Sensor-Based Process Protocols for Multi-Station Production Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods fail to provide detailed monitoring and analysis of manufacturing or processing steps for products across multiple stations, leading to delays and inefficiencies in production processes, as they only track product location and not specific process steps or machine performance.
Innovation Solution
A method involving sensors assigned to physical devices to detect and record physical properties as measured values, with time stamps, generating process protocols that include unique identifications, process step identifications, and sequence information, which are then stored and analyzed using a process mining system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If only barcode reading means are used to track product location, then the system is simple and easy to implement, but detailed process information and machine performance data cannot be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple data sources including barcode reading means, sensors assigned to physical devices, and machine data into a unified process protocol. This merging allows comprehensive process information capture while managing system complexity through integrated data collection at multiple levels (product, process step, machine).
Solution Approach 2:
The process protocol is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels: product identification data, process step identification data, and machine identification data. This segmentation allows detailed information capture at each level while enabling flexible analysis and processing of specific process aspects.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive sensor data and process protocols are collected and analyzed, then detailed process monitoring and bottleneck detection are enabled, but data processing complexity and time requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Process protocols are generated and stored in a structured format with pre-defined attributes (product ID, process step ID, machine ID, timestamps) as data is collected. This preliminary structuring enables faster retrieval and analysis without requiring complex real-time processing, reducing data processing time while maintaining monitoring precision.
3Loss of information
If process protocols include detailed machine and sensor data with timestamps, then process correlation analysis is improved, but data storage requirements and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The process protocol structure is designed as a universal multi-functional data container that can accommodate various types of information (product data, process step data, machine data, sensor measurements, timestamps) in a standardized format. This universality enables comprehensive process correlation analysis without requiring separate data structures for different data types, efficiently managing data volume.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for providing process protocols for processes carried out by a number of physical devices. A sensor assigned to a physical device detects measured values. Time stamps are assigned to the detected measured values, and the process protocol is generated from the measured values detected by the sensor, from an assignment of the detected measured values to the sensor and/or to the at least one device, and from the time stamp assigned to the measured values. The process protocol has a number of data sets, and each data set of the process protocol has a first attribute, where a unique identification of a process is stored and by which the process step is assigned to the process, a second attribute, where an identification of the process step is stored, and a third attribute, where a sequence of the process steps within a process is stored.