Communication between machines and feed-forward control in event-based product manufacturing

A system for communicating data relating to a material between machines during processing for feed-forward control, the system comprising:

• at least one database storing data associated with a first process using the material, the database having at least one identifier associated with the data;
• a scanning device for reading a label including the identifier, the scanning device for use in conjunction with a second process;
• and
• a control system having computer-executable instructions which, when executed, receive the identifier from the scanning device and obtain the data from the database during the second process, the second process occurring subsequent to the first process and being adjustable responsive to the data from the database.

A system for communicating data relating to a material between machines during processing for feed-forward control, the system comprising:

• at least one memory device storing data associated with a first process using the material;
• a scanning device for reading a label including the data, the scanning device for use in conjunction with a second process;
• and
• a control system having computer-executable instructions which, when executed, receive the data from the scanning device during the second process, the second process occurring subsequent to the first process.

An intelligent event-based manufacturing system comprising:

• a process for converting a raw material to a product;
• a process control system comprising one or more sensors capable of generating an alarm in response to an event that results in one of waste, machine delay, or decreased product quality;
• a data logger associated with the process control system for obtaining an event parameter associated with the event;
• a database on a server for recording the event parameter obtained by the data logger;
• and
• a reporting system cooperatively associated with the database for reporting a productivity parameter regarding the process derived at least in part from the event parameter.

A method of reducing the probability of at least one of waste, delay, or a quality defect in a process having process conditions for the manufacture of a product from a sequentially trackable raw material, the raw material being associated with manufacturing information obtained from production of the raw material, the method comprising:

• accessing the manufacturing information for a raw material;
• identifying, from the accessed manufacturing information, a portion of the raw material having an increased probability of at least one of waste, delay, or a quality defect;
• and
• temporarily adjusting the process conditions for at least a portion of the time when the problematic portion of the raw material is used in the process to reduce the probability.