US 5,491,637 AGranted

Method of creating a comprehensive manufacturing, shipping and location history for pipe joints

AssigneeAmoco Corporation

InventorsMark S. Kraemer, James A. Ratliff

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method for creating a historical record of the manufacturing, transportation and location history of steel pipe joints includes predetermined characteristics of the pipe joints. During manufacture, the heat number and coil number of the steel used to make each pipe joint is recorded. Each pipe joint is assigned a unique joint number, which is also recorded. A label containing the heat number, coil number and joint number is created and attached to the corresponding pipe joint. The pipe joints are then transported to a final destination. The exact location of the final destination is compiled into a historical record in which the location of the final destination is associated with the heat number, coil number and joint number for each pipe joint. Finally, the labels are removed from the pipe joints to prevent damage to sensitive components in the completed pipeline.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A method for creating an historical record for a plurality of pipes joints by use of a bar code reader coupled to a computer, said historical record comprising an information record for each one of said plurality of pipe joints, each of said information records having at least two portions, a first portion of each of said information records comprising selected physical characteristics of one of said plurality of pipe joints and a second portion of each of said information records comprising an exact location of one of said plurality of pipe joiners in a pipeline, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) recording a heat number associated with one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(b) recording a coil number associated with one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(c) recording a joint number associated with one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(d) creating a bar code label containing at least said heat number, said coil number and said joint number for one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(e) attaching said bar code label to the corresponding one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(f) repeating steps (a) through (e) for each of said plurality of pipe joints;
(g) transporting each one of said plurality of pipe joints to a final destination in pipeline having a corresponding exact location address;
(h) scanning each one of said bar code labels with said bar code reader to compile said heat number, said coil number, and said joint number to form said first portion of said information on record for each corresponding one of said plurality of pipe joint;
(i) storing said first portion of said information record for each one of said plurality of pipe joints in a memory of said computer;
(j) permanently removing each one of said bar code labels from the corresponding one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(k) inputting into said computer said exact location address in said pipeline for each one of said plurality of pipe joints to form said second portion of said information record for each corresponding one of said plurality of pipe joints;
and
(l) storing said second portion of said information record for each on of said plurality of pipes joints in a memory of said computer.

10 more elements

A method of creating an historical record for a plurality of pipe joints by use of a bar code reader coupled to a computer said historical record comprising an information record for each one of said plurality of pipe joints, each of said information records having at least two portions, a first portion of each of said information records comprising selected physical characteristics of one of said plurality of pipe joints and a second portion of each of said information records comprising an exact location of one of said plurality of pipe joints in a pipeline, said historical record being used to identify and locate each one of said plurality of pipe joints that is likely to fail by detecting a correspondence of portions of said information record between a failed pipe joint the remaining one of said plurality of pipe joints, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) recording a heat number associated with one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(b) recording a coil number associated with one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(c) recording a joint number associated with one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(d) creating a bar code label containing said heat number, said coil number, and said joint number for one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(e) attaching said bar code label to the corresponding one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(f) repeating steps (a) through (e) for each of said plurality of pipe joints;
(g) transporting each one of said plurality of pipe joints to a final destination in said pipeline having a corresponding exact location address;
(h) scanning each of said bar code labels with said bar code reader to compile said heat number, said coil number, and said joint number to form said first portion of said information record for each corresponding one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(i) storing said first portion of said information record for each one of said plurality of pipe joints in a memory of said computer;
(j) permanently removing each of said bar code labels from the corresponding one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(k) inputting into said computer said exact location address in said pipeline of each one of said plurality of pipe joints to form said second portion of said information record for each corresponding one of said plurality of pipe joints;
(l) storing said second portion of said information record for each one of said plurality of pipe joints in a memory of said computer;
(m) identifying said exact location address of a failed pipe joint from said plurality of pipe joints;
(n) identifying said information record of said failed pipe joint based upon said exact location address of said failed pipe joint;
(o) comparing a portion of said information record of said failed pipe joint with a portion of said information records of the remaining ones of said plurality of pipe joints to find a correspondence between said portions of said information records;
(p) identifying from said correspondence between said portions of said information records which of the remaining ones of said pipe joints are likely to fail;
and
(g) locating each of said remaining ones of said pipe joints which are likely to fail based on said second portion of said information records of said pipe joints which are likely to fail.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/215,497Filed 18 Mar 1994
Granted: 13 Feb 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

G06Q 10/087
Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management: inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling,…
E21B 17/006
Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; Cables; Casings; Tubings: accessories for drilling pipes,…
G05B 19/4183
Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible…:…
G06Q 10/08772
By inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting: inventory counting methods