Many assembly lines require some way to determine that the tools being used to perform assembly or operations requiring various parameters including predetermined magnitudes of torque, force, pressure, etc. at a particular work cell and are the correct make and model that have been properly set up, configured, calibrated and maintained. They then may require further error proofing to assure that the operations have been correctly performed by the technicians with the pre-approved tool that is used the proper number of times per part being assembled or inspected. They may also require, over time, a constant verification that the tools have been properly maintained, calibrated, and/or certified per a documented procedure or company quality policy. For example, a quality policy can place requirements for tool maintenance and recalibration to be based on the number of times the tool is used (cycle count) and/or by elapsed time between maintenance and recalibration. In traditional applications some such error proofing has been done by non-portable tools which are directly connected by hard wired cables or hoses with hard wired cables to a work cell controller whereby they can derive electric, pneumatic or hydraulic power through these cables or hoses and various ones of those parameters noted being monitored via the hard wired cables. However, this cannot be done with portable tools such as battery operated tools or tools electrically operated by a simple cord connection to an electrical outlet. The present invention provides a system for controlling and monitoring portable tools at a particular work cell by remote communication to prevent them from being used it they are not configured properly, not calibrated properly, not the specified tool for this work cell, have an unacceptably high amount of use without being calibrated or serviced and have some other unacceptable feature being monitored. The present invention further provides a means to disable a tool such that it cannot be actuated when not in the presence of operatively related equipment at the assembly factory thereby establishing anti-theft initiatives.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds