# US 12,008,563 B2 · Systems and methods for end-to-end verification of manufacturing workflows

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- Number: US 12,008,563 B2
- Document ID: US12008563B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/454,309
- Filed: 2021-11-10
- Published: 2022-11-17
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-14
- Assignees: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
- Applicants: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
- Inventors: Juan Carlos Flores Perez; Mikhail Gladkikh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12008563B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B22F 10/80: Data acquisition or data processing
- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- G01N 23/046: using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
- G05B 19/4099: Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
- G06F 16/254: {Extract, transform and load [ETL] procedures, e.g. ETL data flows in data warehouses}
- G06F 16/27: Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
- G06F 16/28: Databases characterised by their database models, e.g. relational or object models
- G06F 21/64: Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
- G06Q 10/0633: Workflow analysis
- G06Q 10/06395: {Quality analysis or management}
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 10/0875: Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
- G06Q 20/38215: {Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights}
- G06Q 20/389: {Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction}
- G06Q 20/401: {Transaction verification}
- G06Q 30/018: Certifying business or products
- G06Q 30/0185: {Product, service or business identity fraud}
- G06Q 30/0631: {Recommending goods or services}
- G06Q 50/04: Manufacturing
- H04L 9/3236: {using cryptographic hash functions}
- G05B 2219/49023: 3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder
- G06Q 2220/00: Business processing using cryptography
- G06Q 2220/18: Licensing
- H04L 9/50: {using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees}
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- 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
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

Methods may involve accepting an order for a product to be manufactured and identification of a product file meeting the specification, the product file comprising instructions for manufacturing the product. Pre-manufacture verification of manufacturer capabilities and product precursors may be accepted. Operational parameters to enable an additive manufacturing device to manufacture the product may be sent as discrete packets. At least one packet may be sent only after receipt of confirmation that at least another previous layer is complete and associated operational parameters for the at least another previous layer have been deleted. In-manufacture verification of the operational parameters utilized by the additive manufacturing device when manufacturing the product may be accepted. At each stage, a blockchain for certifying characteristics of the product may be updated to associate data representative of workflows for the product with an encrypted, secure identifier utilizing a secure, distributed transaction ledger.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a memory device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
accept an order for a product to be manufactured, the order comprising a specification for the product;
update a blockchain for certifying characteristics of the product to associate the order and the specification with an encrypted, secure identifier utilizing a secure, distributed transaction ledger;
accept identification of a product file meeting the specification, the product file comprising instructions for manufacturing the product;
update the blockchain to associate the product file with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger;
accept pre-manufacture verification of manufacturer capabilities and product precursors;
update the blockchain to associate the pre-manufacture verification of manufacturer capabilities and product precursors with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger;
send operational parameters to enable an additive manufacturing device to manufacture the product, the operational parameters being sent for manufacturing as discrete packets, at least one packet being sent only after receipt of confirmation that at least another previous packet is complete and associated operational parameters for the at least another previous packet have been deleted;
update the blockchain to associate the operational parameters with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger;
accept in-manufacture verification of operational parameters utilized by the additive manufacturing device when manufacturing the product; and
update the blockchain to associate the in-manufacture verification of the operational parameters with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
tailor the operational parameters to cause the additive manufacturing device to produce a unique physical characteristic of the product associated with the encrypted, secure identifier before sending the operational parameters to the additive manufacturing device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
accept in-manufacture verification of a product characteristic for a portion of the product manufactured by the additive manufacturing device; and
update the blockchain to associate the in-manufacture verification of the product characteristic with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
identify a unique physical characteristic of the product reflected in the in-manufacture verifications of the product characteristic and associate the unique physical characteristic with the encrypted, secure identifier.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
stop sending the operational parameters to the additive manufacturing device when the in-manufacture verification of the product characteristic is outside a predetermined threshold; and
update the blockchain to associate an indication that the in-manufacture verification of the product characteristic was outside the predetermined threshold with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
pause sending the operational parameters to the additive manufacturing device when the in-manufacture verification of the product characteristic is within the predetermined threshold and outside another, smaller threshold; and
require confirmation of acceptance from a purchaser before resuming sending the operational parameters to the additive manufacturing device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
automatically request funds from a payment account when the in-manufacture verification of the product characteristic is within a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
accept post-manufacture verification of operational parameters for post-manufacture processing performed on the product, post-manufacture product characteristics for the product, or both; and
update the blockchain to associate the post-manufacture verification of the operational parameters for the post-manufacture processing performed on the product, the post-manufacture product characteristics for the product, or both with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
accept the in-manufacture verification of the operational parameters utilized by the additive manufacturing device when manufacturing the product by accepting an indication that all the operational parameters utilized by the additive manufacturing device when manufacturing the product were within a specified threshold.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
accept the in-manufacture verification of the operational parameters utilized by the additive manufacturing device when manufacturing the product by receiving a log of at least substantially all the operational parameters utilized by the additive manufacturing device when manufacturing the product.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
accept the in-manufacture verification of the operational parameters utilized by the additive manufacturing device when manufacturing the product by receiving the log in real time from a network-connected additive manufacturing device while the network-connected additive manufacturing device manufactures the product.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
accept expected use information before accepting the order for the product;
send identification of product designs within a digital inventory of product designs potentially capable of performing the expected use; and
accept the order for the product to be manufactured from within the digital inventory.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
utilize a machine-learning-assisted process to match the product designs from within the digital inventory having desirable recorded performance metrics in similar use cases to the expected use information; and
recommend the product designs having the desirable recorded performance metrics when sending the identification of the product designs.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
accept the pre-manufacture verification of the manufacturer capabilities by receiving images of quality required documentation.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
record intellectual property rights associated with the product, the product file, the product precursors, or any combination of these stored in a database accessible to the processor;
update the blockchain to associate the intellectual property rights with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger; and
generate an account of royalties due for the product, the product file, the product precursors, or any combination of these.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
restrict access to the blockchain, including the secure, distributed transaction ledger, to preauthorized service providers.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
accept measures of environmental impact associated with sourcing and manufacturing the product; and
update the blockchain to associate the measures of environmental impact with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger.

### Claim 18

A method, comprising:
accepting an order for a product to be manufactured, the order comprising a specification for the product;
updating a blockchain for certifying characteristics of the product to associate the order and the specification with an encrypted, secure identifier utilizing a secure, distributed transaction ledger;
accepting identification of a product file meeting the specification, the product file comprising instructions for manufacturing the product;
updating the blockchain to associate the product file with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger;
accepting pre-manufacture verification of manufacturer capabilities and product precursors;
updating the blockchain to associate the pre-manufacture verification of manufacturer capabilities and product precursors with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger;
sending operational parameters to enable an additive manufacturing device to manufacture the product, the operational parameters being sent for manufacturing as discrete packets, at least one packet being sent only after receipt of confirmation that at least another previous layer is complete and associated operational parameters for the at least another previous layer have been deleted;
updating the blockchain to associate the operational parameters with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger;
accepting in-manufacture verification of the operational parameters utilized by the additive manufacturing device when manufacturing the product; and
updating the blockchain to associate the in-manufacture verification of the operational parameters with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising tailoring the operational parameters to cause the additive manufacturing device to produce a unique physical characteristic of the product associated with the encrypted, secure identifier before sending the operational parameters to the additive manufacturing device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
accepting in-manufacture verification of a product characteristic for a portion of the product manufactured by the additive manufacturing device; and
updating the blockchain to associate the in-manufacture verification of the product characteristic with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
accepting post-manufacture verification of operational parameters for post-manufacture processing performed on the product, post-manufacture product characteristics for the product, or both; and
updating the blockchain to associate the post-manufacture verification of the operational parameters for the post-manufacture processing performed on the product, the post-manufacture product characteristics for the product, or both with the encrypted, secure identifier utilizing the secure, distributed transaction ledger.