System and method for optimizing manufacturing processes using real time partitioned process capability analysis
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsEdward W. Conrad, Craig E. Schneider, John S. Smyth, Daniel B. Sullivan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for optimizing a manufacturing process. The system comprises: a database of operational data gathered from previously performed manufacturing processes; a filtering system for filtering the database into a plurality of data subsets; a calculation system for calculating evaluation criteria for a selected data subset; an analysis system for determining if the evaluation criteria meets a set of predetermined requirements; and an iteration system that selects a new data subset if the selected data subset fails to provide evaluation criteria that meets the set of predetermined requirements.
Claims29
A method of processing a workpiece, comprising:
- providing a historical database of operational data gathered from previously processed workpieces, wherein the operational data is unrelated to the processing of the workpiece and wherein the operational data can be filtered into subgroups of operational data;
- calculating evaluation criteria for a selected subgroup of operational data;
- determining whether the evaluation criteria satisfy predetermined requirements;
- if the evaluation criteria satisfy the predetermined requirements, processing the workpiece using a process condition determined by the selected subgroup of operational data;
- and
- if the evaluation criteria do not satisfy the predetermined requirements, repeating the method with a different selected subgroup of operational data.
A system for optimizing a manufacturing process, comprising:
- a historical database of operational data gathered from previously performed manufacturing processes;
- a filtering system for filtering the historical database into a data subset;
- a calculation system for calculating evaluation criteria for the data subset;
- an iteration system that causes the filtering and calculation systems to be rerun for a different data subset;
- and
- a system for determining operating conditions of the manufacturing process based on the calculated evaluation criteria.
A program product stored on a recordable medium for optimizing a manufacturing process, comprising:
- means for filtering a historical database of operational data gathered from previously performed manufacturing processes into a plurality of data subsets;
- means for calculating evaluation criteria for a selected data subset;
- means for determining if the evaluation criteria meet a set of predetermined requirements;
- and
- means for repeating the calculating and determining processes for a new data subset if the selected data subset fails to provide evaluation criteria that meet the set of predetermined requirements.
A method of optimizing a manufacturing process, comprising:
- providing a historical database of operational data gathered from previously performed manufacturing processes;
- providing a set of filters that include operational parameters of a current manufacturing process;
- filtering the historical database with a selected filter to generate a data subset;
- calculating evaluation criteria for a selected data subset;
- iterating the filtering and calculating steps for different data subsets;
- and
- determining operating conditions of the current manufacturing process based on the calculated evaluation criteria.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.