초록 ▼

Communication between machines in an event-based manufacturing system. In an event-based manufacturing system, material-specific data obtained for a material produced during a first manufacturing operation is used to govern a second manufacturing operation to decrease the likelihood of at least a de

Communication between machines in an event-based manufacturing system. In an event-based manufacturing system, material-specific data obtained for a material produced during a first manufacturing operation is used to govern a second manufacturing operation to decrease the likelihood of at least a delay event, a waste event, or poor quality of the product.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. 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 f

We claim: 1. 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; 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. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating the obtained event-based data to identify adverse data, wherein governing the second manufacturing operation comprises implementing remedial action in response to the identified adverse data. 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the identifier comprises determining the identifier from a bar code or smart tag associated with the material. 4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein collecting the event-based data comprises collecting the event-based data from a plurality of manufacturers. 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one or more computer-readable media have computer-executable instructions, further comprising executing said computer-executable instructions to perform said collecting, said associating, said storing, said determining, said obtaining, and said governing. 6. 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. 7. 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. 8. In a system for communicating machine-generated, event-based data relating to a material between machines, one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable components comprising: an interface module for determining, from a label associated with a material, an identifier identifying the material; and a control module for obtaining machine-generated, event-based data associated with the determined identifier from a database for feed-forward control in an event-based manufacturing system for the sequential manufacture of successive articles, wherein the database stores the machine-generated, event-based data and the identifier, wherein the event-based data is collected in response to events occurring during a first manufacturing operation using the material and includes a quality attribute of the material, wherein determining the identifier of the material and obtaining the event-based data occur during a second manufacturing operation occurring subsequent to the first manufacturing operation, and wherein the control module adjusts the second manufacturing operation for the material as a function of the quality attribute in the event-based data. 9. The computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the interface module determines the identifier from a smart tag affixed to the material. 10. The computer-readable media of claim 8, further comprising a feed-forward process control module having one or more sensors for generating an alarm in response to an event that results in one of waste, machine delay, or decreased product quality. 11. The computer-readable media of claim 8, further comprising a reporting module cooperatively associated with the database for reporting a productivity parameter regarding the first manufacturing operation derived at least in part from an event parameter associated with the events over time. 12. The computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the second manufacturing operation produces an absorbent article from the material. 13. 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. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the database is stored on a smart tag affixed to the material, and wherein the material comprises one or more of the following: a roll good, a web, a material in a fixed sequence, and a synthetic material in roll form. 15. The system of claim 13, wherein the event-based manufacturing information stored in the memory area includes a property value associated with the material, said property value indicating an increased probability of at least one of waste, delay, or a quality defect during the manufacture of a product from the material, and wherein the processor is further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for identifying a portion of the material having the property value associated therewith. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for determining a location in the material of the identified portion of the material. 17. The system of claim 13, wherein the waste, delay, or quality defect has a type associated therewith, and wherein the type comprises a splice in the material. 18. The system of claim 13, wherein the waste, delay, or quality defect has a location associated therewith, and wherein the location comprises one or more of the following: a distance into the material from an exposed outer end of the material, position information relative to the material, a location of a splice in the material, a location of a color defect in the material, and a position of an optically detected web defect in a roll of the material. 19. The system of claim 13, wherein the waste, delay, or quality defect has a type associated therewith, and wherein the type comprises an optically detected web defect in a roll of the material. 20. 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.