Patent ID: 7516047
Filing Date: 2009-04-07
Classification: B65G,G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for identifying evidence of deviation from specification in a form produced in a workpiece by a manufacturing process, the manufacturing process being performed by respective manufacturing equipment, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a set of measurable forms associated with the workpiece, each form corresponding to an action of the manufacturing equipment; for each form, identifying a reference datum; for each form, making a set of measurements of the form relative to the respective datum; comparing each set of measurements to a respective target range of values; and based on the comparison, inferring the existence of evidence of an alert condition, wherein at least a subset of the set of forms comprises a hierarchic set of forms, and wherein the hierarchic set of forms comprises two categories: a first category of forms characterizing the shape of a portion of the workpiece, and a second category of forms characterizing a set of portions of the workpiece.