Method and machine system for controlling an industrial operation

A method for selecting optimum operation performance criteria for a metal working process, said method comprising the steps of:

• retrieving process parameters from multiple sources relating to the metal working process;
• retrieving performance variables from different sources relating to the metal working process, the performance variables comprising performance variable data for subsequent operations;
• storing the process parameters and the performance variables in a consolidated memory in association with a computing system;
• making the process parameters and/or the performance variables available for the computing system for applying at least one optimization technique to select the optimum operation performance criteria;
• providing a process model that relates process parameters for the operation with performance variables for said operation,
• selecting the at least one optimization technique to define a function, said function comprising the process parameters,
• generating the function for optimization by using acceptable tolerances of a product to be machined as a basis to define ranges for the performance variables along with ranges for the process parameters,
• applying the at least one optimization technique to said function, whereby the optimum operation performance criteria are determined for the process model including the process parameters and the performance variables to obtain a set of requirements to be used for controlling the metal working process,
• wherein the process parameters comprise one or more of a production order, product geometry and predefined tolerances, required metal working operations, required tooling configuration, stacking pattern of produced items, and process parameter data from previous operations, and
• wherein the performance variables comprise one or more of determined tolerances of produced items, process time, tooling availability, tooling lifetime, material removal rate, operator working environment, order stock, delivery time, required pressing position, and performance variable data from previous operations;
• comparing the retrieved process parameters relating to the metal working process from previous operations with a current machine configuration comprising parameters relating to clamping mechanism and/or gripping configuration,
• determining if the current machine configuration enables production of an item according to its process parameters,
• evaluating the applicability of the clamping mechanism, which when required results in adjustments to the clamping mechanism, and/or
• evaluating the applicability of the gripping configuration, which when required results in adjustments to the gripping configuration, and
• whereby any adjustments made result in a new current machine configuration to be compared with parameters from previous operations.

A method for selecting optimum operation performance criteria for a metal working process, said method comprising the steps of:

• retrieving process parameters from multiple sources relating to the metal working process;
• retrieving performance variables from different sources relating to the metal working process, the performance variables comprising performance variable data for subsequent operations;
• storing the process parameters and the performance variables in a consolidated memory in association with a computing system;
• making the process parameters and/or the performance variables available for the computing system for applying at least one optimization technique to select the optimum operation performance criteria;
• providing a process model that relates process parameters for the operation with performance variables for said operation,
• selecting the at least one optimization technique to define a function, said function comprising the process parameters,
• generating the function for optimization by using acceptable tolerances of a product to be machined as a basis to define ranges for the performance variables along with ranges for the process parameters, and
• applying the at least one optimization technique to said function, whereby the optimum operation performance criteria are determined for the process model including the process parameters and the performance variables to obtain a set of requirements to be used for controlling the metal working process,
• wherein the process parameters comprise one or more of a production order, product geometry and predefined tolerances, required metal working operations, required tooling configuration, stacking pattern of produced items, and process parameter data from previous operations,
• wherein the performance variables comprise one or more of determined tolerances of produced items, process time, tooling availability, tooling lifetime, material removal rate, operator working environment, order stock, delivery time, required pressing position, and performance variable data from previous operations, and
• wherein tools and/or produced items are embedded with electronics, software, sensors and/or network connectivity, which enables the electronics, software, sensors and/or network connectivity to exchange process parameters and/or performance variables with the computer system.