Mechanism and architecture for manufacturing control and optimization

A comprehensive, generic mechanism for modeling, monitoring, controlling and optimizing a manufacturing process as an on-line, real-time system, said mechanism comprising:

• an application modeling network modeling equipment and processes for a specific manufacturing application, said application modeling network comprising nodes defining a plurality of processes, including specifications and tolerances, in the manufacturing application and edges interconnecting said nodes representing product flow;
• a local control network connected to said application modeling network and evaluating information from said application modeling network, said local control network comprising nodes connected to selected nodes of said application modeling network and edges specifying control parameters flow, said local control network tuning processes of the nodes of the application modeling network as close as possible to current target parameters;
• a global optimization network connected to said local control network and to said application modeling network for processing information from said local control and application modeling networks and adjusting target parameters in the application modeling network to improve overall performance of said manufacturing process, said global optimization network comprising nodes performing statistical analysis of said information and edges specifying data analysis flow, wherein only the application modeling network is application dependent, the local control and global optimization networks being application independent, whereby all manufacturing processes are treated identically, thereby simplifying computational complexity with only a minimal set of parameters being obtained at any manufacturing level;
• an implementation/management network connected to said global optimization network and said application modeling network, said implementation/management network comprising a plurality of interconnected workstations in a loosely-coupled net, wherein said workstations operate in three modes, a first mode wherein the manufacturing process runs without any system intervention during which period the system acquires data, evaluates the data and builds models and databases for the manufacturing process, a second mode wherein the manufacturing process continues to run without system intervention and the system provides predictions and improvement suggestions, and a third mode wherein the system receives full control of the manufacturing process, said system operating in the first and second modes as on off-line tool and in the third mode as an on-line tool for real-time monitoring, control and optimization.