DPM Symbol Quality Grading via Individual Metric Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inline quality grading of direct part marking (DPM) symbols is inadequate in uncontrolled production environments, as a low value metric can mask other metrics, making it difficult to determine which specific issues are occurring, leading to potential production failures and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allow for customizable minimum acceptable grades for each individual metric, enabling exclusion of certain metrics from the overall grading process, using an imaging device, memory, and processing unit to create a metric profile for optimal process control, allowing users to set threshold values and initiate actions based on metric performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional quality grading uses the lowest metric grade to determine overall quality, then compliance with industry standards is achieved, but individual low metrics mask other metrics making specific issues undetectable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the overall quality grade into individual metric grades, allowing each metric to be evaluated separately. Instead of computing a single overall grade from the lowest metric, the system maintains and evaluates individual grades for each metric, enabling specific issue detection while maintaining compliance through selective grading approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different minimum acceptable grades to be set for different metrics based on their specific importance and characteristics. This enables the system to be stringent on critical metrics while being more lenient on less critical ones, preventing any single metric from masking others.
2Stability of the object's composition
If all metrics are graded equally with the same minimum acceptable grade, then consistency is maintained, but production environment variations cause false rejections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by allowing different minimum acceptable grades to be assigned to different metrics based on their specific characteristics and importance to the application. This enables the grading system to adapt to production environment variations by being more tolerant of variations in less critical metrics while maintaining strict control over critical metrics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of minimum acceptable grade from a uniform value across all metrics to variable values specific to each metric. This allows the system to optimize grading thresholds based on the specific requirements of different metrics and the characteristics of the production environment.
3Loss of information
If individual metric grades are tracked separately, then specific issues can be identified, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the grading system into individual metric evaluations while maintaining a simplified overall decision process. Each metric is evaluated independently with its own minimum acceptable grade, but the final acceptance or rejection decision remains straightforward based on whether individual metric grades meet their respective thresholds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic configurability where users can set different minimum acceptable grades for different metrics based on their specific needs. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to different applications and environments without requiring complex hard-coded logic for each scenario.
4Productivity
If the overall grade is used to accept or reject parts, then quick decision-making is enabled, but targeted corrective actions cannot be taken
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the quality information into individual metric grades that can be quickly evaluated and used for both rapid acceptance/rejection decisions and for identifying specific issues requiring corrective action. The segmented metric grades provide immediate feedback on which specific metrics failed, enabling targeted responses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by providing individual metric grades that inform both the acceptance/rejection decision and the corrective action process. The specific metric grades feed back to operators and process control systems, enabling targeted adjustments to address specific issues while maintaining overall inspection efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented system and process of producing a metric quality grade profile for use during inspection of DPM symbol marked on parts may include storing average metrics measured in a controlled environment for a “golden” sample. Measurements of the DPM symbol of the “golden” sample may be performed. Measurements of the metrics of the “golden” sample in an uncontrolled environment may be performed. Average metrics from the uncontrolled environment may be calculated. The averaged metrics from the controlled and uncontrolled environment may be compared. The user may be enabled to set an acceptable grade for the individual metrics. The acceptable grades for the individual metrics as a profile of the DPM symbol in memory.