Cell Control Apparatus Predicting Component Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing machines often fail due to component wear or malfunction, leading to reduced productivity and potential production line stoppages, as the delivery time for replacement components can exceed the failure time, causing operational disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A cell control apparatus that acquires operation information from manufacturing machines, predicts component failures, and adjusts the operation load by redistributing tasks among machines to ensure that failures occur after replacement parts are available, thereby minimizing downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the component delivery time is long, then the component can be delivered after the manufacturing machines fail, but the manufacturing machines cannot be used until the component is delivered, causing productivity loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting component failures before they occur, ordering replacement components in advance, and redistributing workloads proactively. The cell control apparatus calculates predicted failure times based on operation information and component lifetimes, then initiates component ordering and workload redistribution before actual failure occurs, ensuring continuous production while components are being delivered.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts workload distribution among manufacturing machines based on real-time component status and predicted failure times. When a component is predicted to fail before delivery, the system dynamically redistributes operations to other machines, and continuously monitors and updates workload allocation as components are delivered and replaced, maintaining optimal productivity throughout the process.
2Productivity
If the operation load of the manufacturing machine is maintained at normal level, then the manufacturing machine operates efficiently, but the component may fail before the replacement component arrives, causing production stoppage
Solution Approach 1:
The system takes preliminary action by reducing the operation load of manufacturing machines whose components are predicted to fail before replacement components arrive. This proactive load reduction extends component lifetime temporarily, preventing failure during the delivery period and avoiding production stoppages, while still maintaining overall factory productivity through workload redistribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by adjusting the operation load of manufacturing machines based on predicted component failure timelines. When a component is at risk of failing before delivery, the system reduces the machine's operation load to extend component life, and dynamically modifies operational parameters to balance component reliability with overall production efficiency.
3Reliability
If the component is ordered in advance based on failure prediction, then the component can be prepared for replacement, but the delivery time may still exceed the failure time, causing machine downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary component ordering based on predicted failure times, initiating the procurement process early. When predicted failure time is earlier than delivery time, the system takes additional preliminary actions by reducing operation load and redistributing work to other machines, ensuring no downtime occurs while waiting for component delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces other manufacturing machines as intermediaries to handle operations when a machine's component is predicted to fail before delivery. By redistributing workload to neighboring machines with overlapping operable areas, the system bridges the time gap between component ordering and delivery, preventing downtime while maintaining component availability for eventual replacement.
Data Source
AI summary
A cell control apparatus comprises an operation information acquisition unit which acquires operation information of manufacturing machine, a failure prediction unit which predicts a failure time of the manufacturing machine based on the operation information of the manufacturing machine, and a replacement time acquisition unit which acquires a replacement time of the component from a component management apparatus. When the failure time is earlier than the replacement time, the cell control apparatus performs a control for reducing an operation load of the manufacturing machine on which a failure of the component is predicted so that the failure time is later than the replacement time.