Tagless Production Line Tracking via Worker Motion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current tracking systems for production lines require non-value-add activities such as applying and removing tags, and integration with varying production line control systems, which increase processing time and reduce throughput.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that identifies articles on a production line by tracking the repetitive motion of a worker or object relative to the articles, using location signals from tags to determine article positions without the need for tags on the articles, and integrating with any production line control system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If tags are attached to articles for tracking, then article identification accuracy is improved, but processing time increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tracking tag from the article itself and places it on the worker instead. This eliminates the need to attach and remove tags from articles while maintaining tracking capability, as the worker's movements relative to articles provide sufficient identification information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the worker's own movements and positioning as the tracking mechanism. The worker naturally moves through the production line performing tasks, and these movements are captured by the tracking system to identify articles, eliminating the need for separate tagging operations.
2Reliability
If tags are applied and removed from articles, then tracking functionality is achieved, but non-value-add activities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking tag is extracted from the article workflow and relocated to the worker. This eliminates the time-consuming operations of attaching and removing tags from articles while preserving the tracking functionality through monitoring worker positions and movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The worker-worn tag serves multiple functions: it tracks the worker's position for article identification, monitors worker movements for process analysis, and provides data for quality control. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate tagging operations on articles.
3Productivity
If production line speed increases, then throughput is improved, but quality control measurement time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously tracks worker positions and article locations in real-time, maintaining a ready database of positional information. This preliminary tracking ensures that when quality control measurements are needed, the identification data is already available, eliminating delays that would compromise throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The tracking system operates continuously throughout the production process, constantly gathering positional data. This continuous operation ensures that article identification and quality control measurements can be performed instantly at any point on the high-speed production line without interrupting the flow.
4Adaptability or versatility
If tracking system integrates with production line control system, then system coordination is improved, but integration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking system is designed with universal functionality that can interface with multiple different production line control systems. By using standardized communication protocols and providing versatile tracking data, the system adapts to various control systems without requiring custom integration work for each deployment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach eliminates the need for tag application and removal, reduces processing time, and allows for accurate article identification and quality control without additional non-value-add tasks, enhancing production line efficiency and adaptability.
Implementation Method 1
receiving location information of an object which executes the same motion with respect to at least a first subset of the plurality of articles on the production line
Data Source
AI summary
A method of identifying an article on a production line, the production line comprising a plurality of articles along its length, the relative positions of the plurality of articles along the length of the production line being predetermined, the method comprising: receiving location information of an object which executes the same motion with respect to at least a first subset of the plurality of articles on the production line; for at least a second subset of the plurality of articles, determining from the location information the location of the object at a predetermined interaction between the object and the article; and identifying an article of the plurality of articles at a specified location of the object in dependence on (i) a known location of any one article of the plurality of articles at any one time, and (ii) the locations of the object at the predetermined interactions between the object and the at least second subset of the plurality of articles.