Preventative maintenance system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for real time preventative maintenance of a molding system. The molding system could be a metal molding system or a plastics molding system. The method and apparatus are capable for scheduling service, business billing and invoicing, parts management, a remote control of a molding system for assessing the need for preventative maintenance. The indication for preventative maintenance is based upon a real time operational status of the molding system.

1 . A method of real time preventative maintenance of a molding system comprising the steps of:
 indicating an out of tolerance condition based upon a real time operational status of said molding system, and   creating a notice for preventative maintenance.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said notice for preventative maintenance is based upon said real time operational status that is below an absolute minimum real time threshold operational limit. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said notice for preventative maintenance is based upon a real time operational status that is below a minimum real time threshold operational limit and has reached the maximum accumulated duration for being below said real time threshold operational limit. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said notice for preventative maintenance is based upon said real time operational status that is above an absolute maximum real time threshold operational limit. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said notice for preventative maintenance is based upon a real time operational status that is above a maximum real time threshold operational limit and has reached the maximum accumulated duration for being above said real time threshold operational limit. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 , or  5  wherein said notice of preventative maintenance is communicated to a customer system. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 6  wherein said customer system communicates said notice of preventative maintenance to a preventative maintenance system. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 , or  5  wherein said notice of preventative maintenance is communicated directly to a preventative maintenance system. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein said preventative maintenance system communicates said notice of preventative maintenance to a general practioner for resolution. 
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 9  wherein said general practioner communicates said notice of preventative maintenance to a specialist. 
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein said preventative maintenance system communicates said notice of preventative maintenance to a specialist. 
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claims 9 ,  10 , or  11  further including remotely controlling said molding system and remotely conducting a preventative maintenance inspection. 
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 9 ,  10 , or  11  further including remotely controlling said molding system and remotely resolving said preventative maintenance. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 9 ,  10 , or  11  further communicating the need for preventative maintenance. 
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein said preventative maintenance system communicates with s service scheduler to schedule preventative maintenance. 
     
     
         16 . A methods as in  claim 15  wherein said service scheduler determines a fit to a service provider's schedule. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 15  wherein said service scheduler determines a fit to a customer schedule. 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 17  wherein said fit to a customer schedule is a pre-determined existing maintenance schedule. 
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 15  wherein said service scheduler determines a fit to availability of service personnel. 
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 16  wherein said service scheduler determines a fit to availability of service parts. 
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein said preventative maintenance system communicates with a parts system. 
     
     
         22 . A method as in  claim 21  wherein said parts system provides inventory management. 
     
     
         23 . A method as in  claim 21  wherein said parts system provides a central parts inventory. 
     
     
         24 . A method as in  claim 22  wherein said parts system provides a distributed parts inventory. 
     
     
         25 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein said preventative maintenance system communicates with a business system for invoicing and billing. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus for real time preventative maintenance of a molding system comprising:
 preventative maintenance logic,   business system logic,   service scheduling logic, and   parts management logic,   said preventative maintenance logic capable of receiving an indication for preventative maintenance based upon a real time operational status of said molding system under at least one of the following conditions, or any combination or permutation thereof:
 (a) said operational status is below an absolute minimum real time threshold operation limit, 
 (b) said operational status is below a minimum real time threshold operational limit and has reached the maximum accumulated duration for being below said real time threshold operational limit, 
 (c) said operational status is above an absolute maximum real time threshold operational limit, or 
 (d) said operational status is above a maximum real time threshold operational limit and has reached the maximum accumulated duration for being above said real time threshold operational limit. 
   
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as in  claim 26  wherein said preventative logic communicates said indication for preventative maintenance to a general practioner for resolution. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein said general practioner transfers said indication for preventative maintenance to a specialist. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as in  claim 26  wherein said preventative logic communicates said indication for preventative maintenance to a specialist for resolution. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as in  claims 27 ,  28 , or  29  further comprising:
 a remote control system for remotely accessing and controlling said molding system for conducting a preventative maintenance inspection.   
     
     
         31 . An apparatus as in  claims 27 ,  28 , or  29  further comprising:
 a remote control system for remotely accessing and controlling said molding system for resolution of said preventative maintenance.   
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as in  claims 27 ,  28 , or  29  wherein said general practioner or said specialist communicates and confirms the need for preventative maintenance back to said preventative maintenance logic. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as in  claim 28  wherein said preventative maintenance logic communicates with said business system logic for invoicing and billing. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as in  claim 28  wherein said preventative maintenance logic communicates with said service scheduling logic to determine a fit into a service provider's schedule. 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as in  claim 28  wherein said preventative maintenance logic communicates with said service scheduling logic to determine a fit to a customer schedule. 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as in  claim 35  wherein said fit to a customer schedule is a pre-determined existing maintenance schedule. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus as in  claim 28  wherein said preventative maintenance logic communicates with said service scheduling logic to determine a fit to availability of service personnel. 
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as in  claim 28  wherein said preventative maintenance logic communicates with said service scheduling logic to determine a fit to availability of service parts. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as in  claim 28 . wherein said preventative maintenance logic communicates with said parts management logic. 
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as in  claim 29  wherein said parts management logic provides inventory management. 
     
     
         41 . An apparatus as in  claim 29  wherein said parts management logic provides a central parts inventory. 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus as in  claim 29  wherein said parts management logic provides a distributed parts inventory. 
     
     
         43 . A method of real time preventative maintenance of a molding system comprising:
 generating a network-transmlssible notice indicating an out of tolerance condition of a real time operational status of a molding system, and transmitting the network-transmissible notice on a network to a receiver of said notice.