Method for generating a machine heartbeat

1. A method for generating a heartbeat of a process, the method comprising:

performing a process cycle of a process;

wherein the process cycle is performed by at least one machine;

measuring a duration of each of a plurality of timed events performed in a process sequence during the process cycle;

ordering the durations of the plurality of timed events in the process sequence; and

generating, via a server, a heartbeat defined by the ordered durations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the process cycle is a learnt process cycle performed under a learnt condition, the method comprising:

measuring a learnt duration of each of a plurality of timed events performed in the process sequence during the learnt process cycle;

ordering the learnt durations of the plurality of timed events in the process sequence; and

generating, via a server, a learnt heartbeat defined by the ordered learnt durations.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the learnt condition includes at least one known process parameter.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

identifying a baseline duration of each of the plurality of timed events of the process cycle;

ordering the baseline durations of the plurality of timed events in the process sequence; and

generating, via the server, a baseline heartbeat defined by the ordered baseline durations of the process cycle.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the baseline duration of each of the plurality of timed events is a design intent duration of the respective event.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining a learnt event variance between the learnt duration and the baseline duration for each of the plurality of timed events.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining a learnt cumulative variance between the learnt heartbeat and the baseline heartbeat.

8. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

performing a current process cycle under a current condition;

measuring a current duration of each of the plurality of timed events performed in the process sequence during the current process cycle;

ordering the current durations of the plurality of timed events in the process sequence; and

generating, via the server, a current heartbeat defined by the ordered current durations.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining a current event variance between the current duration and the learnt duration for each of the plurality of timed events.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining a current cumulative variance between the current heartbeat and the learnt heartbeat.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating a message in response to the current heartbeat.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the message is at least one of:

a maintenance indicator;

a cycle time indicator; and

a shutdown signal.

13. A method of generating a heartbeat of a process, the method comprising:

performing, via at least one machine, a plurality of process cycles of a process;

wherein each respective process cycle is performed under a respective condition at a respective time and;

generating, via a server, a respective heartbeat for each respective process cycle;

associating each respective heartbeat of the plurality of heartbeats with at least one of the respective time and the respective condition; and

comparing each respective heartbeat with at least one other heartbeat of the plurality of heartbeats.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the process cycle includes a plurality of timed events performed in a process sequence; and

wherein generating each respective heartbeat comprises:

measuring a respective duration of each of the plurality of timed events performed in the process sequence during the respective process cycle;

ordering the respective durations of the plurality of timed events in the process sequence; and

generating, via the server, a respective heartbeat defined by the ordered current durations.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

identifying a baseline duration of each of the plurality of timed events of the process cycle;

ordering the baseline durations of the plurality of timed events in the process sequence; and

generating, via the server, a baseline heartbeat defined by the ordered baseline durations of the process cycle.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

comparing each respective heartbeat with the baseline heartbeat.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein comparing each respective heartbeat of the plurality of heartbeats with another heartbeat of the plurality of heartbeats includes:

determining, for the duration of each event of the plurality of timed events, an event variance between the duration of the event of the respective heartbeat and the duration of the event of the at least one other heartbeat.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein comparing each respective heartbeat of the plurality of heartbeats with another heartbeat of the plurality of heartbeats includes:

determining a cumulative variance between the respective heartbeat and the at least one other heartbeat.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

identifying a process trend defined by the plurality of heartbeats.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

generating a message in response to one of:

an event variance between the respective heartbeat and the at least one other heartbeat of the plurality, and

a current cumulative variance between the respective heartbeat and the at least one other heartbeat of the plurality.