Method, apparatus and system for reducing waste in production systems
A production system includes at least one production component having a production cycle which is interruptible by a detected production failure, at least one detector configured to monitor an output of the at least one production component, the detector configured to detect a production failure and to generate a signal indicative of the production failure, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to, in response to the signal from the detector, cause the respective production component to reject production material for a first predetermined duration of time, and in response to the expiration of the first predetermined duration of time, to slow down production for at least a second predetermined duration of time. The control unit can further return the production system to a normal production state in response to receiving a restart signal before the expiration of the first or second predetermined duration of time.
1. A method for use in a production line, comprising:
in response to a production failure detected by at least one electronic hardware monitoring at least one of a quantity and a quality of production material in said production line, rejecting said production material for a first predetermined duration of time after the detected failure; and
in response to expiration of the first predetermined duration of time, slowing down production for at least a second predetermined duration of time.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to expiration of the second predetermined duration of time, shutting down the production line.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the production failure comprises at least one of a quantity of production material existing in said production line not matching a predetermined quantity, a production cycle time not matching a predetermined cycle time, a quality of production material in said production line not matching a predetermined quality, and a failure of a production component.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said production line comprises an injection molding manufacturing system.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said production material comprises optical disks.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said slowing down production comprises increasing a cycle time for manufacturing said production material.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to receiving a restart signal during said second predetermined duration of time, returning said production line to a normal production state.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to receiving a restart signal during said first predetermined duration of time, returning said production line to a normal production state.
9. A production system, comprising:
at least one electronic hardware configured for monitoring at least one of a quantity and a quality of production material in the production system for detecting a production failure; and
at least one control unit configured for, in response to said detected production failure, causing production material to be rejected for a first predetermined duration of time after the detected failure; and in response to expiration of the first predetermined duration of time, causing production to be slowed down for at least a second predetermined duration of time.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein said at least one control unit is further configured for:
in response to expiration of the second predetermined duration of time, shutting down the production line.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein said production failure comprises at least one of a quantity of production material existing in said production line not matching a predetermined quantity, a production cycle time not matching a predetermined cycle time, a quality of production material in said production line not matching a predetermined quality, and a failure of a production component.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein said system is an injection molding manufacturing system.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said production material comprises optical disks.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein said slowing down production comprises increasing a cycle time for manufacturing said production material.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein said at least one control unit is further configured for:
in response to receiving a restart signal during said second predetermined duration of time, returning said production line to a normal production state.
16. The system of claim 9 , wherein said at least one control unit is further configured for:
in response to receiving a restart signal during said first predetermined duration of time, returning said production line to a normal production state.