Welded Workpiece Identifier Selection for Clear Traceability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing welding management systems face challenges in efficiently managing identifiers of workpieces produced in welding processes, as they often assign new identifiers for each production machine, complicating traceability and reducing system administrator efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A welding method and identification sign assignment device that select an identifier for a welded workpiece based on a predetermined rule, ensuring efficient management by hiding or disabling identification signs of unselected original workpieces after the welding process, thus simplifying traceability and improving efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a new identifier is assigned each time a workpiece is located in a different production machine, then traceability information can be recorded at each machine, but the identifier management becomes complicated and work efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraceability informationVSAvoidwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by assigning a unique identifier to the workpiece at the very beginning (at the first production machine) and then maintains this identifier throughout the entire production process. This preliminary assignment eliminates the need to create new identifiers at each subsequent machine, thereby preventing information loss while maintaining high work efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If multiple identifiers are assigned to the same workpiece for different production machines, then complete production history can be tracked, but identifier management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction historyVSAvoididentifier management
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The unique identifier assigned to the workpiece serves multiple functions throughout the production process. The same identifier is used to track the workpiece at the first production machine, subsequent production machines, and final assembly, eliminating the need for machine-specific identifiers. This universal identifier approach maintains complete production history while significantly reducing management complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of information

If identification signs of unselected original workpieces are not hidden after welding, then all original workpiece information remains readable, but traceability of the welded workpiece becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoriginal workpiece informationVSAvoidtraceability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and preserves the essential traceability information by assigning a unique identifier to the welded workpiece that represents the entire assembly. The identification signs of individual original workpieces are effectively 'taken out' or hidden after welding, as their information is subsumed into the unified identifier of the welded workpiece. This maintains traceability while simplifying the readable information to only what is necessary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4043972B1Welding method, identification sign assignment device, and weldment
Publication Date: 2025.04.09 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP4043972B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4043972B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4043972B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A welding method to be executed by a welding system in which identification signs are arranged on a plurality of original workpieces to be used in a welding process, respectively, the identification signs on which identifiers of the respective original workpieces are readable, the welding method including: executing the welding process such that a part or an entire of the identification signs is hidden in a joint surface on which the plurality of original workpieces are joined in the welding process.