Methods and systems for production processes and data collection and storage related to the production processes

Abstract

A method for collection and storing of data in a production system with a control unit includes operating a production process in the production system; pausing the production process; upon the pausing of the production process, collecting data regarding the production process and system by the control unit; and storing the data collected.

Description

[0001] METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCTION PROCESSES AND DATA COLLECTION AND STORAGE RELATED TO THE PRODUCTION PROCESSES

[0002] BACKGROUND

[0003] The disclosure relates to methods, a computer program product and systems for running production processes or operations and collecting data regarding the processes, operations, systems and / or components while minimizing any disruptions or slowing of the production processes or operations.

[0004] An example of such a production process and system can be found in US 2014 / 0366489 Al, which discloses a device and methods for dispensing solid substances for medical use. The device is provided with a great number of feeder units, also known as ‘cannisters’, distributed in a radial grid about a rotation axis. Each feeder unit holds an amount of solid substances specific to that respective feeder unit. Hence, together, the feeder units can dispense a wide variety of solid substances. The device is further provided with a collection frame that is rotatable about the rotation axis below the array of feeder positions. The collection frame is provided with a series of collection trays for collecting solid substances dispensed from any of the feeder units in the array of feeder positions. The device further comprises a packing unit arranged in a stationary position below the collection frame for packing the solid substances received from the collection trays. The collection frame is rotated about the rotation axis such that each collection tray passes along each of the feeder units in the array of feeder positions before arriving at the packing unit. The device further includes a control unit which is able to send and receive data and control operations of various system.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Automated dispensing and packaging devices, such as that found in US 2014 / 0366489 Al, can efficiently and continuously run production operations: dispensing, collecting and packing solid substances as long as the feeder units are reliably dispensing said solid substances and various systems are working as intended. However, when something unexpected happens, e.g., when one of the feeder units is unexpectedly unable to dispense solid substances because the solid substances held in said respective feeder unit have been depleted or the feeder unit is malfunctioning, the dispensing can be slowed or interrupted. This causes an overall less efficient production process.

[0007] Often, before a major malfunction or failure, systems or processes perform differently, for example, a feeder unit which is becoming faulty may dispense slower than the average feeder unit. Thus, the collection of data regarding the production processes, components and / or systems can be used to see where maintenance or replacement of components is needed, thereby improving overall performance and helping to avoid catastrophic failures.

[0008] The control unit of the system can be used to collect data on the dispensing and related systems during operations and / or in any production processes and systems. Such data can be, for example, any data related to the dispensing, collecting and / or packaging processes such as, but not limited to, dispensing speed, dispensing faults, relative movements between the dispensing and collection systems, package forming, printing, packaging speed, and any other data which could be used to monitor systems and / or irregularities. However, the collection and processing of such data takes a lot of processing power from the control unit, and when done during operations can cause the control unit to perform slower or sub-optimally in controlling the main production processes.

[0009] The current methods and systems attempt to minimize or avoid this suboptimal performance while collecting, analyzing and storing data about the process and components in a useful manner. This is done by operating the data collection, analysis and storage at times when the production system takes natural pauses. Such natural and / or default pauses are needed, for example, when a component (e.g., foil to form packages or printer ribbon) has run out and needs to be replaced, when a manual plate needs to be filled, or when other maintenance needs to be performed. Thus, the operations can be paused by the control unit, and the control unit can then be used during these natural pauses to collect, analyze and / or store data regarding the production processes, systems and components without slowing the overall production process.

[0010] According to a first aspect, a method for collection and storing of data in a production system with a control unit comprises operating a production process in the production system; pausing the production process; upon the pausing of the production process, collecting data regarding the production process and system by the control unit; and storing the data collected. Such a method allows for using natural pauses of the production process to collect and store data, thereby not splitting the computing power of the control unit during normal production processes and potentially slowing down the normal production process to collect and store data at the same time. Instead, the data handling is done during pauses of the production process, thereby also increasing the speed of data collection and storage when the control unit is not simultaneously running production operations (as they are paused). Such a method allows for more efficient collection and usage of data regarding the production processes and systems, helping to understand and identify any irregularities in processes and / or systems before they would result in failures of processes and / or components while maintaining efficient production processes.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the method further comprises analysing the data collected by the control unit before storing. Such analysis can be used to determine, for example, if a system or component is not operating normally, if performance is changing and / or degrading over time, if any particular systems and / or components need maintenance and / or are likely to fail, etc. Analysis of the data collected can can use a lot of computing and / or processing power. Thus, performing the data analysis during pauses in the production process ensures that production operations are not slowed by the collection and analysis of the data. The analysis can be done by the control unit itself, and / or in some embodiments can be performed partially or wholly by computers or processors connected to the control unit. Analysis of data, in some embodiments, can be dedicated to only be performed during longer pauses of the operations, with shorter pauses left to focus on the collection and storage of the data. This can efficiently use all pauses and minimize any delays to restarting process operations due to the data collection, analysis and storage.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the step of storing the data collected comprises storing the data collected in a structured manner, for example, by labelling the data before it is stored. Optionally, the structured manner comprises a database or memory which allows for access, search and / or use of the data collected. Such data storage can help to ensure that the collected data can be used to further understand and / or improve performance operations and / or processes. For example, when the data is stored in a structured manner, a new operator controlling the production process could access data regarding past operations of particular components and / or processes and therefore be able to better understand if any particular process and / or component is performing differently than in the past and, for example, needs to be inspected for maintenance and / or replacement.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of upon notification that the production process should be restarted, pausing the steps of collecting data and storing data; and restarting the production process. By pausing the collecting and storage of data when the production process restarts, the production process is not slowed or otherwise impacted by the data collection and storage and vice versa.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the control unit comprises a processor and a non- transitory computer-readable medium holding instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control unit to perform the described methods.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the production process is a medicament dispensing and packaging process. Optionally, the production process comprises one or more processes of the group comprising: storing of discrete medicaments, preparation of the discrete medicaments for dispensing, dispensing of the discrete medicaments, collecting of the discrete medicaments, packaging of the discrete medicaments in a plurality of packages, and discharging of said plurality of packages from an automated dispensing device. Further optionally, the process of dispensing comprises one or more of the following subprocesses: singulating the discrete medicaments prior to dispensing, dispensing of the discrete medicaments, intermediate collection of the dispensed discrete medicaments, and discharging of the collected dispensed discrete medicaments. Optionally, the process of packaging comprises one or more of the following subprocesses: feeding of packaging material used to form the medicament packages, printing of relevant information on the packaging material or the medicament packages, sealing the medicament packages, providing perforation lines and / or tear notches in or between the medicament packages, and discharging the medicament packages from the automated dispensing device.

[0016] Such methods can help to ensure that there is useful data collection and storage of the medicament dispensing and packaging processes and systems while ensuring that the data collection and storage does not slow or otherwise impact the medicament dispensing and packaging operations and / or processes. According to an embodiment, the step of pausing the production process is executed for one or more of the following: change in foil or ribbon, loading or unloading of medicament plates or feeder units; maintenance; inspection; or any other temporary pause, such as an erroneous situation that requires action of an operator. The foil and ribbon have to be changed periodically, for example, every 1-2 hours in medicament dispensing and packaging operations. Such changes present natural pauses for the methods of data collection and storage (with possible analysis) without slowing the medicament dispensing and packaging operations. The pause events listed are for example purposes only, and other events or pause reasons could trigger the data collection, analysis and / or storage. In some embodiments, the pauses could be related to operator schedules, for example, pausing upon a shift change or during an operator’s break time.

[0017] According to a further aspect, a production system for performing one or more production processes comprises one or more sensors for collecting data regarding the production system and / or processes; and a control unit configured to: send a signal to the production system to operate one or more production processes; send a signal to pause the one or more production processes; upon the pausing of the one or more production processes, collect data regarding the production process and / or system; and store the data collected. Optionally, the control unit is further configured to analyse the data collected. Such a system allows for using pauses in the production operations to collect and store data regarding the system, components and / or operations, thereby collecting data in a useful manner while minimizing or eliminating any slowing of normal production processes or operations (which may happen if the data is collected and stored during the processes or operations).

[0018] According to an embodiment, the production system is a medicament dispensing and packaging system. Optionally, the medicament dispensing and packaging system comprises a dispensing device provided with an array of dispensing positions, wherein the dispensing device at each of said array of dispensing positions is provided with a holder for a feeder unit and with a through opening for passing discharged medicaments there through; a collection device arranged below the dispensing device, wherein the collection device and the dispensing device are movable with respect to each other, wherein the collection device is provided with a number of collection trays with each of the trays comprising a receiving opening at a side facing the dispensing device for receiving discharged medicaments and an output; and a packaging unit for collecting the received medicaments from the output of a tray and packaging the medicaments. The control unit controls the operation of the system. Such a medicament dispensing and packing system includes many components and subprocesses for the overall medicament dispensing and packaging operations. Thus, the collection and structured storage of data regarding the components and sub-processes helps to better understand and provide an alert that possible inspection and / or maintenance is needed when a certain component or subprocess is degrading, performing differently than others and / or not performing optimally. The methods and systems described allow for the collection and storage of this data for use while minimizing or eliminating any slowing or degrading of normal production operations.

[0019] According to an embodiment, the controller is configured to send a signal to pause the one or more production processes for one or more of the following: change in foil or ribbon, loading or unloading of medicament plates or feeder units; maintenance; inspection; or any other temporary pause, such as an erroneous situation that requires action of an operator. Such events represent natural pauses in medicament dispensing and packaging operations and can be used for data collection and storage, thereby ensuring that the data from sensors is collected and stored in a useful manner at a time when the medicament dispensing and packaging operations will not be slowed or impacted from such collection and storage.

[0020] According to an embodiment, the system further comprises memory storage for storing the collected data. Such memory storage can be, for example, a structured storage solution such as a labelled, structured and searchable database, allowing for the data to be in a state easily accessible for future use.

[0021] The various aspects and features described and shown in the specification can be applied, individually, wherever possible. These individual aspects, in particular the aspects and features described in the attached dependent claims, can be made subject of divisional patent applications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The invention will be elucidated on the basis of an embodiment shown in the attached schematic drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 shows a front view of an automated dispensing and packaging system ;

[0024] Figure 2 shows a flow chart of a method for collecting and storing data in a production system which operates one or more production processes.

[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Figure 1 shows an automatic or automated dispensing device 1 for dispensing and packing discrete medicaments M into a plurality of medicament packages Pl, P2, ..., Pn which are intended for containing discrete medicaments M dispensed and packaged by said automated dispensing device.

[0027] The discrete medicaments M can be discrete solid medicaments, pharmaceuticals or solid items, articles or substances for medical use, e.g. pills, tablets, capsules or the like. The medicaments are ‘discrete’ in the sense that they can be dispensed one-by-one, individually, separately or in dose units.

[0028] The dispensing device 1 comprises a housing 10 which defines a dispensing section 2, a collection section 3 and a packaging section 4. The dispensing device 1 further comprises a control section 11 holding a control unit 8 and memory 9, for example a structured database. The control unit 8 is configured for controlling and monitoring the production processes of the dispensing device 1.

[0029] The dispensing section 2 accommodates a plurality of feeder units 20 held in a circular array of feeder positions, similar to the device in US 2014 / 0366489 Al, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Each feeder unit 20 comprises a container 21 for holding a stock of the discrete medicaments M, a dispensing mechanism 22 for singulating the discrete medicaments M and an outlet 23 for dispensing the singulated discrete medicaments M one-by-one.

[0030] The collection section 3 comprises a plurality of collection trays 30 which are held in a circular array, again similar to US 2014 / 0366489 Al, for receiving the discrete medicaments M that are dispensed by the feeder units 20. The array of collection trays 30 is rotatable such that each collection tray 30 moves along all of the feeder positions and is moveable with respect to the feeder units 20 in the dispensing section 2.

[0031] The packaging section 4 is configured for receiving the discrete medicaments M collected in the collection section 3 and for packing or packaging said discrete medicaments M in the medicament packages Pl-Pn. In this exemplary embodiment, the medicament packages Pl-Pn are individually closed pockets or pouches formed in a continuous packaging material, in particular a foil F. More specifically, the packaging section 4 comprises a foil supply reel 41 for supplying the foil F, a printer unit 42 with a printer head 44 for printing relevant information, such as patient information or medical information, on the foil F and a sealing unit 43 with one or more sealing members 45, 46 for sealing the foil F around the discrete medicaments M. Typically, the foil F is prefolded such that the discrete medicaments M can be received in the fold. The one or more sealing members 45, 46 subsequently seal the other three sides of the medicament package Pl-Pn.

[0032] In this example, the collection section 3 is located below or vertically under the feeding section 2 and the packaging section 4 is located below or vertically under the collection section 3. The discrete medicaments M are dropped from one section 2, 3, 4 into the next under the influence of gravity.

[0033] The dispensing device 1 is further provided with a plurality of sensors 51- 59 for monitoring the production processes in the dispensing device 1. The production process comprises but is not limited to one or more processes of the group comprising: storing of discrete medicaments M, preparation of the discrete medicaments M for dispensing, dispensing of the discrete medicaments M, packaging of the discrete medicaments M in the plurality of packages Pl-Pn and discharging of said plurality of packages Pl-Pn from the dispensing device 1.

[0034] More in particular, the process of dispensing may include one or more of the following subprocesses: singulating the discrete medicaments M prior to dispensing, dispensing of the discrete medicaments M, intermediate collection of the dispensed discrete medicaments M, and discharging of the collected dispensed discrete medicaments M.

[0035] Similarly, the process of packaging may include one or more of the following subprocesses: feeding of packaging material F used to form the medicament packages Pl-Pn, printing of relevant information on the packaging material F and / or the medicament packages Pl-Pn, sealing the medicament packages Pl-Pn, providing perforation lines and / or tear notches in or between the medicament packages Pl-Pn and discharging the medicament packages Pl-Pn from the dispensing device 1.

[0036] In each of these processes, errors, faults or irregularities may occur that are outside of the ‘normal’ operation of the dispensing device 1. Each of these irregularities may cause defects in the discrete medicaments M and / or the medicament packages Pl-Pn, such as an incorrect amount or type of discrete medicaments M, a damaged discrete medicament M, a partial seal, a leaking seal, a perforation error, a tear notch error, a printing error, inferior printing quality and / or incorrectly printed information. Additionally, such errors, faults or irregularities may indicate larger issues which could lead to larger faults in overall components or systems, which could delay the overall dispensing and packaging process.

[0037] In this example, the plurality of sensors 51-59 comprises a first sensor 51 for monitoring singulation of the discrete medicaments M in the dispensing mechanism 22 of the feeder units 20, a second sensor 52 for monitoring the dispensing of the discrete medicaments M, in particular to detect an ‘overdispense’ when two or more discrete medicaments M are dispensed from the same feeder unit 20 at the same time, or an ‘underdispense’ when no discrete medicaments M are dispensed from a feeder unit 20 when the dispensing mechanism 22 is operated, a third sensor 53 for monitoring overall conditions in the dispensing device 1, such as storage conditions, a fourth sensor 54 to monitor the dispensing of the collected discrete medicaments M from collection trays, a fifth sensor 55 for monitoring the supply of the packaging material, a sixth sensor 56 for monitoring the operation of the printer unit 42, a seventh sensor 57 and an eighth sensor 58 for monitoring to the operation of the packaging unit 43, in particular the operation of the one or more sealing members 45, 46, and a ninth sensor 59 for monitoring the discharge of the medicament packages Pl-Pn from the dispensing device 1.

[0038] It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that a different number and / or a different selection of sensors 51-59 may be provided in the dispensing device 1 for monitoring relevant processes, subprocesses, components and / or operations related to the production process of the dispensing device 1 and sending data to the control unit 8.

[0039] The plurality of sensors 51-59 are configured for generating signals and data related to the processes, systems and components being monitored by said sensors 51-59. Such data and signals may be sent to the control unit 8 for collection, analysis and storage in memory 9. The control unit 8 is electronically, functionally and / or operationally connected to the plurality of sensors 51-59 for receiving said signals and for processing and / or analyzing the information derivable from said signals.

[0040] As mentioned above, the collection and processing of such data from the sensors by the control unit 8 takes a lot of processing power from the control unit 8. Thus, when done during dispensing and packaging operations, the data collection, processing and / or storage can cause the control unit 8 to perform slower or sub-optimally, slowing down the overall dispensing and packaging of the medicaments.

[0041] Method 100 shown in Figure 2 helps to avoid this suboptimal performance while collecting, analyzing and storing data about the process and components in a useful manner by operating the data collection, analysis and storage at times when the dispensing and packaging device 1 (or other production system) takes natural pauses. Such natural pauses are needed, for example, when foil F to form the packages Pl-Pn has run out and needs to be replaced on foil supply reel 41, when a manual plate need to be filled and delivered to device 1 for a job order (e.g., the required medicaments for the order are not in a feeder unit 20), when printer ribbon needs to be replaced, when a maintenance or inspection operation needs to be performed, etc. Thus, dispensing and packaging operations are paused by the control unit 8, and the control unit 8 is instead used for data collection analysis and / or storage to allow for the data collection, analysis and storage without slowing the overall packaging process.

[0042] Method 100 is generally performed by control unit 8, though could involve other components, such as remote computers, processors, memory storage devices, etc. Method 100 starts with step 110 of operating the production process. In the dispensing device 1 shown in Fig. 1, this can relate to controlling of production jobs for producing pouches of medicaments. This can involve any one or more of the following (and / or other) processes: determining which feeder units 20 contain the required medicaments for the job, controlling the dispensing system 2 to dispense medicaments from those specific feeder units 20, controlling the collection system 3 to move or rotate as needed to properly collect the medicaments dispensed from dispensing section 2, moving the collection trays 30 as needed to align with packaging section 4, controlling the forming of pouches and / or printing in packaging section 4, controlling release of medicaments from the collecting section 3 into a pouch, controlling the sealing of filled pouches, controlling inspection, and controlling the collection of filled pouches on reel 60.

[0043] When an event which requires a pause of the dispensing operations is needed, the control unit 8 sends a signal to pause dispensing and packaging operations of dispensing unit 1 (step 120). Such an event can include the need to refill the foil on reel 41 (e.g., when it has run out or needs to be replaced for some other reason), the need to fill and insert a manual fill plate (e.g., for medicaments which cannot be dispensed from feeder units 20), the need to replace a printer component such as ribbon or ink, the need for inspection or maintenance of a component, system and / or pouch, a personnel change or break, or any other reason in which a pause of the overall production process is needed.

[0044] After the control unit 8 has paused the production processes, control unit 8, in step 130, collects data regarding the production processes and systems. This data can be collected from sensors 51-59 previously discussed and / or other sensors regarding systems, components, output, etc. Such data is transmitted to control unit 8 wirelessly or through wired connections.

[0045] Optionally, step 140 can be performed in which the collected data can be analysed either by the control unit 8 or connected systems, for example, other computers, processors, etc. Such analysis can be used to determine, for example, if a system or component is not operating normally, if performance is changing and / or degrading over time, if any particular systems and / or components need maintenance and / or are likely to fail, etc. For example, analyses could result in finding that: a canister is performing significantly worse than a similar feeder unit (e.g., a feeder unit in operation dispensing the same medicine); a machine part is running slower than expected or than some period earlier in time; a dock (feeder unit holder) seems to perform worse than expected or than other docks do (e.g., a dock is polluted).

[0046] Particularly the data analysis processes can use a lot of computing and / or processing power. Thus, performing the data analysis during pauses ensure that dispensing and / or packaging operations are not slowed by the collection and analysis of the data. In some cases, such as during short pauses, the data analysis may not be performed and the data may simply be collected and stored, preferably in a structured manner such as in a database and in a way which allows for access, search and / or use of the collected data. In those cases, the processing can either be saved for longer pauses or the data can be sent elsewhere for analysis. Such data and / or analysis can be used to identify potential current or future issues in the production systsm. For example, data showing that a particular feeder unit dispenses two medicaments instead of the intended one medicament, and that this happens twice as much as the other feeder units experience the same issue can indicate that particular feeder unit should be removed and inspected to determine if repair is needed. Additionally, slower dispensing or movement speed can indicate there is a failure in some part, and all components should be inspected to determine where the potential issue is located.

[0047] In step 150, the collected (and possibly analysed) data is stored. This can be in one or more storage components or devices, which can be located at the control unit 8 (such as storage 9) or could be outside of control unit 8. Additionally, the data can be stored in a structured manner in which it is able to be easily used and accessed. For example, the data can be labeled and stored in a searchable database which a person or computer could access at a later time to review past performance of the system and / or components.

[0048] When operations are ready to be restarted, control unit 8 pauses the data collection, analysis and storage; and restarts the main production processes in step 160. Thus, the control unit 8 turns its operational and processing power back to controlling the main production processes and operations when the pause is over. This can be informed automatically, e.g., a reel senses that it has been refilled and sends a signal to the control unit 8 that dispensing and packaging operations can be resumed, or manually, e.g., an operator indicates that they have finished filling a manual fill plate on a user interface.

[0049] Overall, method 100 allows for using (natural) pauses in the production process to collect and store data, which can be used to maintain or improve overall operations. The data collection, any analysis, and storage is done when the control unit 8 has paused the main processes (e.g., dispensing and packaging), thereby ensuring that the data collection and storage (and any analysis) does not slow the main production processes. By only performing the data collection, analysis and storage when there is a (natural) pause, the system is able to collect and store data in a useful manner without slowing down the main operational processes - dispensing and packaging of medicaments in the example set out in Figure 1. Thus, method 100 results in an overall efficient production process that is also able to collect and store data efficiently and in a useful manner, helping to identify any irregularities and / or issues before they become bigger (e.g., potentially catastrophic problems or issues).

[0050] While the method has been described in detail in related to medicament dispensing and packaging systems and processes, the methods and systems are applicable to other production processes as well. While the description refers to medicaments, tablets, etc., the devices and methods could be used for dispensing other types of solid discrete items for separation and packaging.

[0051] It is to be understood that the above description is included to illustrate the operation of the embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. From the above discussion, many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for collection and storing of data in a production system with a control unit, the method comprising: operating a production process in the production system; pausing the production process; upon the pausing of the production process, collecting data regarding the production process and system by the control unit; and storing the data collected, and further comprising analyzing the data collected by the control unit before storing.

2. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the step of storing the data collected comprises storing the data collected in a structured manner.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the structured manner comprises a database or memory which allows for search, access and / or use of the data collected.

4. The method of any of the preceding claims, and further comprising the step of: upon notification that the production process should be restarted, pausing the steps of collecting data and storing data; and restarting the production process.

5. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit comprises a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium holding instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control unit to perform the method steps of claim 1.

6. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the production process is a medicament dispensing and packaging process.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of pausing the production process is executed for one or more of the following: change in foil or ribbon, loading orunloading of medicament plates or feeder units; maintenance; inspection; and an erroneous situation that requires action of an operator.

8. The method of any of claims 6-7, wherein the production process comprises one or more processes of the group comprising: storing of discrete medicaments (M), preparation of the discrete medicaments (M) for dispensing, dispensing of the discrete medicaments (M), packaging of the discrete medicaments (M) in a plurality of packages (Pl-Pn) and discharging of said plurality of packages (Pl-Pn) from an automated dispensing device (1).

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the process of dispensing comprises one or more of the following subprocesses: singulating the discrete medicaments (M) prior to dispensing, dispensing of the discrete medicaments (M), intermediate collection of the dispensed discrete medicaments (M) and discharging of the collected dispensed discrete medicaments (M).

10. The method according to any of claims 8-9, wherein the process of packaging comprises one or more of the following subprocesses: feeding of packaging material (F) used to form the medicament packages (Pl-Pn), printing of relevant information on the packaging material (F) or the medicament packages (Pl-Pn), sealing the medicament packages (Pl-Pn), providing perforation lines and / or tear notches in or between the medicament packages (Pl-Pn) and discharging the medicament packages (Pl-Pn) from the automated dispensing device (1).

11. A production system for performing one or more production processes, the system comprising: one or more sensors for collecting data regarding the production system and / or processes; and a control unit configured to: send a signal to the production system to operate one or more production processes; send a signal to pause the one or more production processes;upon the pausing of the one or more production processes, collect data regarding the production processes and / or system; and store the data collected, wherein the control unit is further configured to analyse the data collected.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the production system is a medicament dispensing and packaging system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the medicament dispensing and packaging system comprises: a dispensing device provided with an array of dispensing positions, wherein the dispensing device at each of said array of dispensing positions is provided with a holder for a feeder unit and with a through opening for passing discharged medicaments there through, a collection device arranged below the dispensing device, wherein the collection device and the dispensing device are movable with respect to each other, wherein the collection device is provided with a number of collection trays, wherein each of the trays comprises a receiving opening at a side facing the dispensing device for receiving discharged medicaments and each tray comprises an output, and a packaging unit for collecting the received medicaments from the output of a tray and packaging the medicaments; wherein the control unit controls the operation of the system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to send a signal to pause the one or more production processes for one or more of the following: change in foil or ribbon, loading or unloading of medicament plates or feeder units; maintenance; inspection; and an erroneous situation that requires action of an operator.

15. The system of claim 13, and further comprising memory storage for storing the collected data.

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