US 10,996,660 B2Granted

Augmented manufacturing system

AssigneeTulip Interfaces, Ine.

InventorsNatan Linder, Rony Kubat, Benjamin Weissmann, Mason Glidden, Douglas Sanchez, Marcus Boorstin

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Abstract

An operator defines a process, such as a process for the manufacturing of a product, using templates that may be edited graphically. Each process includes a set of steps that a user must perform in order to accomplish the process. Each step in the process may be associated with one or more pieces of machinery on the floor to achieve the execution of the process, either in advance or at execution time. Each step may also provide various forms of instruction, monitoring, and feedback to aid the user of the associated machinery in performing the process. Data may be collected regarding the user's performance, analyzed, and used to inform the operator who may in turn edit the process with the goal of improving its execution.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A method of operating a manufacturing system, the method comprising:

defining a manufacturing process using an interactive template retrievable from a storage by a server, wherein the interactive template includes a plurality of parameterized widgets defining an operation of a plurality of machines located on a factory floor and executing at least one step of the manufacturing process based on sensor values gathered by sensors collecting information from the factory floor for monitoring the at least one step during the manufacturing process;
receiving, by the server, at least one first modification to the plurality of parameterized widgets in the interactive template from a first processing device that presents a first user interface to at least one first operator, the at least one first modification is performed by a drag and drop operation performed by the at least one first operator;
receiving, by the server, at least one second modification to the plurality of parameterized widgets in the interactive template from a second processing device that presents a second user interface to at least one second operator, the at least one second modification is performed by a drag and drop operation performed by the at least one second operator;
providing, via the server, a modified version of the interactive template having the at least one first modification and the at least one second modification, to a third processing device that presents a third user interface to guide performance of the manufacturing process;
gathering, by the server, data related to the performance of the at least one step of the manufacturing process according to the modified version;
converting, by the server, the gathered data related to the performance of the at least one step of the manufacturing process into manufacturing results data;
and
providing, via the server, the manufacturing results data to for display to allow an operator to edit graphically the interactive template to improve execution of the manufacturing process,
wherein the plurality of parameterized widgets comprises one or more virtual buttons operable to change a state of the manufacturing process and visualizations or graphs resulting from an analysis of the manufacturing results data.

6 more elements

A manufacturing system comprising:

a storage that stores an interactive template, wherein the interactive template includes a plurality of parameterized widgets defining an operation of a plurality of machines located on a factory floor and executing at least one step of a manufacturing process based on sensor values gathered by sensors collecting information from the factory floor for monitoring the at least one step during the manufacturing process;
and a server configured to:
receive at least one first modification to the plurality of parameterized widgets in the interactive template from a first processing device that presents a first user interface to at least one first operator, the at least one first modification is performed by a drag and drop operation performed by the at least one first operator;
receive at least one second modification plurality of parameterized widgets in the to the interactive template from a second processing device that presents a second user interface to at least one second operator, the at least one second modification is performed by a drag and drop operation performed by the at least one second operator;
provide a modified version of the interactive template having the at least one first modification and the at least one second modification, to a third processing device that presents a third user interface to guide performance of the manufacturing process;
gather data related to a performance of the at least one step of the manufacturing process according to the modified version;
convert the gathered data into manufacturing results data;
and
provide the manufacturing results data for display to allow an operator to edit graphically the interactive template to improve execution of the manufacturing process, wherein the plurality of parameterized widgets comprises one or more virtual buttons operable to change a state of the manufacturing process and visualizations or graphs resulting from an analysis of the manufacturing results data.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/566,890Filed 17 Apr 2016 · us provisional application
Priority: 17 Apr 2015
Published: US 2018/0107198 A119 Apr 2018
Granted: 4 May 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification41 codes

G05B 19/4184
Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible…:…
B25F 5/00
Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the
G05B 19/4062
Characterised by monitoring or safety: monitoring servoloop, e.g. overload of servomotor, loss of feedback or reference
G05B 19/4065
Characterised by monitoring or safety: monitoring tool breakage, life or condition