US 12,222,256 B2 · Monitoring of tool calibration status in automated tool control systems

Abstract

A calibration monitoring system is provided to automatically monitor the calibration status of tools and other inventory items, such as upon the items being issued from or returned to the automated calibration monitoring system. The system identifies an inventory item, for example a calibrated torque wrench or other calibrated tool identified based on a unique identifying tag attached thereto. The system retrieves a calibration parameter value for the item from a calibration database, and completes a calibration measurement of the item based on the calibration parameter value. In the example, a torque measurement of the calibrated torque wrench can thus be automatically completed. In turn, the system determines a current calibration status of the item based on the calibration measurement, and selectively enables or disables issuance of the inventory item from the system according to the item's status as being in calibration or out of calibration.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An automated calibration monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of storage locations configured to store inventory items including a calibrated inventory item comprising a calibration parameter value;
and
a processor configured to, upon the calibrated inventory item being issued from or returned to the automated calibration monitoring system:
compare a calibration measurement of the calibrated inventory item with the calibration parameter value for the calibrated inventory item, wherein the processor selectively authorizes the issue or return of the calibrated inventory item according to a result of the comparison,
upon determining that the calibration measurement of the calibrated inventory item is inconsistent with the calibration parameter value for the calibrated inventory item, retrieve from a database all records of work orders associated with the calibrated inventory item corresponding to issuances of the calibrated inventory item following the last stored record of a previous calibration measurement of the calibrated inventory item, and
generate a report identifying the products on which the calibrated inventory item was used since the last stored record of a previous calibration measurement of the calibrated inventory item.

3 more elements

A method for automated monitoring of calibration of inventory items in an automated calibration monitoring system comprising:

identifying, using a sensor of the automated calibration monitoring system configured to sense presence or absence of inventory items, a calibrated inventory item comprising a calibration parameter value and is subject to monitoring of calibration;
comparing a calibration measurement of the calibrated inventory item with a calibration parameter value for the calibrated inventory item, wherein the processor selectively authorizes the issue or return of the calibrated inventory item according to a result of the comparison;
upon determining that the calibration measurement of the calibrated inventory item is inconsistent with the calibration parameter value for the calibrated inventory item, retrieving from a database all records of work orders associated with the calibrated inventory item corresponding to issuances of the calibrated inventory item following the last stored record of a previous calibration measurement of the calibrated inventory item;
and
generating a report identifying the products on which the calibrated inventory item was used since the last stored record of a previous calibration measurement of the calibrated inventory item.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Monitoring of tool calibration status in automated tool control systems

Life of this patent

Monitoring of tool calibration status in automated tool control systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20