measures for all finished products that used the material. This lot tracking function enables a rapid response in the event of a food safety accident, thereby minimizing damage.

[0073] The facility and quality management department (160) is configured to perform functions for the efficient operation of production facilities and product quality assurance in an integrated manner, and includes a facility data linkage module and a quality monitoring module.

[0074] The equipment data linkage module collects raw data through communication with heterogeneous production equipment and processes it into meaningful information. The equipment data linkage module receives data such as operation signals, error codes, and production counts transmitted from production equipment, such as automatic packaging machines, or inspection equipment, such as metal detectors, in real time through an equipment data collection device (200). The received data is converted into a standardized format regardless of differences in communication protocols for each piece of equipment and stored in a database. In addition, based on the collected data, this module calculates the operating time, time utilization rate, performance utilization rate, production volume, and number of errors of the production equipment, and calculates the yield rate based on data such as inspection quantity, detection quantity, number of errors, and operating time from the inspection equipment to calculate the overall equipment efficiency (OEE) index. It supports the systematic management of equipment productivity by analyzing the operating time and non-operation details (breakdowns, standby, material shortages, etc.) for each piece of equipment. Furthermore, it assists in preventive maintenance activities by managing the replacement cycle of equipment consumables (e.g., packaging film, cutter blades, etc.) and notifying regular inspection schedules.

[0075] The quality monitoring module monitors and analyzes quality-related data generated during the process in real time to prevent defects and maintain quality levels. In particular, the module focuses on monitoring critical parameters in the food packaging process, such as whether sealing temperatures exceed set upper and lower thresholds or whether metal detectors generate foreign object detection signals. If process data deviates from control standards or abnormal signs are detected, an alarm is immediately sent via the manager's terminal or on-site warning lights to ensure prompt action. Furthermore, it aggregates process inspection results and final product inspection results entered by on-site workers to analyze trends in defect rates by period and type, and visualizes the causes of nonconformities using Pareto charts, thereby providing foundational data for quality improvement activities.

[0077] The system support unit (170) provides additional functions to create a stable operating environment for the MES system and to increase user convenience. The system support unit (170) primarily performs document management, user portal (my page), and system management functions.

[0078] First, the document management function digitizes and manages various documents required for the operation of a food safety management system (such as HACCP). The system support department (170) uploads certificates, training materials, shared documents, general documents, training completion certificates, process control standards, equipment manuals, etc., in the form of digital files and stores them on a central server, and supports users in easily searching, viewing, or downloading them through a kiosk or PC when needed. This eliminates the hassle of keeping paper documents on-site and facilitates the management of the latest versions of documents.

[0079] The user portal and announcement functions provide information sharing within the organization and a personalized work environment. The system support department (170) provides major internal announcements or work guidelines in the form of a bulletin board so that all employees can check them in real time, and through the 'My Page' function, individual users can modify their personal information, change their passwords, and view their assigned work history or training completion status.

[0080] Finally, the system management function is responsible for the security and maintenance of the system. The system support department (170) blocks unauthorized users from accessing important data by finely setting menu access rights for each user group. In addition, it automatically records user login history, menu access records, and data registration / modification / deletion logs to ensure traceability in the event of a security incident, and provides system access statistics to monitor usage status. It also performs the role of maintaining data consistency by managing standard codes used throughout the system, such as department codes and item type codes, through the common code management function.

[0082] The administrator interface providing unit (180) provides visualized dashboards and reporting tools so that system administrators or executives can intuitively grasp the overall process status and make efficient decisions. The administrator interface providing unit (180) can be accessed via a web browser or a dedicated client program and configures differentiated screens according to user authority. On the dashboard screen, key performance indicators (KPIs), such as daily production performance, equipment utilization rate, real-time defect rate, and shipment status, are visualized using graphic elements such as graphs, charts, and gauges and summarized on a single screen. Additionally, a monitoring screen based on the factory layout is provided to help intuitively grasp the status by displaying the current status (operating, stopped, alarm, etc.) according to the location of each piece of equipment using color changes or icons. The reporting function reduces the workload of management tasks by automatically generating various types of reports, such as period-based production daily reports, equipment non-operation analysis reports, and lot tracking reports, and supporting the export of these reports in file formats such as Excel and PDF.

[0084] The control unit (190) is a central processing unit (CPU) that controls the overall operation of the integrated management server (100) and coordinates the data flow between components. The control unit (190) manages middleware and application processes running on the operating system (OS) and distributes the load of the server by scheduling requests coming in simultaneously from multiple clients. The control unit (190) ensures the integrity of transactions for the database (120) and maintains uninterrupted operation of the system by performing exception handling in the event of unexpected errors. In addition, it controls periodic data backup and recovery processes to prepare for the risk of data loss, and can also perform the role of monitoring and blocking external hacking attempts or virus intrusions through a security module. The control unit (190) is responsible for the overall command of each function module (130~170) so that they are organically linked to accurately process user requirements.

[0086] FIGS. 6 to 9 are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of manager interfaces of a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection according to one embodiment.

[0087] First, FIG. 6 shows an example of a raw material information management screen provided by the standard information management department (130). Through this screen, the manager can systematically register and manage all raw material items used in production. At the top of the screen, a field is provided for entering search conditions such as raw material name, raw material code, and registration date and time, allowing the desired item to be quickly searched among numerous registered material information.

[0088] In the list area at the center of the screen, key information regarding the retrieved raw materials—such as code, name, unit, origin, classification (frozen / fresh, etc.), specifications, and main supplier name—is displayed in a table format. Users can add new raw material information via an input form by clicking the 'Register' button in the upper right corner; a bulk registration function via Excel file upload is also supported, providing convenience during the initial data setup. Additionally, maintenance tasks—such as modifying information on previously registered raw materials or deleting materials no longer in use—can be performed intuitively using the 'Edit' button located to the right of each row. This master data management interface is designed to enhance the accuracy of material management and minimize user errors.

[0089] FIG. 7 illustrates a raw material receiving management screen provided by the raw material management module of the materials and sales management department (140). This interface performs the function of registering and verifying the receiving history of raw materials brought into the factory from external suppliers in the computer system. Users can view receiving history under specific conditions through the search filters at the top (raw material code, raw material name, storage warehouse, etc.).

[0090] The displayed 'Raw Material Receipt Status' list shows detailed information for each receipt, including the unique receipt code automatically assigned by the system, the code and name of the corresponding material, country of origin, actual quantity and unit received, unit price and total receipt amount, storage warehouse information, receipt date, and expiration date. Users can create a new receipt by clicking the 'Register' button at the top right, and if there are errors in existing receipt data, they can correct it using the 'Edit' function or 'Delete' it.

[0091] In particular, a separate 'Raw Material Inflow Total' section is provided at the bottom of the screen, summarizing and displaying the total inflow quantity and total amount for each item corresponding to the searched period or conditions. This allows materials managers to grasp daily or monthly material supply status at a glance and efficiently handle settlement tasks. This inflow management function serves as the first step in aligning physical inventory with computerized inventory, forming the foundation for accurate inventory management and material supply planning.

[0092] FIG. 8 illustrates a production plan information modification screen provided by the production plan management module (151) of the production and process management department (150). This screen provides the function to view and modify the details of a previously established production plan. In the 'Production Plan Information Modification' area on the left side of the screen, the production plan code issued by the system and the information of the person in charge of planning can be checked. Additionally, through the 'Production Plan Product Information' item, the product to be produced in the plan (e.g., salmon) and the target quantity (e.g., 200) can be checked or modified, and the plan can be expanded to produce multiple items simultaneously in a single plan through the 'Add Product Information' button.

[0093] The 'Additional Information Input' area on the right side of the screen provides a function to register relevant documents, such as production drawings and work standards, as attachments, as well as a remarks column for entering notes on work precautions. At the bottom, the 'Estimated Production Completion Date' can be intuitively set or changed via a calendar interface. After entering all modifications, clicking the 'Edit' button in the bottom right corner reflects the changed plan in the system and links it to subsequent processes, such as work instructions; if necessary, the plan can also be canceled via the 'Delete' button. This interface ensures flexibility in production planning, enabling proactive responses to urgent orders or changes in on-site conditions.

[0094] FIG. 9 shows an example of an inspection equipment status screen provided by the Equipment and Quality Management Department (160). This screen is used to view and analyze the operational performance of quality inspection equipment, such as metal detectors, by period. When a user sets a specific period (e.g., 2025-05-01 ~ 2025-06-30) using the Date Picker at the top and searches, the inspection performance for that period appears in the form of a graph and a list.

[0095] The chart area in the center of the screen visualizes the trend of changes in the daily detection quantity (number of foreign matter found) as a line graph, allowing for an intuitive understanding of whether there were any abnormal signs at a specific point in time. The data grid at the bottom displays aggregated detailed data for each day, such as the inspection equipment name, inspection target items, total inspection quantity, foreign matter detection quantity, number of equipment errors, and actual operating time. Based on this data, the manager can analyze the operating efficiency of the equipment and identify periods or items with a high frequency of foreign matter detection to establish quality improvement measures. Since this screen is generated based on data automatically collected from the equipment data collection device (200), it guarantees higher reliability than manual recording.

[0097] In some embodiments, the smart production process management system (10) based on automatic equipment data collection may further include a performance data verification unit (not shown) within the integrated management server (100) to ensure the integrity of production performance data and prevent statistical distortion caused by data manipulation or sensor malfunction.

[0098] The performance data verification unit performs the function of cross-verifying production performance by utilizing multiple data sources that are interrelated within the process, instead of relying solely on production quantity data collected from a single facility, and assigning a reliability grade to each data source based on the results. To this end, the performance data verification unit may set the 'mechanical cycle count' collected from the PLC of the automatic packaging machine (410), the 'barcode scan quantity' input through the field work terminal (300), the 'converted film consumption length quantity' measured from the film roller encoder of the automatic packaging machine (410), and the 'product pass sensor count' of the metal detector (420) located at the rear end as comparison groups for verification.

[0099] Specifically, the performance data verification unit aggregates the increase of each data source belonging to the comparison group at each set verification cycle (e.g., every minute or every lot). For example, when the cycle count of the automatic packaging machine (410) increases by 50 during a specific minute, the performance data verification unit calculates whether the number of products that passed through the metal detector (420) during the same period is around 50, and whether the total length of the consumed film corresponds to 50 units when considering the unit film length according to the product specifications.

[0100] At this time, if the difference between each data source is within a preset error tolerance range (e.g., within 1% of the reference value or less than 5, whichever is smaller), the performance data verification unit assigns a 'High Confidence' grade to the production performance data of the corresponding section and saves it as confirmed performance. On the other hand, if the difference between data sources exceeds the error tolerance range, the performance data verification unit assigns a 'Low Confidence' or 'Verification Needed' grade to the data of the corresponding section and saves it in the database (120) as a 'Provisional Performance' with a separate marking.

[0101] Furthermore, if a 'low reliability' rating occurs consecutively more than a certain number of times (e.g., 3 times) or if the accumulated error quantity exceeds a threshold (e.g., 50 units) during a specific period, the performance data verification unit considers this to be a sensor failure, communication omission, or abnormal intervention by an operator (arbitrary operation, etc.), and immediately generates a 'performance discrepancy alert' through the manager interface provision unit (180) and notifies the manager. This multi-evidence-based cross-verification process fundamentally prevents production performance from being over- or under-counted due to a single sensor malfunction or communication failure, and provides the effect of being used as objective evidence for future customer claims regarding production volume or internal performance evaluations.

[0103] In some other embodiments, the smart production process management system (10) based on automatic equipment data collection may further include an out-of-operation analysis and recommendation module (not shown) within the equipment and quality management unit (160) or as a separate configuration to reduce the data input burden on field workers and increase the accuracy of equipment out-of-operation data.

[0104] The non-operation analysis and recommendation module performs the function of automatically inferring the most likely cause of non-operation and presenting it to the operator by comprehensively analyzing various hardware signals and system logs collected from the equipment data collection device (200) to overcome the limitations of the existing method in which the operator manually determines and inputs the cause when the equipment stops.

[0105] Specifically, the non-operation analysis and recommendation module determines that if a state in which a 'Run Signal' is not received from equipment such as an automatic packaging machine (410) persists for a preset threshold time (e.g., 45 seconds) or longer, it is a significant 'non-operation event' rather than a 'temporary pause' and creates a non-operation record on the system. At this time, instead of simply recording it as 'stopped', the non-operation analysis and recommendation module analyzes the PLC error code of the equipment that occurred at the time of stop (e.g., E-102 overload), sensor status values ​​(e.g., safety door opening signal On, film remaining amount sensor Low), and the recent operation history of the field work terminal (300) (e.g., work order change in progress, material barcode scan failure history) in combination.

[0106] Based on the analysis results, the non-operation analysis and recommendation module selects the top three recommended reasons that best match the current situation among dozens of possible reasons for non-operation (e.g., 1st priority - film replacement, 2nd priority - safety door opening, 3rd priority - mechanical overload) and displays them in a pop-up form on the kiosk screen, which is the field work terminal (300). At this time, only the buttons for the three recommended reasons and an 'other' button for inputting exceptional situations are concisely displayed on the screen, thereby guiding the operator to confirm the reason with a single touch within a short time of 20 seconds without having to navigate through complex menus.

[0107] Only when the operator selects the 'Other' button is the text input window (limited to 30 characters) activated to allow the entry of specific reasons; if no selection is made within a certain period, the corresponding non-operation case is automatically classified and saved as 'Reason Unconfirmed,' and a separate notification requesting verification is sent to the manager. This process of automatically recommending reasons for non-operation and simplifying input minimizes omissions in records or inaccurate entries by operators, thereby providing the effect of significantly improving the reliability of data for future Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) analysis or process improvement.

[0108] Furthermore, the aforementioned downtime analysis and recommendation module can perform a First-Cause Locking operation to accurately identify the root cause of the equipment stoppage. In production sites, it is common for a chain of subsequent state changes to occur immediately after equipment stops due to a specific error (e.g., film shortage), such as an operator opening a safety door or cutting off the power to address the issue. If the reason for downtime is determined based solely on all alarms that occurred during the stoppage or the state at the last point in time, as in conventional methods, there is a risk that the cause will be misanalyzed as "door opening" or "power off" instead of the root cause, "film shortage."

[0109] To prevent this, the non-operation analysis and recommendation module detects the exact time (t=0) when the state of the automatic packaging machine (410) transitions from 'Run' to 'Stop', and immediately saves and locks the equipment status data, such as all PLC error codes, sensor values, and motor load rates at that moment, in memory in the form of a 'Snapshot'. Subsequently, any additional error signals or sensor changes that occur before the equipment is restarted (e.g., door sensor detection for maintenance work, motor stoppage due to manual operation, etc.) are excluded from the analysis of the cause of non-operation or are treated only as secondary information. The non-operation analysis and recommendation module analyzes only the saved snapshot data to identify the initial trigger factor that caused the equipment to stop, and displays the recommendation reason generated based on this (e.g., 1st priority 'film depletion') on the field work terminal (300). This allows the operator to simply select the root cause suggested by the system even in situations where complex events are mixed, thereby ensuring the accuracy of data input while reducing unnecessary deliberation time.

[0111] The terms used in this specification are described with reference to specific embodiments to clearly explain the technical concept of the invention, but this is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0112] For example, the 'seafood processing plant' mentioned as the industrial field serving as the background of the present invention is merely one of the embodiments to which the present system can be applied, and the concept of the present invention can be extended and applied to various 'food manufacturing sites' such as meat processing, agricultural product processing, and confectionery and baking, as well as to the entire general manufacturing process where it is necessary to input raw materials to produce finished products and collect equipment data, such as parts assembly or chemical processes.

[0113] In addition, the automatic packaging machine and the metal detector described as examples of the production equipment group (400) in this specification may be replaced or expanded with various types of equipment depending on the nature of the manufacturing process. Specifically, the automatic packaging machine should be understood as a concept encompassing production execution equipment that completes the shape of the product, such as a filling machine, a capping machine, a labeler, and an assembly robot, and the metal detector should be interpreted as a concept encompassing all types of inspection equipment that determine the quality of the product, such as an X-ray inspection machine, a weight sorter, vision inspection equipment, and a leak detector.

[0114] Furthermore, the film consumption length used as the basis for performance verification refers to the general usage of consumable materials consumed in proportion to product production, such as ink consumption, the number of labels used, the weight of raw materials input, and gas usage, depending on the characteristics of the process; similarly, barcodes should be understood to include all forms of automatic identification identifiers capable of identifying physical objects, such as QR codes, RFID tags, NFC, and OCR (Optical Character Recognition).

[0115] Therefore, the scope of rights of the present invention is not limited to the specific names of equipment or types of materials described in the specification, but should be interpreted to extend to all modified embodiments to which process management through the integrated collection and cross-verification of heterogeneous equipment data, which is the technical essence of the present invention, is applied.

[0116] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical concept or essential features thereof. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. Explanation of the symbols

[0118] 10: Smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection 100: Integrated Management Server 110: Communications Department 120: Database 121: Reference Information Data 122: Material and Product Data 123: Sales and Production Data 124: Quality and Equipment Data 125: Document and system data 130: Standard Information Management Department 140: Materials and Sales Management Department 150: Production and Process Management Department 151: Production Planning Management Module 152: Work Order Management Module 153: Process Monitoring Module 154: History Tracking Module 160: Facilities and Quality Control Department 170: System Support Department 180: Administrator Interface Provisioning Section 190: Control unit 200: Facility data acquisition device 300: Field work terminal 400: Production Facility Group 410: Automatic packaging machine 420: Metal detector

Claims

Claim 1 A smart production process management system based on automatic collection of equipment data, comprising: an integrated management server that automatically collects and analyzes operation information from production equipment to perform real-time process monitoring; an equipment data collection device that relays between the production equipment and the integrated management server to collect information on the equipment's operation status, production quantity, and alarm occurrence in real time; and a field work terminal deployed on a production line for a worker to view work instructions and input work start and end times, wherein the integrated management server comprises: a communication unit that transmits and receives data with external devices; a database that structures and stores data necessary for system operation; a standard information management unit that manages master data essential for production activities; a materials and sales management unit that manages the logistics flow from the supply of raw materials to the sale of finished products; a production and process management unit that plans, executes, and controls production activities at the manufacturing site; an equipment and quality management unit for the efficient operation of production equipment and product quality assurance; and a control unit that controls the operation of the integrated management server and coordinates data flow between components, wherein the database comprises employee information, business partner information, customer information, raw material information, auxiliary material information, product information, process routing information, equipment information, and A smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection that stores standard information data including non-conforming code information, material and product data including order details of raw materials and auxiliary materials, incoming inspection results, inventory quantities, and outgoing details, sales and production data including order information, production planning information, work order details, and work times by process, and quality and equipment data including real-time operation data collected from equipment, non-operation time and reasons, equipment error and alarm history, quantity and type of non-conforming products, and quality inspection results. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 In claim 1, the production and process management unit comprises a production plan management module that establishes a production plan considering order information, product inventory, and equipment production capacity; a work order management module that generates work orders based on the confirmed production plan and distributes them to each process and equipment manager; a process monitoring module that identifies and visualizes the progress of the production site in real time; and a history tracking module that manages manufacturing history from raw material receipt to finished product shipment, thereby forming a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection. Claim 5 In paragraph 4, the history tracking module maps and stores the lot number of materials input at each process stage, worker information, equipment operating conditions, and inspection results; traces back the raw material information and process conditions used in a specific product when a quality problem occurs in that product; and when a defect is found in a specific raw material lot, it tracks all finished products using that material to support sorting and recall measures, thereby forming a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection. Claim 6 In claim 1, the equipment and quality management unit comprises an equipment data linkage module that collects and processes raw data through communication with heterogeneous production equipment, and a quality monitoring module that monitors and analyzes quality-related data generated during the process in real time, wherein the equipment data linkage module calculates the operating time, time utilization rate, performance utilization rate, production volume, and number of errors of the production equipment, and calculates an overall equipment efficiency index based on the inspection quantity, detection quantity, number of errors, and operating time from the inspection equipment, thereby forming a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection. Claim 7 In claim 6, the quality monitoring module monitors whether the sealing temperature of the packaging process deviates from set upper and lower thresholds, monitors whether a foreign object detection signal is generated by a metal detector, and sends an alarm to a manager terminal when process data deviates from management standards or abnormal signs are detected, thereby establishing a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection. Claim 8 In claim 1, the integrated management server further includes a performance data verification unit that cross-verifies production performance data using multiple data sources to ensure the integrity of production performance data, and the performance data verification unit sets the mechanical cycle count of an automatic packaging machine, the number of barcode scans input through a field work terminal, the converted film consumption length quantity of the automatic packaging machine, and the product pass sensor count of a metal detector as comparison groups, and at each set verification cycle, aggregates the increments of each data source belonging to the comparison group, assigns a high reliability grade to the production performance data of the corresponding section if the difference between each data source is within the allowable error range, and assigns a low reliability grade to the data of the corresponding section if the difference between data sources exceeds the allowable error range, thereby storing it in a provisional performance state, thereby creating a smart production process management system based on automatic collection of equipment data. Claim 9 In claim 6, the equipment and quality management department further includes a non-operation analysis and recommendation module to improve the accuracy of equipment non-operation data, wherein the non-operation analysis and recommendation module determines a non-operation event if a state in which an operation signal is not received from the equipment persists for longer than a preset time, analyzes the PLC error code, sensor status value, and recent operation history of the field work terminal of the equipment that occurred at the time of non-operation to select the top three recommended reasons, displays the selected recommended reasons in a pop-up form on the field work terminal screen so that the operator confirms the reason through a touch operation within a preset time, saves and freezes all PLC error codes, sensor values, and motor load rates in a snapshot form at the time when the equipment transitions from operation to stop, and excludes additional error signals occurring until the equipment is restarted from the non-operation cause analysis target to perform an initial cause locking operation, thereby forming a smart production process management system based on automatic equipment data collection.

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