# US 10,481,597 B2 · System and method for monitoring manufacturing

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- Number: US 10,481,597 B2
- Document ID: US10481597B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/373,337
- Filed: 2016-12-08
- Published: 2017-06-08
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-08
- Assignees: Sight Machine, Inc.
- Applicants: Sight Machine, Inc.
- Inventors: Nathan Oostendorp; Kurtis Alan Demaagd; Ryan Smith
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481597B2

## CPC

- G05B 23/0272: {Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user}
- G05B 19/41875: {characterised by quality surveillance of production}
- G05B 23/0235: {based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold}
- G06F 16/953: Querying, e.g. by the use of web search engines
- G06Q 10/06395: {Quality analysis or management}
- G06Q 50/04: Manufacturing
- G08B 21/182: {Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold}
- G05B 2219/32191: Real time statistical process monitoring
- G06F 16/951: Indexing; Web crawling techniques
- Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
- Y02P 90/30: Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing
- Y02P 90/80: Management or planning
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A system for monitoring manufacturing includes one or more sensors and a controller in communication with the one or more sensors. The controller may include one or more processors that determine a quality metric represented by machine data collected from one or more machine data sensors and identify a correlation value between the machine data and environmental data collected from one or more environmental data sensors. The controller may further include determine if the correlation value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and if the correlation value exceeds the predetermined threshold value, report at least one of the correlation value and the quality metric.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for monitoring manufacturing, comprising:
one or more sensors; and
a controller in operative communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the controller comprises one or more processors and a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
determine a quality metric represented by machine data collected from the one or more sensors;
identify a correlation value between the machine data and environmental data collected from the one the more sensors;
determine if the correlation value exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
if the correlation value exceeds the predetermined threshold value, report at least one of the correlation value and the quality metric;
determine a trend line comprising a plurality of points representing the machine data over at least one of a period of time or a number of machine parts;
determine an average value for the machine data;
determine if one or more of the plurality of points on the trend line cross the average value more than a predetermined number of times; and
if the one or more points cross the average value more than the predetermined number of times, initiate an alert message that the one or more points are fluctuating above or below the mean value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further wherein:
the one or more sensors comprise at least one machine data sensor and one environmental data sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a server in operative communication with the controller and one or more remote terminals.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, further wherein:
the server comprises a cloud-based data server having one or more databases, wherein the one or more databases store machine data and environmental data collected from the one or more sensors.

### Claim 5

A computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing, the method comprising:
determining a quality metric represented by machine data collected from one or more machine data sensors;
identifying a correlation value between the machine data and environmental data collected from one or more environmental data sensors;
determining if the correlation value exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
if the correlation value exceeds the predetermined threshold value, reporting at least one of the correlation value and the quality metric;
determining a trend line comprising a plurality of points representing the machine data over at least one of a period of time or a number of machine parts;
determining an average value for the machine data;
determining if one or more of the plurality of points on the trend line cross the average value more than a predetermined number of times; and
if the one or more points cross the average value more than the predetermined number of times, initiating an alert message that the one or more points are fluctuating above or below the mean value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
determining that the quality metric is indicative of a substandard quality; and
reporting the quality metric based on the determination.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 6, further comprising:
comparing the machine data to at least one of an average value, a lower control level value, and an upper control level value; and
determining the quality metric indicates the substandard quality based on the comparison.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 7, further wherein:
the average value, the lower control level value, and the upper control level value define a tolerance range for a part being manufactured; and
the substandard quality represents the machine data exceeds the tolerance range.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 6, further comprising:
receiving a user request for a root cause analysis based on the determination that the quality metric is indicative of the substandard quality; and
identifying and reporting the correlation value in response to the user request.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
receiving a user request for at least one of the correlation value and the quality metric; and
reporting at least one of the correlation value and the quality metric in response to the user request.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
based on the determination that the correlation value exceeds the predetermined threshold value, determining an environmental factor, wherein the environmental factor indicates at least one of a humidity reading, temperature reading, and pressure reading represented by the environmental data; and
reporting the environmental factor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
analyzing the environmental data and the machine data using a regression analysis to identify the correlation value.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further wherein:
the predetermined threshold value is a minimum correlation factor that is based on user input received during an initial setup procedure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
retrieving data representing at least one of the environmental data and the machine data from a network database.

### Claim 15 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
determining the one or more points exceed a tolerance range more than a predetermined number of times, wherein the tolerance range is defined by a lower control level value and an upper control level value; and
based on the determination, generating an alert message indicating that the one or more points exceed the tolerance range.

### Claim 16 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
determining an average value and a standard deviation based on the machine data;
analyzing the machine data by applying one or more Nelson rules and at least one of the average value and the standard deviation;
determining an anomaly situation based on the analysis, wherein the anomaly situation indicates a violation event of the one or more Nelson rules; and
initiating an alert message indicating the determined anomaly situation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
determining an outcome variable based on the correlation value, wherein the outcome variable comprises a variable type that is at least one of a categorical variable and an ordinal variable; and
reporting the outcome variable.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 17, further wherein:
the variable type of the outcome variable is based at least in part on a user request for a root cause analysis.

### Claim 19 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
mapping the machine data to one or more particular manufactured parts; and
reporting the one or more particular manufactured parts along with at least one of the correlation value and the quality metric.

### Claim 20 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method for monitoring manufacturing of claim 5, further comprising:
optimizing a monitored assembly line based on the correlation value by:
determining one or more parallel subassembly processes of the monitored assembly line; and
prioritizing the one or more parallel subassembly processes in the monitored assembly line based at least in part on the environmental data and the machine data so that a production time length of the monitored assembly line is reduced.

### Claim 21

A system for monitoring manufacturing, the system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
determine a quality metric represented by machine data collected from one or more machine data sensors;
identify a correlation value between the machine data and environmental data collected from one or more environmental data sensors;
determine if the correlation value exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
if the correlation value exceeds the predetermined threshold value, report at least one of the correlation value and the quality metric;
determine a trend line comprising a plurality of points representing the machine data over at least one of a period of time or a number of machine parts;
determine an average value for the machine data;
determine if one or more of the plurality of points on the trend line cross the average value more than a predetermined number of times; and
if the one or more points cross the average value more than the predetermined number of times, initiate an alert message that the one or more points are fluctuating above or below the mean value.

### Claim 22

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, instruct the electronic device to:
determine a quality metric represented by machine data collected from one or more machine data sensors;
identify a correlation value between the machine data and environmental data collected from one or more environmental data sensors;
determine if the correlation value exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
if the correlation value exceeds the predetermined threshold value, report at least one of the correlation value and the quality metric;
determine a trend line comprising a plurality of points representing the machine data over at least one of a period of time or a number of machine parts;
determine an average value for the machine data;
determine if one or more of the plurality of points on the trend line cross the average value more than a predetermined number of times; and
if the one or more points cross the average value more than the predetermined number of times, initiate an alert message that the one or more points are fluctuating above or below the mean value.