Feed-forward control in event-based manufacturing systems

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• collecting machine-generated, event-based data in response to events occurring during the sequential manufacture of successive absorbent articles in an event-based manufacturing system, said event-based data relating to a defect in a material from a first manufacturing operation using or producing the material;
• associating the collected, machine-generated, event-based data with an identifier identifying the material during the first manufacturing operation;
• storing the collected, machine-generated, event-based data and the identifier in a database;
• determining, from a label associated with the material, the identifier identifying the material;
• obtaining the machine-generated, event-based data associated with the determined identifier from the database, wherein the determining and the obtaining occur during a second manufacturing operation occurring subsequent to the first manufacturing operation, wherein the second manufacturing operation produces a product from the material;
• evaluating the obtained event-based data to identify adverse data;
• and
• governing the second manufacturing operation for the material by a feed-forward process control system responsive to the obtained event-based data from the first manufacturing operation to decrease the likelihood of at least one of a delay event, a waste event, or poor quality of the product during the second manufacturing operation, wherein governing the second manufacturing operation comprises implementing remedial action responsive to the identified adverse data, wherein a machine operates the second manufacturing operation, and wherein implementing the remedial action comprises temporarily reducing a speed of the machine to prevent a break in the material.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• collecting machine-generated, event-based data in response to events occurring during the sequential manufacture of successive absorbent articles in an event-based manufacturing system, said event-based data relating to a defect in a material from a first manufacturing operation using or producing the material;
• associating the collected, machine-generated, event-based data with an identifier identifying the material during the first manufacturing operation;
• storing the collected, machine-generated, event-based data and the identifier in a database;
• determining, from a label associated with the material, the identifier identifying the material;
• obtaining the machine-generated, event-based data associated with the determined identifier from the database, wherein the determining and the obtaining occur during a second manufacturing operation occurring subsequent to the first manufacturing operation, wherein the second manufacturing operation produces a product from the material;
• governing the second manufacturing operation for the material by a feed-forward process control system responsive to the obtained event-based data from the first manufacturing operation to decrease the likelihood of at least one of a delay event, a waste event, or poor quality of the product during the second manufacturing operation;
• and
• storing a production history of the material, wherein the production history comprises a record of measured basis weight or optically detected web defects in a roll as a function of position in the roll as the roll is fed through the event-based manufacturing system.

A system for reducing the probability of at least one of waste, delay, or a quality defect in a manufacturing operation having process conditions for the manufacture of a product from a material, the material being associated with event-based manufacturing information obtained responsive to events occurring during production of the material, said system comprising:

• a memory area for storing machine-generated, event-based manufacturing information from a first manufacturing operation;
• and
• a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions for:
• identifying a problematic portion of the material during a first manufacturing operation for feed-forward control of a second manufacturing operation occurring subsequent to the first manufacturing operation by analyzing the event-based manufacturing information stored in the memory area, the problematic portion being associated with an increased probability of at least one of waste, delay, or a quality defect during the second manufacturing operation, said first and second manufacturing operations comprising the sequential manufacture of successive articles;
• and
• temporarily adjusting the process conditions of the second manufacturing operation responsive to the identified problematic portion in the material such that the second manufacturing operation has the adjusted process conditions for at least a portion of the time when the problematic portion of the material is used in the second manufacturing operation.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• collecting machine-generated, event-based data in response to events occurring during the sequential manufacture of successive absorbent articles in an event-based manufacturing system, said event-based data relating to a defect in a material from a first manufacturing operation using or producing the material;
• associating the collected, machine-generated, event-based data with an identifier identifying the material during the first manufacturing operation;
• storing the collected, machine-generated, event-based data and the identifier in a database;
• determining, from a label associated with the material, the identifier identifying the material;
• obtaining the machine-generated, event-based data associated with the determined identifier from the database, wherein the determining and the obtaining occur during a second manufacturing operation occurring subsequent to the first manufacturing operation, wherein the second manufacturing operation produces a product from the material;
• evaluating the obtained event-based data to identify adverse data;
• and
• governing the second manufacturing operation for the material by a feed-forward process control system responsive to the obtained event-based data from the first manufacturing operation to decrease the likelihood of at least one of a delay event, a waste event, or poor quality of the product during the second manufacturing operation, wherein governing the second manufacturing operation comprises implementing remedial action responsive to the identified adverse data, wherein a machine operates the second manufacturing operation, and wherein implementing the remedial action comprises splicing out a portion of the material having inadequate basis weight.