Tool monitoring system and method

A method for monitoring a manufacturing process, comprising the steps of:

• detecting a consumption interval from a compressed air supply associated with a pneumatic tool corresponding to powered and non-powered operational states of the pneumatic tool, wherein the step of detecting comprises measuring pressure;
• measuring intervals associated with at least one of the powered and non-powered operational states, so as to produce an operational history of the pneumatic tool over a predetermined time period;
• counting production units produced by the pneumatic tool during the predetermined time period;
• correlating the operational history with the production units, so to as generate a productivity indicator.

A method for monitoring and managing a manufacturing process comprising the steps of:

• counting power tool actuations within a predetermined time period;
• measuring actuation intervals associated with power tool actuations so as to determine total actuation time within the predetermined time period;
• counting production units produced by the power tool during the predetermined time period;
• correlating power tool actuations, actuation intervals and production units to determine a productivity indicator comprising at least one of average number of actuations per production unit and average actuation interval per production unit.