Baler machine monitoring and performance interfaces, systems and methods
AssigneeSmurfit-Stone Container Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsStephen B. McClain, Rick Byers, James J. Schuster
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Monitoring and performance interfaces are disclosed for baler machines. The interfaces collect and analyze runtime and downtime data and present reports or varying detail to interested personnel that allow objective assessment of baler machine performance. Multiple baler machines may be monitored and analyzed to reveal human and machine-related issues that inhibit optimal performance but are otherwise extremely difficult to detect.
Claims39
A monitoring interface for evaluating a production performance of at least one baler machine, the monitoring interface comprising:
- at least one sensor device detecting a downtime condition of the baler machine;
- a controller interfaced with the at least one sensor device and configured to record data associated with the detected downtime conditions, the recorded downtime data including at least a duration of time between detection of the downtime condition and re-starting the baler machine;
- and
- an input device coupled to the controller and configured to:
- accept user-provided runtime data inputs regarding runtime operation of the baler machine, the runtime data inputs including at least a material type input, an acceptable bale input, and an unacceptable bale input;
- and
- accept user-provided downtime data inputs regarding a downtime of the baler machine after the downtime condition is detected, the downtime data inputs including at least a specific cause of the downtime condition,
- wherein the controller is configured to communicate the recorded data and accepted data inputs to a computer-implemented performance interface for generation of a production report.
A computer-implemented method of evaluating a production performance of at least one baler machine for producing bales of material, the at least one baler machine including a local monitoring interface communicating with a remotely located computer-based performance interface, the method comprising:
- collecting, using the monitoring interface, downtime and runtime data for the at least one baler machine, the runtime data including at least acceptable bale production data, the downtime data including at least a duration of time between detection of a downtime condition and re-starting the baler machine and a user-provided cause of the downtime condition;
- comparing at least one of the collected downtime data and the collected runtime data to a predetermined baseline performance value;
- and
- generating a production report identifying a difference between the collected data and the baseline performance value.
A network-based system for monitoring and evaluating production performance of a plurality of baler machines in various reclamation facilities, the system comprising:
- a monitoring interface local to each of the plurality of baler machines, each monitoring interface configured to collect downtime data and runtime data for each respective baler machine, the downtime data including at least a duration of time between detection of a downtime condition and re-starting the respective baler machine and a user-provided cause of the downtime condition;
- and
- a performance interface configured to receive the downtime data and runtime data from each monitoring interface, the performance interface comprising a database for storing information and a server system coupled to the database, the server system configured to:
- receive the downtime data and runtime data from the monitoring interfaces;
- compile the received downtime data and runtime data;
- and
- generate a production report identifying operating trends for each of the plurality of baler machines to compare the plurality of baler machines to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.