Patent ID: 6453219
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: G05B,G05D

Abstract:
A method for controlling a thermal processor, said method comprising:establishing at least one desired part thermal profile range for a part; measuring a part weight and a part length in at least one direction of said part; determining a plurality of control ranges for the thermal processor; selecting a reference plurality of control parameters that conform to said plurality of control ranges and correspond to said at least one desired part thermal profile range, said part weight and said part length each within a defined tolerance; running an optimizer to calculate a revised plurality of control parameters from a predicted Process Window Index; comparing a current Process Window Index to said predicted Process Window Index and a required Process Window Index to instruct controller one of either to start or halt production as a command, wherein said current Process Window Index is initially set to a large chosen number; setting a thermal controller to said revised plurality of control parameters; verifying that said revised plurality of control parameters are attained in the thermal processor after a plurality of processor parameters reach equilibrium; measuring a part temperature of said part; revising said current Process Window Index from said measured part temperature; and repeating in sequence said running, comparing, setting, measuring and revising while said part is in thermal processor.