Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system in a specific environment – Quality evaluation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-20
2003-02-04
Barlow, John (Department: 2863)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system in a specific environment
Quality evaluation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06516280
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The invention relates generally to production line management, and more specifically, to a method and system for electronic recycle inventory tracking.
Many production lines, such as in the plastics industries, involve numerous processes to create an end product. In production lines where intricate or otherwise information-sensitive manufacturing is performed, correctly transferring critical production information is essential. Any number of factors may be significant to the proper running of the production line at any given time, but without the efficient, fast and accurate transfer of this information, numerous errors may occur.
For example, in the finishing of plastic pellets (which have been produced previously in a resin process), the finishing process encompasses adding various materials to the pellets. The added materials may be flameretardants, pigment, glass, etc., depending on the final use thereof. After the addition, or what is typically called the compounding process, the pellets are extruded into an end product.
For various reasons, the end product may not be acceptable for customer use. Nevertheless, the product may be acceptable for recycling. For many manufacturers, recycling products creates an economic and environmental benefit. Typically, 10% of a production uses recycle products. Usually, a recycle product may be used in a similar manner as raw material. However, recycle products are different from raw materials in that a recycle product carries with it a past or history. For example, a recycle product's history may include the composition of the product, such as its raw material(s) and quantity, along with the manufacturing processes used to make the recycle product. Typically, recycle products are inventoried and tracked using cumbersome manual techniques, such as spreadsheets. Due to potential human error with manual techniques, discrepant and questionable products may get recycled. Therefore, inventorying and tracking a recycle product can be a logistical nightmare and difficult to manage. However, accurately tracking the recycle product is important.
Thus, there is a need for a more efficient, fast and accurate method and system for tracking recycle inventory.
SUMMARY
An exemplary embodiment is a method and system for electronic recycle inventory tracking corresponding to a product on a production line. The system includes a processor integrated with the production line for identifying the product, determining whether the product is rejected, assigning a first destination to the product if the product is not rejected and generating tracking data based on the first destination, determining whether the product is to be recycled based on determining whether the product is rejected and assigning a second destination to the product based on said determining whether the product is to be recycled and generating tracking data based on the second destination. A network is connected to the processor, and a user system is coupled to the network. A database is coupled to the processor for storing data relating to the product.
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Clark Angelika H.
Davis Michael S.
Haraburda Scott S.
Klein Timothy R.
Masterson Rex E.
Barlow John
Bhat Aditya
General Electric Company
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