Cross-Tool Process Control Using Sensor Feedback Replication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing tools across different types and facilities produce varying products due to environmental factors, tool variations, and sensor outputs, leading to inconsistent product quality despite calibration efforts.
Innovation Solution
A process control device system that communicates using cellular or WLAN protocols to collect data from sensors on one manufacturing tool, identify attributes, and send commands to another tool to replicate settings, ensuring consistent output across different manufacturing tools and facilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If tools are programmed and calibrated to perform the same functions, then manufacturing consistency is improved, but product variation still occurs due to environmental factors and sensor outputs
Solution Approach 1:
The system collects sensor data from manufacturing tools, identifies attributes in the data, and uses this feedback to determine and apply settings that replicate output attributes across different tools, thereby maintaining consistency despite environmental variations
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts manufacturing parameters by identifying attributes from sensor data and determining optimal settings to replicate desired output attributes, allowing adaptation to environmental factors while maintaining product consistency
2Adaptability or versatility
If different manufacturing tools are used across facilities, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but product variation increases due to tool differences
Solution Approach 1:
The system collects data from a first manufacturing tool and uses processing resources to identify attributes and determine settings that replicate the output attributes on a second manufacturing tool, effectively creating a digital copy of the optimal configuration across different tools and facilities
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to work across different types of manufacturing tools and facilities by collecting data from various sensors, identifying attributes universally, and applying determined settings to replicate output attributes across diverse manufacturing environments
3Manufacturing precision
If sensor data is collected and analyzed to determine settings, then product quality control is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the complex task of quality control into separate functional components: data collection from sensors, attribute identification through processing resources, determination of settings, and application to manufacturing tools, making the overall system more manageable and implementable
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, devices, and systems related to process control in manufacturing are described. In an example, a method can include receiving data from a first process control device affixed to a first manufacturing tool of a first type, identifying one or more attributes of the data via a second processing resource of a second process control device affixed to a second manufacturing tool of a second type different from the first type, determining one or more settings for the second manufacturing tool via the second processing resource in response to identifying the one or more attributes of the data, and sending a command including the one or more settings to the second manufacturing tool from the second process control device.