Process monitoring

A computer program product operable, when executed on a computer to perform operations comprising:

• monitoring at least one device configured to perform one or more processes to produce a product, wherein at least one process is associated with at least one monitorable process parameter and wherein the product producible by the one or more processes has at least one product quality attribute which is modifiable in dependence upon the at least one monitorable process parameter;
• receiving an indication of the at least one monitorable process parameter;
• checking the indication against a calibration model to determine whether the at least one monitorable process parameter results in a product quality attribute within a preselected range;
• wherein the calibration model comprises a mapping between the at least one monitorable process parameter and the at least one product quality attribute, the mapping defining:
• a first range of the at least one monitorable process parameter indicative that a product will have a product quality attribute within the preselected range;
• and
• at second range within the first range, the second range being indicative that the at least one monitorable process parameter is within an expected range;
• and
• initiating one or more actions based on receiving an indication that the at least one monitorable process parameter checked against the calibration model is determined to map to a position inside the first range and outside the second range.

A monitoring unit configurable to monitor:

• at least one device configured to perform one or more process to produce a product, wherein at least one process is associated with at least one process parameter and wherein the product producible by the one or more process has at least one product quality attribute which is modifiable in dependence upon the at least one process parameter;
• the monitoring unit comprising:
• circuitry configured to receive an indication of the at least one process parameter and check that indication against a calibration model to determine whether the at least one process parameter results in a product quality attribute within a preselected range;
• wherein the calibration model comprises a mapping between the at least one process parameter and the at least one product quality attribute, the mapping defining:
• a first range of the at least one process parameter indicative that a product will have a product quality attribute within the preselected range;
• and
• a second range within the first range, the second range being indicative that the at least one process parameter is within an expected range;
• and
• the circuitry being configured to initiate one or more actions based on receiving an indication that the at least one process parameter is checked against the calibration model and determined to map to a position inside the first range and outside the second range.