Sensor-Based Production Quality Tracking for Targeted Recalls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing quality control methods in industrial manufacturing, particularly in the automotive industry, are unreliable and resource-intensive, often failing to detect invisible defects and leading to costly and unnecessary product recalls due to inconsistent manufacturing conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of sensors to obtain manufacturing parameters, linked to a machine-readable unique identifier, for real-time quality analysis and generation of a digital quality certificate, enabling reliable quality control and reducing the need for separate inspection stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual inspection methods (manual or automatic) are used for quality control, then inspection can be performed on finished products, but the reliability is limited and defects may be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing quality monitoring during the manufacturing process rather than after completion. Sensors capture process parameters (temperature, pressure, vibration, etc.) in real-time during manufacturing steps, enabling defect prediction before the product is finished, thus improving both reliability and detection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring process parameters and comparing them against reference values or thresholds. When deviations are detected, the system generates alerts or automatically adjusts process parameters, creating a closed-loop control system that improves quality control reliability and defect detection capability.
2Reliability
If extensive quality inspection processes are carried out to increase reliability, then more defects can be detected, but time and resources are added to the industrial process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by integrating quality monitoring seamlessly into the manufacturing process flow. Sensors continuously capture process parameters without interrupting production, and real-time analysis enables immediate corrective actions, maintaining continuous production while improving quality reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies self-service by enabling the manufacturing process to monitor and control its own quality parameters automatically. The monitoring system captures data, analyzes it in real-time, and triggers automated responses without requiring external inspection teams or manual intervention, thus improving reliability without reducing productivity.
3Reliability
If products are recalled based on manufacturing site and period assumptions, then potential defects can be addressed, but the recall may be costly and possibly unnecessary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by tracking quality parameters at the individual product or batch level rather than grouping all products from a manufacturing site together. Each product receives a unique quality profile based on its specific manufacturing conditions, enabling precise identification of affected items and reducing unnecessary recalls.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses manufacturing process parameters as intermediaries to link products with their specific production conditions. By capturing and storing detailed process data (temperature, pressure, speed, etc.) for each product, the system creates a traceable connection between manufacturing conditions and product quality, enabling accurate recall decisions.
4Device complexity
If manual visual inspection is used for quality control, then inspection can be performed without complex equipment, but the inspection process is time-consuming and less reliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with automated sensor-based monitoring systems. Sensors capture process parameters electronically, and computer algorithms analyze the data in real-time, substituting human inspection with automated electronic systems that are faster, more reliable, and can operate continuously without fatigue.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for generating a digital production quality certificate for a component carrying a machine readable unique identifier undergoing a plurality of manufacturing steps is provided. The method comprises obtaining parameters indicative of the manufacturing steps from one or more sensors for a plurality of monitored manufacturing steps. The obtained parameters are linked with the machine readable unique identifier and one or more quality analyses are performed for a selected monitored manufacturing step based on the obtained parameters for said manufacturing step. A digital quality certificate is generated for the component comprising data related to the results of the quality analyses and the parameters obtained for the component are stored. The disclosure also provides examples of methods and systems of monitoring a manufacturing process.