Process Control Using Waveform Images for Deterioration Traceability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing process control methods fail to accurately specify deterioration factors in assembled products by not considering the parts and sub-assembling processes involved, relying solely on similarity between time-varying waveforms of inspection data.
Innovation Solution
A process control system and method that converts inspection data into images, performs matching between these images and predetermined deterioration patterns, and specifies deterioration factors by analyzing similarities between assembled product, sub-assembling processes, and individual parts, enabling a more comprehensive identification of deterioration factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If only the similarity between time-varying waveform of inspection data of assembled product and past inspection data is used to specify deterioration factor, then the process control method is simple, but the accuracy of specifying deterioration factor is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the inspection data into multiple dimensions: assembled product inspection data, sub-assembling process inspection data, and parts inspection data. Each dimension is converted into a waveform image and analyzed separately for similarity with deterioration patterns, allowing comprehensive deterioration factor identification without overwhelming system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms time-varying waveform data into two-dimensional waveform images, enabling visual pattern matching with predetermined deterioration pattern images. This dimensional transformation facilitates more accurate similarity assessment by capturing temporal trends in a spatial format that can be directly compared with known deterioration patterns
2Measurement precision
If inspection data of parts and sub-assembling processes are included in the analysis, then the accuracy of deterioration factor specification is improved, but the processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts all inspection data (assembled product, sub-assembling processes, and parts) into waveform images in advance and stores them. When deterioration detection is needed, the system performs pattern matching against pre-converted images rather than processing raw data, significantly reducing real-time processing requirements while maintaining comprehensive analysis capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates waveform image copies of the original inspection data that can be efficiently stored and repeatedly used for pattern matching. These image representations serve as simplified surrogates for the original time-series data, enabling fast comparison with deterioration patterns without repeatedly processing the full raw datasets
Data Source
AI summary
The process control system converts, into images, time-varying waveforms of inspection data of an assembled product, parts, and sub-assembling processes that constitute the assembling process, performs matching between an inspection waveform image (IWI) of the assembled product and a predetermined deterioration pattern image (DPI), determines whether IWI of the assembled product is similar to DPI, performs, when IWI is similar to DPI, a first determination for performing matching between an IWI of each of sub-assembling processes and DPI and determining whether there is a sub-assembling process similar to DPI, performs, when there is a sub-assembling process similar to DPI in the first determination, a second determination for performing matching between IWI of each of parts assembled in the sub-assembling process similar to DPI and DPI and determining whether there is a part similar to DPI, and specifies a deterioration factor based on results of the first and second determinations.