Quality monitoring of industrial processes

A method of manufacturing a component and monitoring a manufacturing process of the component, comprising:

• marking a first sub-component with a first machine readable unique identifier, and marking a second sub-component with a second machine readable unique identifier;
• reading the first machine readable unique identifier of the first sub-component at a first workstation;
• transmitting the first machine readable unique identifier to a server system;
• performing one or more manufacturing steps, including one of a forming step or a machining step, on the first sub-component at the first workstation;
• measuring first parameters indicative of the manufacturing steps for the monitored manufacturing steps with first sensors and transmitting the measured first parameters to the server system;
• and
• the server system generating a first digital production quality certificate for the first sub-component by:
• linking the obtained first parameters with the first machine readable unique identifier;
• performing one or more quality analyses for a selected monitored manufacturing step of the manufacturing steps based on the obtained first parameters for the selected manufacturing step;
• generating the first digital quality certificate for the first sub-component comprising data related to the results of the quality analyses;
• and
• reading the second machine readable unique identifier of the second sub-component at a second workstation;
• transmitting the second machine readable unique identifier to a server system;
• performing the one or more manufacturing steps on the second sub-component at the second workstation, using a second automated machine tool;
• measuring second parameters indicative of the manufacturing steps for the monitored manufacturing steps with second sensors and transmitting the measured second parameters to the server system, and wherein the second sensors measure one or more of forming speed, deformation forces, temperature, noise, revolutions, axial speed, or noise production as the second parameters, and the second parameters include internal control parameters of the second automated machine tool;
• and
• the server system generating a second digital production quality certificate for the second sub-component by:
• linking the obtained second parameters with the second machine readable unique identifier;
• performing one or more quality analyses for a selected monitored manufacturing step of the manufacturing steps based on the obtained second parameters for the selected manufacturing step;
• generating the second digital quality certificate for the second sub-component comprising data related to the results of the quality analyses, wherein one or more of the manufacturing steps at the second workstation are carried out by a second automated machine tool and the second parameters include internal control parameters of the second automated machine tool;
• responsive to positive first and second digital quality certificates, joining the first sub-component to the second sub-component to form the component;
• generating a third digital quality certificate for the component which comprises the results of the performed analyses of both the first and the second subcomponents;
• responsive to all performed quality analyses being positive, shipping the component;
• storing one or more of the first or second parameters obtained for the first and second subcomponents for use after shipping of the component;
• and,
• further comprising:
• updating the third digital quality certificate of the component after completion of the manufacturing steps of the component and after shipping of the component by performing an additional quality analysis on one or more of the stored first or second parameters;
• and
• updating the third digital quality certificate for the component by including the result of the additional quality analysis.