Manufacturing Equipment Defect Cause Identification From Member Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing manufacturing equipment inspection methods fail to conclusively identify the direct cause of defects, often requiring expert knowledge and trial-and-error approaches to determine whether defects are due to device members, components, or process-related issues, leading to inefficient maintenance and quality management.

Innovation Solution

A management system that acquires and analyzes product and device member information, along with quality inspection data, to specifically identify the cause of abnormalities in manufacturing equipment, including the use of quality indices to determine abnormality and automate the identification of defect causes, thereby preventing unnecessary maintenance and improving efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If inspection devices are installed to automate defect detection, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedefect detection automationVSAvoidinspection device installation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically collects inspection results, device member information, and product member information without manual intervention. The abnormality cause identification unit autonomously analyzes the collected data and identifies defect causes, eliminating the need for expert knowledge and trial-and-error approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a feedback loop where inspection results are continuously collected and fed back to the abnormality cause identification unit. This feedback mechanism enables real-time quality management and automatic adjustment of manufacturing processes based on detected abnormalities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If proportion defective information is presented by device members, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability of defect cause identification deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedefect proportion measurementVSAvoiddefect cause identification
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the defect analysis by collecting information for each device member (e.g., each nozzle in a mounter) and each product member (e.g., each component). This segmentation enables precise identification of which specific device member caused which specific defect, rather than just showing aggregate proportions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges multiple information sources including inspection results, device member information (type, model, serial number), and product member information (component type, position). By combining these data sets, the system achieves reliable defect cause identification that goes beyond simple proportion measurements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If expert knowledge is used to identify abnormality causes, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabnormality cause identification accuracyVSAvoidexpert analysis time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical process of expert analysis with an automated information processing system. The abnormality cause identification unit uses algorithms to automatically analyze collected data and identify defect causes, substituting human expert knowledge with automated computational analysis that is both accurate and rapid.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary data collection and organization before abnormality analysis is needed. Inspection results, device member information, and product member information are continuously collected and stored in advance, so when a defect occurs, the analysis can immediately use pre-organized data without time-consuming data gathering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If trial-and-error methods are used for maintenance, then adaptability is improved, but productivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance approach flexibilityVSAvoidmaintenance efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically identifies abnormality causes and provides actionable insights without requiring maintenance personnel to perform trial-and-error diagnostics. The automated identification of specific device members and their abnormal states enables direct, targeted maintenance actions that eliminate unnecessary trial-and-error procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3499330B1Management system, management device, management method, and program
Publication Date: 2024.08.28 OMRON CORP
  • EP3499330B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3499330B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3499330B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A technology for specifically identifying whether one of a device member, a product member, and a combination of the device member and the product member is a direct cause of a defect in manufacturing equipment of products and causing maintenance and quality management of equipment to be efficient is provided. A management system is a management system of manufacturing equipment that includes one or more manufacturing devices including one or more device members and one or more inspection units that inspect a quality of the product and includes a product member information acquisition unit, a device member information acquisition unit, a quality information acquisition unit, and an abnormality analysis unit.