Remote Industrial Printer Servicing via Sensor Data Analysis
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial printers often experience component failures due to timely unreacted alerts and warnings, leading to production downtime, despite existing monitoring and data storage capabilities, as operators lack the expertise to evaluate user-set parameters and diagnose issues effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for remote servicing of industrial printers, where sensor data and parameter data are collected and analyzed to determine service issues, allowing for automated actions such as component replacement or parameter adjustments to be initiated remotely, enabling technicians to address issues without on-site presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If operators monitor alerts and warnings locally, then response time to issues is improved, but operator expertise and availability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
A remote service system acts as an intermediary between the printer and operators, collecting sensor data and parameter data, analyzing service issues, and providing expert diagnostic capabilities remotely. This intermediary enables local operators to benefit from remote expertise without requiring them to possess specialized knowledge themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for human operator expertise with an automated system that collects sensor data, analyzes parameter data, and determines service issues through computational processing. This substitution transforms manual diagnostic capabilities into an automated electronic system.
2Reliability
If technicians are dispatched on-site for service issues, then diagnosis accuracy is improved, but production downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces physical on-site technician presence with remote electronic diagnostics. Sensors continuously monitor printer components and transmit data to a remote service system that analyzes the information and determines service issues without requiring physical inspection, thereby eliminating dispatch time while maintaining diagnostic capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary diagnostic actions by continuously collecting and analyzing sensor data and parameter data before service issues become critical. This advance analysis enables early detection of potential problems and allows for proactive maintenance scheduling that minimizes production downtime.
3Reliability
If comprehensive sensor monitoring is implemented, then issue detection capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The remote service system performs multiple functions through a single integrated platform: collecting sensor data, collecting parameter data, analyzing service issues, determining diagnostic results, and communicating with operators. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into one unified solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-monitoring and self-diagnosis capabilities where the printer automatically collects its own operational data through integrated sensors and parameter tracking, eliminating the need for manual inspection and reducing the complexity of external monitoring infrastructure.
4Loss of time
If remote servicing is implemented, then production downtime is reduced, but data communication requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential diagnostic information from comprehensive sensor data and parameter data, identifying and transmitting only the relevant service issue indicators to the remote service system. This selective data extraction reduces communication overhead while maintaining diagnostic effectiveness.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2
AI summary
A method and system for remote servicing of an industrial printer (110) includes obtaining, on a processor, sensor data that indicates values output by sensors (170) configured to measure physical phenomena related to a plurality of components (160) of the industrial printer. Also obtained, on the processor, is parameter data that indicates values for parameters that indicate user settings (184) for operation of the industrial printer. It is determined, on the processor, a service issue related to the industrial printer based on the sensor data and the parameter data, It is also determined, at least in part on the processor, an action to be performed on the industrial printer in response to the service issue. Furthermore, the action is caused to be initiated. In some embodiments, the action is initiated at one facility different from a facility where the industrial printer is located.