Patent Document ID: 10101735
Application ID: 14412590
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A modular industrial-control based system [ 100 ] for real-time evaluation and monitoring of overall performances of a machining production-line, calculated from performances of at least one machined metal workpiece [ 110 ], at least one consumable tool [ 120 ] and at least one machine [ 130 ]; said system [ 100 ]comprising: a. identification devices [ 140 ] of said machines, configured for performing one or more automated identifications and transmissions of first signals denoting said identifications of at least one selected item from a group consisting of: said workpieces [ 110 ]; said workpieces' [ 110 ] at least one consumable tool [ 120 ]; said workpieces' [ 110 ] machine [ 130 ]; said workpieces' [ 110 ] production operations number; and any combination thereof; b. recording devices [ 150 ] of said machines, configured to record at least one data input and transmit second signals denoting said data inputs, concerning said machining production-line, selected from a group consisting of: machining course of action time-indicators, velocities and working parameters of said workpieces [ 110 ]; idle time, such as loading or unloading of said workpieces [ 110 ]; exceptionally long waiting idle time; said machine's [ 130 ] fault time; said consumable tools' [ 120 ] wear time and wear amount; and any combination thereof; c. a data-collection device [ 160 ], configured to collect at least one input data selected from a group consisting of: said identifications by said identification device [ 140 ]; said data input recorded by said recording device [ 150 ]; said workpieces' [ 110 ] machining course of action; said workpieces' [ 110 ] loading idle time; said shaped workpieces' [ 110 ] resulted quality; said machines' [ 130 ] fault cause; exceptionally long waiting idle time cause; said consumable tools' [ 120 ] wear characteristic features; setup periods; operator ID; production batch number; and any combination thereof; d. a Computerized Processing Unit (CPU) [ 170 ], configured to receive said input data from said data-collection device [ 160 ] and calculate and evaluate, as a function of said input data, at least one performance selected from a group consisting of: performances of said workpieces [ 110 ]; performances of said consumable tools [ 120 ]; performances of said machines [ 130 ]; and any combination thereof; e. a storage device [ 180 ], configured to receive from said CPU [ 170 ] and store at least one data entry selected from a group consisting of: all data which is not process-dependent [ 185 ]; all process-dependent data [ 186 ] including: said input data and all said calculated and evaluated information; updated said workpieces' [ 110 ] performances; updated said tools' [ 120 ] performances; updated said machines' [ 130 ] performances; and any combination thereof; f. a user interface [ 190 ], configured for selecting a method of said calculation and selecting elements and combinations to display said calculated and evaluated performances; and g. a display device [ 195 ], configured to display said calculated and evaluated performances; wherein said CPU [ 170 ] is further configured for an iterative and incremental calculation and evaluation of said machining production-line overall performances, by incrementally evaluating said individual workpieces' [ 110 ] performances, said consumable tools' [ 120 ] performances and said machines' [ 130 ] performances, extracted from said input data of a plurality of said workpieces [ 110 ] and plurality of said machines [ 130 ]; said system [ 100 ] is further configured to display said overall performances on said display device; said machining production-line overall performances comprise one or more key performance indicators (KPIs); said KPIs selected from a group consisting of i. a gross profit; ii. an overall equipment efficiency (OEE); iii. direct operations costs; and iv. an engineering score defined by EngScore = ( TableSpeed ⁢ [ mm min ] × CuttingDepth ⁢ [ mm ] ToolWear ⁢ [ mm ] ; ″ said CPU [ 170 ] is further configured for comparing said workpieces' [ 110 ] performances to a similar workpieces' best performance, extracted from said evaluation of a plurality of said similar workpieces; said CPU [ 170 ] is further configured for identification of significant faults of a process and said faults' cause; said system is further configured to display, on said display device, said comparison to a best performance, said significant process faults, and said faults' cause; and said CPU [ 170 ] is further configured for the analysis of the effectiveness of an applied engineering-plan for a machining process, using said predefined engineering score; said system is further configured to display, on said display device, said analysis of the effectiveness of the applied engineering-plan for said machining process.