Maximization of yield for web-based articles

A system comprising:

• an imaging device that images a sequential portion of a web to provide digital information;
• an analysis computer that processes the digital information with an initial algorithm to identify regions on the web containing anomalies;
• and
• a conversion control system that analyzes at least a portion of the digital information with at least one subsequent algorithm to determine which anomalies represent actual defects in the web for a plurality of different products,
• wherein the conversion control system determines a value of at least one product selection parameter for each of the products, and selects one of the products for conversion of the web based on the determined value for each of the products.

A conversion control system comprising:

• a database storing data defining a set of rules;
• an interface to receive anomaly information from an analysis machine, wherein the anomaly information identifies regions of a web containing anomalies;
• and
• a conversion control engine that applies the rules to the anomaly information to determine a value for at least one product selection parameter for each of a plurality of products,
• wherein the conversion control engine selects one of the products for conversion of the web based on the determined values.

A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

• store data defining a set of rules;
• receive anomaly information from an analysis machine located within a manufacturing plant, wherein the anomaly information identify regions of a web containing anomalies;
• apply the rules to the anomaly information to determine a value for at least one product selection parameter for each of a plurality of products;
• and
• select one of the products for conversion of the web based on the determined values.

A method comprising:

• imaging a sequential portion of a web to provide digital information;
• processing the digital information with at least one initial algorithm to identify regions on the web containing anomalies;
• analyzing at least a portion of the digital information with a plurality of subsequent algorithms to determine which anomalies represent actual defects in the web for a plurality of different products;
• selecting non-overlapping regions of the web for at least two of the products;
• generating a composite defect map based on the selected non-overlapping regions;
• generating a conversion plan based on the composite defect map;
• and
• converting the web in accordance with the conversion plan.

A system comprising:

• an imaging device that images a sequential portion of a web to provide digital information;
• an analysis computer that processes the digital information with an initial algorithm to identify regions on the web containing anomalies;
• and
• a conversion control system that analyzes at least a portion of the digital information with at least one subsequent algorithm to determine which anomalies represent actual defects in the web for a plurality of different products and, based on the analysis, selects non-overlapping regions of the web for at least two of the products, and generates a composite defect map on the selected non-overlapping regions.