Computer-implemented method for processing a plurality of process variables of a production cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12585244-B2
Application number	US-202217856068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2022
Priority date	Jul 2, 2021
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A computer-implemented method using a processing unit and including providing to or determining by the processing unit a totality of process variables which is available for processing for the plurality of actuators and/or sensors of a subunit, using the processing unit to determine a subset of process variables out of the totality of process variables processing, during production of a production lot, those process variables which belong to the determined subset of process variables for those process variables which do not belong to any of the determined subset of process variables, and processing a selected number of process variables. In addition, a production cell has a processing unit configured to carry out the computer-implemented method, and computer program is provided to implement such a method.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method for processing a plurality of process variables of a production cell which comprises at least one shaping machine as a subunit of the production cell, wherein the process variables of the plurality of process variables are ascertained from a measurement value or values or constitute a measurement value or values, the method using at least one processing unit and comprising:
a. for at least one subunit of the production cell, the at least one subunit being the at least one shaping machine and having a plurality of actuators and/or sensors, providing to the at least one processing unit a totality of process variables which is available for processing b. using at least one processing unit to determine at least one subset of process variables out of the totality of process variables c. processing those process variables which belong to the determined at least one subset of process variables d. for those process variables which do not belong to any of the determined at least one subset of process variables, processing a selected number of process variables, whereby this number is smaller than the number of the totality of process variables minus the number of process variables belonging to any of the determined at least one subset of process variables such that the required processing capacity for the at least one processing unit to process the totality of process variables is reduced,
wherein processing encompasses at least one of capturing or measuring data, executing data analysis and outputting data, wherein in step (c) processing process variables comprises
capturing or measuring process variables in form of measurement values, or calculating values or properties of process variables over time derived from at least one process variable, or generating signals to be provided by the method to an operator, or executing data analysis, or storing values or properties of process variables over time, or storing calculated values or generated signals, or outputting values or properties of process variables over time, or outputting calculated values or generated signals or a combination thereof,
wherein at least one process variable, which do not belong to any of the determined at least one subset but is processed, is processed at a lower frequency than those process variables which belong to at least one of the determined at least one subset,
wherein at least one of the group of values, properties of process variables over time, calculated values and generated signals is outputted with reduced communication bandwidth to a display device.

2 . A computer-implemented method for processing a plurality of process variables of a production cell which comprises at least one shaping machine as a subunit of the production cell, wherein the process variables of the plurality of process variables are ascertained from a measurement value or values or constitute a measurement value or values, the method using at least one processing unit and comprising:
a. for at least one subunit of the production cell, the at least one subunit being the at least one shaping machine and having a plurality of actuators and/or sensors, providing to the at least one processing unit a totality of process variables which is available for processing b. using at least one processing unit to determine at least one subset of process variables out of the totality of process variables c. processing those process variables which belong to the determined at least one subset of process variables d. for those process variables which do not belong to any of the determined at least one subset of process variables, processing a selected number of process variables, whereby this number is smaller than the number of the totality of process variables minus the number of process variables belonging to any of the determined at least one subset of process variables such that the required processing capacity for the at least one processing unit to process the totality of process variables is reduced, wherein processing encompasses at least one of capturing or measuring data, executing data analysis and outputting data, wherein in step (c) processing process variables comprises
capturing or measuring process variables in form of measurement values, or
calculating values or properties of process variables over time derived from at least one process variable, or
generating signals to be provided by the method to an operator, or
executing data analysis, or
storing values or properties of process variables over time, or
storing calculated values or generated signals, or
outputting values or properties of process variables over time, or
outputting calculated values or generated signals or a combination thereof,
wherein at least some process variables are associated with at least one logical group, wherein there are provided at least two different logical groups, wherein the value of a plurality of process variables is processed and for each logical group a state of the logical group is evaluated by the at least one processing unit on the basis of the process variables associated with said logical group, wherein the state is visualized by means of a display device and the state is evaluated only for those logical groups for which all of the process variables necessary to evaluate the state belong to at least one of the at least one determined subset of process variables.

3 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 2 , wherein the production cell comprises, in addition to the at least one shaping machine, at least one further subunit in the form of at least one of the following:
at least one other shaping machine at least one mold mounted on the at least one shaping machine at least one handling device at least one periphery device.

4 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 2 , wherein in step (b) the at least one processing unit determines at least one of the at least one subset of process variables based on at least one of the following:
configuration of the at least one subunit of the production cell history of the at least one subunit of the production cell configuration and/or history of a plurality of other production cells physical or logical dependencies of values derived from at least one process variable and/or signals to be provided by the method to an operator operator input.

5 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 2 , wherein in step (d), which belong to the selected number of process variables, processing a selected number of process variables comprises:
capturing or measuring process variables in form of measurement values, and/or calculating values or properties of process variables over time derived from at least one process variable, and/or generating signals to be provided by the method to an operator, and/or executing data analysis, and/or storing values or properties of process variables over time, and/or storing calculated values and/or generated signals outputting values or properties of process variables over time, and/or outputting calculated values and/or generated signals.

6 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 2 , wherein in step (d) the number of process variables which do not belong to any of the determined at least one subset of process variables, but are processed, comprises at least one process variable which is:
processed at a lower frequency than those process variables which belong to at least one of the determined at least one subset, and/or observed by at least one processing unit to decide whether it should be included in an updated version of at least one of the determined at least one subset.

7 . The c

Assignees

• Engel Austria Gmbh

Inventors

• Giessauf Josef
• Koppauer Herwig
• Pillwein Georg

Classifications

• G05B2219/35066

  Modify design, modify shape, stretch, scale, add, delete · CPC title

• G05B2219/31465

  Determine which variables of the system to be monitored · CPC title

• B29C2945/76973

  By counting · CPC title

• B29C2045/7606

  Controlling or regulating the display unit · CPC title

• B29C45/768

  Detecting defective moulding conditions (B29C45/84 takes precedence) · CPC title