Profiling of packaging systems

Abstract

A method for monitoring equipment and gathering consumption and diagnostic information can comprise receiving, at a server, a corrugate usage indicator. The corrugate usage indicator can comprise information relating to an amount of corrugate used by a first packaging system. The method can also comprise creating a usage profile for the first packaging system. The usage profile can comprise a corrugate usage profile. The corrugate usage profile can comprise an association between the amount of corrugate used by the first packaging system and the specifications and number of boxes created. Additionally, the method can comprise automatically generating, based upon the corrugate usage profile, a predicted time when a stock of corrugate associated with the first packaging system will be depleted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for monitoring packaging system equipment and gathering consumption and diagnostic information, the system comprising:
 a corrugate usage sensor, wherein the corrugate usage sensor communicates to a server information relating to an amount of corrugate used by a first packaging system;   a usage profile processing unit that creates a usage profile for the first packaging system, wherein the usage profile comprises:
 a corrugate usage profile, wherein the corrugate usage profile comprises an association between the amount of corrugate used by the first packaging system and specifications of boxes and number of boxes created; and 
   an inventory management system, wherein the inventory management system automatically generates, based upon the corrugate usage profile, a predicted time when a stock of corrugate associated with the first packaging system will be depleted.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the usage profile processing unit receiving parameters for a second packaging system, wherein the parameters comprise information relating to a type of packaging system and information relating to an intended use of the packaging system;   the usage profile processing unit analyzing one or more usage profiles from various other packaging systems;   the usage profile processing unit determining that the parameters for the second packaging system call for similar usage to that described by at least a portion of the usage profile for the first packaging system; and   the inventory management system automatically generating, based upon the at least the portion of the corrugate usage profile for the first packaging system, a predicted time when a stock of corrugate associated with the second packaging system will be depleted.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 the usage profile processing unit automatically generating, based upon a wear profile for the first packaging system, a predicted failure time for one or more of various components within the second packaging system.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 the inventory management system automatically generating, based upon the at least the portion of the corrugate usage profile for the first packaging system and at least a portion of another corrugate usage profile for another packaging system, a predicted time when a stock of corrugate associated with the second packaging system will be depleted.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cutting and creasing sensor, wherein the cutting and creasing sensor provides information relating to the amount of cutting and creasing performed by the first packaging system. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein a cutting and creasing sensor comprises a pneumatic pressure sensor that is in communication with a pneumatic system that drives a cutting and creasing tool. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the usage profile further comprises a wear profile, wherein the wear profile comprises a predicted wear for various components within the system based upon the amount of cutting and creasing performed by the first packaging system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the wear profile further comprises a predicted failure time for one or more of the various components. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the inventory management system creates a service order to service a particular component before the particular component is predicted to fail. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a production analysis module, wherein the production analysis module calculates a cost per box for each of a variety of different box types, wherein calculating the cost per box comprises accounting for the cost of predicted service orders and the cost of corrugate usage. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the inventory management system automatically creates one or more service orders to provide corrugate before the stock of corrugate is depleted. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method executed at one or more processors for monitoring packaging system equipment and gathering consumption and diagnostic information, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 communicating, from a corrugate usage sensor, information relating to an amount of corrugate used by a first packaging system;   creating a usage profile for the first packaging system, wherein the usage profile comprises:
 a corrugate usage profile, wherein the corrugate usage profile comprises an association between the amount of corrugate used by the first packaging system and specifications of boxes and number of boxes created; and 
   based upon the corrugate usage profile, automatically generating a predicted time when a stock of corrugate associated with the first packaging system will be depleted.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving parameters for a second packaging system, wherein the parameters comprise information relating to a type of packaging system and information relating to an intended use of the packaging system;   analyzing one or more usage profiles from various other packaging systems;   determining that the parameters for the second packaging system call for similar usage to that described by at least a portion of the usage profile for the first packaging system; and   automatically generating, based upon the at least the portion of the corrugate usage profile for the first packaging system, a predicted time when a stock of corrugate associated with the second packaging system will be depleted.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 automatically generating, based upon a wear profile for the first packaging system, a predicted failure time for one or more of various components within the second packaging system.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 automatically generating, based upon the at least the portion of the corrugate usage profile for the first packaging system and at least a portion of another corrugate usage profile for another packaging system, a predicted time when a stock of corrugate associated with the second packaging system will be depleted.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing, from a cutting and creasing sensor, information relating to the amount of cutting and creasing performed by the first packaging system. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the cutting and creasing sensor comprises a pneumatic pressure sensor that is in communication with a pneumatic system that drives a cutting and creasing tool. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the usage profile further comprises a wear profile, wherein the wear profile comprises a predicted wear for various components within the system based upon the amount of cutting and creasing performed by the first packaging system. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18 , wherein the wear profile further comprises a predicted failure time for one or more of the various components. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product comprising one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause a computer system to perform a method for monitoring equipment and gathering consumption and diagnostic information, the method comprising:
 communicating, from a corrugate usage sensor, information relating to an amount of corrugate used by a first packaging system;   creating a usage profile for the first packaging system, wherein the usage profile comprises:
 a corrugate usage profile, wherein the corrugate usage profile comprises an association between the amount of corrugate used by the first packaging system and specifications of boxes and number of boxes created; and 
   based upon the corrugate usage profile, automatically generating a predicted time when a stock of corrugate associated with the first packaging system will be depleted.