An inspection management system having a plurality of processes and managing final inspection performed to inspect a completed product and one or more intermediate inspections performed to inspect an intermediate product manufactured in the processes earlier than a final process includes: an inspection content data acquisition unit that acquires inspection content data including an inspection standard for each inspection item of the product; an inspection content setting unit that sets inspection content based on the inspection content data acquired by the inspection content data acquisition unit; a simulation unit that simulates inspection in accordance with assumed inspection content; an inspection standard calculation unit that calculates an inspection standard more appropriate than a current inspection standard based on the simulation; and an output unit that outputs base information indicating that at least the inspection standard calculated by the inspection standard calculation unit is more appropriate than the current inspection standard.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for controlling a semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The control system includes an inspection unit capturing a set of images of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, a sensor interface receiving the set of images and generating at least one input signal for a database server, and a control unit. The control unit includes a front end subsystem, a calculation subsystem, and a message and feedback subsystem. The calculation subsystem receives the data signal from the front end subsystem, wherein the calculation subsystem performs an artificial intelligence analytical process to determine, according to the data signal, whether a malfunction has occurred in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment and to generate an output signal. The message and feedback subsystem generates an alert signal and a feedback signal according to the output signal, and the alert signal is transmitted to a user of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

A method for generating a digital production quality certificate for a component carrying a machine readable unique identifier undergoing a plurality of manufacturing steps is provided. The method comprises obtaining parameters indicative of the manufacturing steps from one or more sensors for a plurality of monitored manufacturing steps. The obtained parameters are linked with the machine readable unique identifier and one or more quality analyses are performed for a selected monitored manufacturing step based on the obtained parameters for said manufacturing step. A digital quality certificate is generated for the component comprising data related to the results of the quality analyses and the parameters obtained for the component are stored. The disclosure also provides examples of methods and systems of monitoring a manufacturing process.

To provide a trusted, secure, and immutable record of transactions within a process plant, techniques are described for utilizing a distributed ledger in process control systems. The distributed ledger may be maintained by nodes which receive transactions broadcasted from field devices, controllers, operator workstations, or other devices operating within the process plant. The transactions may include process plant data, such as process parameter data, product parameter data, configuration data, user interaction data, maintenance data, commissioning data, plant network data, and product tracking data. The distributed ledgers may also be utilized to execute smart contracts to allow machines such as field devices to transact by themselves without human intervention. In this manner, recorded process parameter values and product parameter values may be retrieved to verify the quality of products. Moreover, regulatory data may be recorded in response to triggering events so that regulatory agencies can review the data.

A solar concentrating system and installation has a plurality of solar collectors configured for receiving, reflecting, and concentrating radiation in a focal point. The solar concentrating system and installation increases the efficiency of current solar concentrating systems, such as those based on linear Fresnel collectors, by reducing focal distances and increasing the effective surface of the system.

A factory management system has a database for managing a factory in which a production line is provided. The factory management system includes a communication unit, a collection and storage unit and a compilation and display unit. The communication unit connects production facilities of the production line with host systems such that the production facilities and the host systems communicate with each other. The collection and storage unit is one of the host systems and collects production status data on a production status from the production facilities via the communication unit and stores the production status data in the database. The compilation and display unit is provided separately from the collection and storage unit via a communication interface. The compilation and display unit compiles a predetermined data out of the production status data stored in the database and display the first predetermined data.

A production management system includes a storage unit and a controller. The storage unit is configured to store a holding position at which a first work is held among holding positions of the holding unit including first and second cases respectively capable of holding a plurality of works and a work ID identifying the first work in such a manner that the holding position and the work ID of the first work are associated each other. The controller configured to change information of the holding position associated with the work ID of the first work in the storage unit from a first position to a second position if, within the first case, the first work held at the first position is held anew in the second position different from the first position.

An inspection management system that manages inspection of an inspection apparatus in a production line including a manufacturing apparatus of a product and the inspection apparatus includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire inspection content data including an inspection standard for each component; an inspection content setting unit configured to set inspection content; a setting-related information acquisition unit configured to acquire setting-related information including at least a time at which new inspection content is set when the inspection content setting unit sets the new inspection content; a storage unit configured to retain the setting-related information in association with a history of the setting of the inspection content; a setting-related information reading unit configured to read the setting-related information retained in the storage unit; and an output unit configured to be able to output the setting-related information.

To provide a trusted, secure, and immutable record of transactions within a process plant, techniques are described for utilizing a distributed ledger in process control systems. The distributed ledger may be maintained by nodes which receive transactions broadcasted from field devices, controllers, operator workstations, or other devices operating within the process plant. The transactions may include process plant data, such as process parameter data, product parameter data, configuration data, user interaction data, maintenance data, commissioning data, plant network data, and product tracking data. The distributed ledgers may also be utilized to execute smart contracts to allow machines such as field devices to transact by themselves without human intervention. In this manner, recorded process parameter values and product parameter values may be retrieved to verify the quality of products. Moreover, regulatory data may be recorded in response to triggering events so that regulatory agencies can review the data.

Systems and processes herein may be configured to correlate manufacturing parameters and performance feedback parameters with individual absorbent articles manufactured by a converting apparatus. Embodiments of the systems herein may include inspection sensors configured to inspect substrates and/or component parts advancing along the converting line and communicate inspection parameters to a controller and historian. The systems may also include process sensors configured to monitor equipment on the converting line and communicate process parameters to the controller and historian. The systems herein may also be adapted to receive performance feedback parameters based on the packaged absorbent articles. The systems may correlate inspection parameters, process parameters, and/or performance feedback parameters with individual absorbent articles produced on the converting line. The controller may also be configured to perform various functions based on the performance feedback parameters.