Electronic fingerprints for machine control and production machines

Abstract

An electronic fingerprint measures a state of a machine and/or process. A controller controls movements of at least one component of the machine and a fingerprint device selects, for measurement, certain movements of the machine for generating an electronic fingerprint that that is representative of a condition of the machine tool or process.

1 . A electronic fingerprint apparatus for measuring a state of a machine and/or process, comprising: 
 an automation component comprising a controller for controlling movements of at least one component of the machine or a portion of the process, wherein the automation component provides means for capturing electronic fingerprints representative of the state of the machine and/or process; and    a fingerprint device for selecting, for measurement, certain movements of the machine for generating an electronic fingerprint that that is representative of a condition of the machine tool    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the automation component is a numeric control, a motion controller, a programmable logic controller or an intelligent drive.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the automation component and the corresponding Engineering System provide a program platform/environment for the implementation of electronic fingerprints by an application engineer.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein applicative implementation of the fingerprints is done by a configuration process in the engineering system and/or a programming process using a specific API for the implementation of fingerprints.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the start of capturing the fingeprints is done by one of the following actions selected from the group consisting of starting by local user via local HMI and starting by remote user via Ethernet/Internet and starting based on an event evaluated in an application program running in the automation component.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is used for one of the following machines selected from the group consisting of a machine tool and a packaging machine and a rubber and plastics machine and a presses and printing machine and a wood machine and a glass machine and a ceramic machine and a stone machine and a textile machine and a robotics and a handling machine.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint device and the automation component generate an electronic fingerprint that is generic to a type of machine tool that indicates a stable behavior of the machine tool.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the fingerprint device and the automation component generates an electronic fingerprint having a deviation from the stable behavior, thereby indicating an unstable behavior of the machine.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint device and the automation component generates a specific fingerprint of a particular production machine that is representative of a state of an output of the particular production machine and/or the stable behavior of the machine.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface for displaying a graphical depiction of the electronic fingerprint.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint device has a capability of generating a periodic electronic fingerprint that is developed from a snap shot of the state of the machine at a certain time.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising an application for comparing the electronic fingerprints over time.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a memory for storing the electronic fingerprints as a database.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a maintenance scheduler for scheduling maintenance of the machine based on a prediction of a failure of the machine based on the electronic fingerprint.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a remote communication capability that couples the machine to a remote processor.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the electronic fingerprint is downloaded over the remote communication to the remote processor.  
   
   
       17 . A method for generating electronic fingerprints for measuring a state of a machine and/or process, comprising the steps of: 
 selecting parameters of at least one-component of the machine, for measurement, that is representative of a condition of the machine;    reading the parameters; and    storing the read parameters, thereby creating an electronic fingerprint of the machine representative of the condition of the machine.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of selecting selects parameters that at a time when the machine is in a stable state to generate thereby a generic type of electronic fingerprint that indicates a stable behavior.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of selecting selects parameters having a deviation from the stable behavior, thereby generating an electronic fingerprint indicating an unstable behavior of the machine.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of selecting selects parameters from a particular production machine that is representative of a state of an output of the particular production machine.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of generating a graphical depiction of the electronic fingerprint.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of comparing the electronic fingerprints over time.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of scheduling maintenance based on the electronic fingerprint.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of remotely coupling the machine to a remote processor.  
   
   
       25 . A computer readable product having encoded therein instructions for driving a computer processor according to the steps of  claim 17.