Injection-Molded Part Quality Tracking Across Production Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plastics industry systems face challenges in clearly assigning quality data to specific injection-molded parts, due to difficulties in determining the temporal sequence of device contributions in the production chain, which can span days, weeks, months, or years.
Innovation Solution
A method where each injection-molded part or batch is assigned a quality contribution, generated by combining device contributions from each station in the production chain, with a Chain of Quality (CoQ) system querying and correlating these contributions to create a comprehensive quality record.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data from each device are recorded independently over the entire production period, then comprehensive quality data collection is achieved, but clear assignment of quality data to specific injection-molded parts becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the production process into discrete stations, with each station generating its own quality data record. These segmented records are then linked through a common identification system (production order, tool, mold, cavity, part number) to reconstruct the complete quality history of each specific injection-molded part. This segmentation approach allows comprehensive data collection while maintaining clear assignability through structured identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary data structure that acts as a mediator between independently recorded device data and final part assignment. This intermediary system uses a hierarchical identification scheme (production order → tool → mold → cavity → part number) to bridge the gap between scattered device records and specific parts, enabling clear assignment without requiring direct real-time correlation between all devices.
2Loss of time
If temporal sequence determination is attempted from recorded data, then production chronology can be reconstructed, but accuracy deteriorates due to delays in the production chain spanning days, weeks, months or years
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by recording and storing the identification data (production order, tool, mold, cavity, part number) at each station immediately when the part passes through, rather than attempting to reconstruct temporal sequences later. This preliminary recording of identifying information at the source ensures accurate chronology reconstruction even years later, as the data is captured in real-time during production rather than attempted to be inferred retrospectively.
3Quantity of substance
If all data from all devices are constantly recorded independently, then complete production data is available, but evaluation and assignment expense increases greatly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by creating a standardized, multi-functional data recording structure that serves multiple purposes simultaneously. The hierarchical identification system (production order, tool, mold, cavity, part number) recorded at each station serves both as real-time production tracking and as the foundation for later quality analysis, assignment, and追溯. This universal data structure eliminates the need for separate evaluation and assignment processes, greatly reducing costs while maintaining complete data availability.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for the quality control and/or tracking of an injection molded part produced in a production cycle using at least one processing machine of the plastic processing industry and a plastic processing facility, in which production devices or stations arranged upstream or downstream are connected together via a network. Each individual injection molded part or a specified number of injection molded parts is assigned a quality value composed of multiple quality values in that each device or station in the production chain ascertains or generates its own quality value and extends same by the transmitted values of each previous device or previous station and forwards same as the new quality value to the following device or following station or in that a separate collecting station, in particular a hardware and software, requests the quality values, the device values and/or material values thereof, from the individual devices or stations or is transmitted thereto, and the collecting station puts said the values into correlation.