Self-monitoring manufacturing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10877468-B2
Application number	US-201715834971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2017
Priority date	Dec 20, 2016
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A Self-monitoring manufacturing system adapted to produce at least one object. The system includes at least a first processing facility adapted to perform a respective first processing step with the object, and a production control unit, wherein the production data comprises nominal pre-processing object data. A production monitoring unit for checking a pre-processing object state of the object is arranged, such unit being adapted to obtain actual property data of the object in-line of the production in-advance of applying the first processing step, to generate deviation data by comparing the actual property data with the production data for the first processing step, and to provide the deviation data for performing the first production step with the first processing facility in deviation-adjusted manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A production monitoring unit for determining at least dimensional or functional data for a measurement point of an object or structural component of a processing machine, the production monitoring unit comprising:
a support structure having at least one structural segment, a proximal end of the support structure being mounted pivotably about a base axis;
a measuring probe being arranged on a distal end of the support structure;
an angle measuring system configured for determining pivot angles of the at least one structural segment or rotation angles of the measuring probe; and
a compensation unit configured for compensating a deviation occurring in the course of a production of a processed object from a pre-processed object in at least one processing step with the processing machine, the compensation unit including a monitoring functionality by execution of which:
actual processing data relating to the at least one processing step is obtained in-line of the production by:
measuring a test object processed with the processing machine from the pre-processed object in a working volume of the processing machine, wherein the test object is located in a defined position and orientation during measurement, or
measuring at least one structural component of the processing machine or an artefact fixed at a certain position of the processing machine,

the actual processing data is compared with nominal processing data, and
deviation data is derived based on the comparison of the actual processing data with the nominal processing data,
wherein the compensation unit comprises a communication interface for exchange of data and wherein the deviation data is provided to the communication interface.

2. The production monitoring unit according to claim 1 , wherein the production monitoring unit comprises or is embodied as a coordinate measuring machine and comprises at least:
a support structure, and
a measuring probe.

3. The production monitoring unit according to claim 1 , wherein the production monitoring unit is arranged so that a measuring probe of the production monitoring unit is controllable for in-line obtaining the actual processing data relating to the processing step by:
measuring the test object processed with the processing machine in the working volume of the processing machine, wherein the test object is located in a defined position and orientation during measurement, or
measuring at least one structural component of the processing machine or an artefact fixed at a certain position of the processing machine,
wherein:
the compensation unit is connected with a controlling unit of the production assembly via the communication interface for communication or exchange of data,
the deviation data is provided to the controlling unit for adapted controlling of the processing step, and
the controlling of the processing step is adapted based on the deviation data such that original controlling data for the processing step is adapted to provide production of the processed object according to original object production data or an adjustment of the production assembly is provided.

4. The production monitoring unit according to claim 2 , wherein the coordinate measuring machine comprises at least two basically parallel rotational axes.

5. The production monitoring unit according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring functionality is configured so that the actual processing data is periodically obtained:
by periodically measuring particular measuring points at the test object, wherein the test object is periodically produced, or
by periodically measuring at the at least one structural component or one or more artefacts fixed on the processing machine.

6. The production monitoring unit according to claim 1 , wherein a base of the production monitoring unit is arranged at a ceiling of a manufacturing site.

7. A method for monitoring a production process step of an object and compensating for deviations occurring in the production process, the method comprising:
obtaining actual processing data in-line of the production process relating to the production process by:
measuring a test object processed with a processing machine from a pre-processed object in a working volume of the processing machine, wherein the test object is located in a defined production position and orientation during measurement, or
measuring at least one structural component of the processing machine or an artefact fixed at a certain position of the processing machine,
comparing the actual processing data with nominal processing data,
deriving and providing deviation data based on the comparison of the actual processing data with the nominal processing data and
adapting the production process based on the deviation data so that original controlling data of the processing machine is adapted to provide production of a processed object according to original object production data.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein an adapted production model is automatically created based on the nominal processing data and on the deviation data, wherein the adapted production model represents updated nominal processing data.

9. A self-monitoring manufacturing system adapted to produce at least one processed object from at least one pre-processed object, the self-monitory manufacturing system comprising:
a means of a production line including:
at least a first processing facility which is adapted to perform a respective first processing step with a first pre-processed object to obtain a first processed object, and
a production control unit having means for storing or obtaining production data for the first processing step and being adapted to control the processing step based on the production data, wherein the production data comprises nominal pre-processing object data;

the production monitoring unit of claim 1 configured for checking a pre-processing object state of the first processed object, the production monitoring unit being configured to:
obtain actual property data of the object in-line of the production in-advance of applying the first processing step,
generate deviation data by comparing the actual property data with the production data for the first processing step, and
provide the deviation data for performing the first production step with the first processing facility in deviation-adjusted manner,

wherein:
original production data for the first processing step is adaptable for adapted controlling of the first processing facility based on the deviation data, and
the first processing facility is controllable based on the adapted production data for the first processing step in a manner such that the deviation between the actual property data and the nominal pre-processing object data is compensated so that expected deviation between actual property data relating to the processed object after performing the original first processing step and original production data for the first processing step is reduced.

10. The self-monitoring manufacturing system according to claim 9 , wherein the production monitoring unit is arranged at least basically structurally and dynamically decoupled from the first and the second processing facility.

11. The self-monitoring manufacturing system according to claim 9 , wherein the actual property data comprises:
dimensional data or functional property data.

12. The self-monitoring manufacturing system according to claim 9 , wherein the production monitoring unit is arranged at least basically structurally and dynamically decoupled from the processing facility, or a base of the production monitoring unit is arranged at a

Assignees

• Hexagon Technology Ct Gmbh

Inventors

• Iseli Claudio
• Ammer Thomas

Classifications

• G05B19/41875 Primary

  characterised by quality surveillance of production · CPC title

• G05B2219/32197

  Inspection at different locations, stages of manufacturing · CPC title

• G01B21/04

  by measuring coordinates of points · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title

• G05B2219/37533

  Real time processing of data acquisition, monitoring · CPC title