Title:

Manufacturing information and troubleshooting system and method

Document Type and Number:

United States Patent Application 20050043841

Kind Code:

Abstract:

Systems and methods for providing alarming indications and troubleshooting indications and actions in connection with a web converting manufacturing process such as that used for manufacturing disposable absorbent garments. Some of the disclosed embodiments include relating inspection data, such as product (or process) attribute data, to data from other manufacturing-related systems. Also disclosed are systems and methods for linking product (or process) attribute data obtained during the manufacturing process with one or more data sources including raw material data, process setting data, product quality data, and/or productivity data. Also disclosed are systems and methods for identifying manufacturing set point changes and automatically implementing such changes and automated web steering changes based on data from one or more inspection systems.

Inventors:

Popp, Robert L. (Hortonville, WI, US)
Allen, Kyle S. (Neenah, WI, US)
Bell, Jamie L. (Brillion, WI, US)
Carbone II, Henry L. (St. Paul, MN, US)
Chapple, Scott G. (Neenah, WI, US)
Clark, Clinton David (Reno, TX, US)
Dollevoet, Tim G. (Kimberly, WI, US)
Hein, John G. (Appleton, WI, US)
Morgan, Archie Dodds (Neenah, WI, US)
Popp, Nicholas A. (Appleton, WI, US)
Quereshi, Shawn A. (Neenah, WI, US)
Tremble, Erica C. (Appleton, WI, US)

Plaque It!

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The invention of the present application is related to and claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/401,805, entitled INFORMATION EXCHANGE, filed on Aug. 7, 2002, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to systems and methods associated with inspecting composite products produced using one or more web converting manufacturing processes. More particularly, the invention relates to systems and methods for processing manufacturing related information, including inspection information, to identify logical alarming and troubleshooting indications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Articles such as disposable absorbent garments have numerous applications including diapers, training pants, feminine care products, and adult incontinence products. A typical disposable absorbent garment is formed as a composite structure including an absorbent assembly disposed between a liquid permeable bodyside liner and a liquid impermeable outer cover. These components can be combined with other materials and features such as elastic materials and containment structures to form a product which is specifically suited to its intended purposes. A number of such garments include fastening components which are intended to be connected together (e.g., pre-fastened) during manufacture of the garment so that the product is packaged in its fully assembled form.

For example, one such pre-fastened garment includes child's training pants, which have a central absorbent chassis and front and back side panels extending laterally out from the chassis adjacent longitudinally opposite ends thereof. A portion of each of the front and back side panels has a respective fastening component disposed thereon. During manufacture of the training pants, the central absorbent chassis is initially formed generally flat and then folded over so that the front and back side panels face each other. The respective fastening components of the front and back side panels are then aligned and connected together to define an engagement seam. Upon securing the front and back side panel fastening components together, the pre-fastened pair of training pants is in its fully assembled three-dimensional form having an interior space bounded in part by the engagement seam.

For a variety of purposes, including quality control, process control, material control, and so on, it is often desirable to monitor the presence of and/or interrelationships between one or more elements of a disposable absorbent garment. For instance, elements such as outer covers, liners, absorbent pads, side panels, elastic components, fastener components, etc. must be positioned or aligned with respect to each other and/or to other components as desired or otherwise intended in order to produce an acceptable product. Accordingly, inspection systems are commonly used to detect the presence and/or relative positions of such components during manufacturing. If an inspection system determines that one or more components are out of position and thus do not properly register with other components, the inspection system typically outputs one or more signals indicating that certain articles should be culled and discarded, that the process should be adjusted so as to bring out-of-position components into proper position, that the process should be adjusted so that subsequent components are brought into proper registration with one another, and so on.

One such registration inspection system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,525, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As described therein, registration inspection of a composite product during fabrication is accomplished by producing an image of the article and then analyzing the image to detect the relative positions of one or more components. The detected positions are then compared to desired positions to thereby determine whether one or more components are improperly positioned. Such registration inspection systems employ conventional video cameras for capturing visible, ultraviolet, x-ray, and infrared light reflected by and/or transmitted through components of the product in order to produce still video images of such components. Thus, after producing a video image of a composite article and its several components, the image can be analyzed to determine whether the components are properly positioned and registered with one another.

Although highly useful for many applications, there is a need for a higher order level of inspection and control that provides advantages with respect to the inspection, analysis and control of high speed web converting processes associated with manufacturing products having tight quality tolerances. Such products include, for example, certain products having engagement seams formed by connecting two elements together such that the engagement seam is essentially two layers. For example, engagement seams formed by connected side panels of the training pants described previously has heretofore entailed connecting the side panels in face-to-face relationships with outer edges of the side panels aligned with each other. To inspect such an engagement seam, it was necessary only to inspect the exposed outer edges of the side panels so that there was no need to actually capture an image of any underlying elements or edges of the training pants. More recent engagement seams, however, are formed by connecting the side panels in overlapping relationship so that the outer edge of one side panel underlies the other side panel at the engagement seam. Still referring to the engagement seam example, arriving at a finished state of properly engaged side seams requires a precise final positioning of the edges of the fastening system components on the side panels. Such a level of control can be accomplished through a cascaded process control of multiple (e.g., up to seven in one example) dependent product geometrical relationships that can be affected by material, process settings, process set points, transient conditions, and so on.

It is desirable to capture an image of the underlying panel at the engagement seam to determine the position and relative alignment of the outer edge of the underlying panel. Because the light emitting source and camera of the inspection system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,525 are positioned exterior of the inspected component, it is difficult to inspect the outer edge of an underlying panel of the more recent engagement seams once the panels are connected. For example, it is difficult to lay the engagement seam flat over the light emitting source of the disclosed inspection system, thereby increasing the risk that the image captured by the camera will appear fuzzy. Moreover, it is difficult for the visible or ultraviolet light to pass through or reflect from the underlying layer of the multiple layers present at such an engagement seam.

Moreover, prior art systems for inspecting composite articles, such as, for example, disposable absorbent garments, do not integrate and relate data from multiple inspection stations to prioritize necessary or desirable automatic control actions, trouble-shooting actions/recommendations, operator alarming, and so on.

Further, prior art systems for inspecting composite articles, such as disposable absorbent garments, did not integrate and relate information/data from multiple inspections systems with information from other information systems associated with a manufacturing process. For example, database systems have been employed for collecting waste/delay/productivity information, raw material information, manually entered quality information (e.g., from manual inspections of selected items), and machine process information. In fabricating articles such as diapers and training pants, such information includes productivity associated with a particular production run, various attributes of the raw materials used, process control settings (e.g., vacuum settings, machine set points, conveyor steering commands, and so on), and the like. Such prior art information, however, has not been correlated to inspection information so that improvements can be made, for example, to further reduce cost and waste, and to increase productivity and quality.

Improvements are also desired with respect to information systems associated with web converting processes. For example, web converting manufacturing processes often use multiple station devices, with each station performing a substantially similar function. Prior art information systems do not adequately isolate and exploit inspection data associated with a particular station of such multiple station devices. It has been known to use simple photoeye detectors to detect whether a side panel placed by a multiple station device was present on the absorbent article constructed using that device. Identifying and exploiting additional aspects of multiple station devices, however, is desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one form, the invention comprises an automatic troubleshooting system, suitable for use in connection with a high speed web converting manufacturing process having at least one machine operating at a set point and producing a composite article from a sequential addition of component parts during a production run of composite articles. A first inspection system automatically inspects a first aspect of a composite article being produced during the production run, the first inspection system providing via a communication network a first inspection parameter indicative of a characteristic of the first aspect. A second inspection system automatically inspects a second aspect of the composite article, the second inspection system providing a second inspection parameter via the communication network indicative of a characteristic of the second aspect. The logic system obtains via the communication network a plurality of the first inspection parameters, each corresponding to one of a plurality of composite articles produced during the production run, and obtains a plurality of the second inspection parameters, each corresponding to one of the plurality of composite articles, the logic system determining a first mathematical characteristic associated with the obtained plurality of first inspection parameters and a second mathematical characteristic associated the obtained plurality of second inspection parameters, the logic system determining a corrective action in response to the first and second mathematical characteristics.

In another form, the invention is a method of automatically troubleshooting a machine, suitable for use in connection with a high speed web converting manufacturing process having at least one machine operating at a set point and producing a composite product from a sequential addition of component parts during a production run of composite products, the method comprising:

- inspecting a first aspect of a composite product constructed using the high speed web converting process and being produced during the production run;
- providing a first inspection parameter being indicative of a characteristic of the first aspect of the composite product;
- inspecting a second aspect of the composite product being produced during the production run;
- providing a second inspection parameter being indicative of the second aspect of the composite product;
- obtaining a plurality of the first inspection parameters, each one of the obtained plurality of first inspection parameters corresponding to one of a plurality of composite products produced during the production run;
- determining a first mathematical characteristic associated with the obtained plurality of the first inspection parameters;
- obtaining a plurality of the second inspection parameters, each one of the obtained plurality of second inspection parameters corresponding to one of a plurality of composite products produced during the production run;
- determining a second mathematical characteristic associated with the obtained plurality of the second inspection parameters; and
- determining a corrective action associated with the at least one machine in response to the determined first and second mathematical characteristics.

In another form, the invention is method for providing a troubleshooting response for a manufacturing process, the method being suitable for use in connection with a web converting manufacturing process producing a composite product from a sequential addition of component parts during a production run of composite products, the method comprising:

- automatically inspecting at a first aspect of a composite product being produced during the production run to determine a component attribute of the first aspect;
- automatically determining a machine setting of a machine associated with the web converting process at the first time;
- identifying a relationship between the component attribute of the first aspect and the machine setting; and
- identifying a troubleshooting action based on the identified relationship between the component attribute of the first aspect and the machine setting.

DEFINITIONS

Within the context of this specification, each term or phrase below will include, but will not be considered necessarily limited to, the following meaning or meanings.

“Bonded” comprises the joining, adhering, connecting, attaching, or the like, of two elements. Two elements will be considered to be bonded together when they are bonded directly to one another or indirectly to one another, such as when each is directly bonded to intermediate elements.

“Connected” comprises the joining, adhering, bonding, attaching, or the like, of two elements. Two elements will be considered to be connected together when they are connected directly to one another or indirectly to one another, such as when each is directly connected to intermediate elements.

“Culled” articles includes articles that are discarded during the manufacturing process, prior to being packaged. For example, an article may be culled if an inspector identifies an unacceptable nonconforming characteristic. An article may be culled before its construction has been completed.

“Disposable” comprises articles which are designed to be discarded after a limited use rather than being laundered or otherwise restored for reuse.

“Disposed,” “disposed on,” and variations thereof are intended to include that one element can be integral with another element, or that one element can be a separate structure bonded to or placed with or placed near another element.

“Elastic,” “elasticized” and “elasticity” include that property of a material or composite by virtue of which it tends to recover its original size and shape after removal of a force causing a deformation.

“Elastomeric” comprises a material or composite which can be elongated by at least 25 percent of its relaxed length and which will recover, upon release of the applied force, at least 10 percent of its elongation. It is generally preferred that the elastomeric material or composite be capable of being elongated by at least 100 percent, more preferably by at least 300 percent, of its relaxed length and recover, upon release of an applied force, at least 50 percent of its elongation.

“Endseal” is an edge of two or more panels that are joined together by adhesive or other means. In the context of an absorbent article, a front end seal includes a front distal edge of an absorbent panel and a distal edge of a right front elastic side panel and/or a front distal edge of an absorbent panel and a distal edge of a left front elastic side panel. In the context of an absorbent article, a rear end seal includes a rear distal edge of an absorbent panel and a distal edge of a right rear elastic side panel and/or a rear distal edge of an absorbent panel and a distal edge of a left rear elastic side panel.

“Fabrics” is used to include all of the woven, knitted and nonwoven fibrous webs.

“Flexible” comprises materials which are compliant and which will readily conform to the general shape and contours of the wearer's body.

“Force” includes a physical influence exerted by one body on another which produces acceleration of bodies that are free to move and deformation of bodies that are not free to move. Force is expressed in grams per unit area.

“Graphic” comprises any design, pattern, or the like that is visible on an absorbent article.

“Hydrophilic” comprises fibers or the surfaces of fibers which are wetted by the aqueous liquids in contact with the fibers. The degree of wetting of the materials can, in turn, be described in terms of the contact angles and the surface tensions of the liquids and materials involved. Equipment and techniques suitable for measuring the wettability of particular fiber materials or blends of fiber materials can be provided by a Cahn SFA-222 Surface Force Analyzer System, or a substantially equivalent system. When measured with this system, fibers having contact angles less than 90□ are designated “wettable” or hydrophilic, while fibers having contact angles greater than 90□ are designated “nonwettable” or hydrophobic.

“Integral” comprises various portions of a single unitary element rather than separate structures bonded to or placed with or placed near one another.

“Inward” and “outward” comprise positions relative to the center of an absorbent article, and particularly transversely and/or longitudinally closer to or away from the longitudinal and transverse center of the absorbent article.

“Layer” when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single element or a plurality of elements.

“Liquid impermeable”, when used in describing a layer or multi-layer laminate, includes that a liquid, such as urine, will not pass through the layer or laminate, under ordinary use conditions, in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the layer or laminate at the point of liquid contact. Liquid, or urine, may spread or be transported parallel to the plane of the liquid impermeable layer or laminate, but this is not considered to be within the meaning of “liquid impermeable” when used herein.

“Longitudinal” and “transverse” comprise their customary meaning. The longitudinal axis lies in the plane of the garment and is generally parallel to a vertical plane that bisects a standing wearer into left and right body halves when the article is worn. The transverse axis lies in the plane of the article generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The garment as illustrated is longer in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction.

“Mathematical characteristic” includes determinations made by mathematical manipulation, as well as statistical determinations, manipulations and assessments of variability of data sets such as, for example, a range or indication of a range of values within a data set, a variance, or a coefficient of variance.

“Member” when used in the singular can comprise the dual meaning of a single element or a plurality of elements.

“Nonwoven” and “nonwoven web” comprise materials and webs of material which are formed without the aid of a textile weaving or knitting process.

“Operatively joined,” with reference to the attachment of an elastic member to another element, includes that the elastic member when attached to or connected to the element, or treated with heat or chemicals, by stretching, or the like, gives the element elastic properties; and with reference to the attachment of a non-elastic member to another element, means that the member and element can be attached in any suitable manner that permits or allows them to perform the intended or described function of the joinder. The joining, attaching, connecting or the like can be either directly, such as joining either member directly to an element, or can be indirectly by means of another member disposed between the first member and the first element.

“Outer cover graphic” comprises a graphic that is directly visible upon inspection of the exterior surface of a garment, and for a refastenable garment is in reference to inspection of the exterior surface of the garment when the fastening system is engaged as it would be during use.

“Permanently bonded” comprises the joining, adhering, connecting, attaching, or the like, of two elements of an absorbent garment such that the elements tend to be and remain bonded during normal use conditions of the absorbent garment.

“Refastenable” comprises the property of two elements being capable of releasable attachment, separation, and subsequent releasable reattachment without substantial permanent deformation or rupture.

“Releasably attached,” “releasably engaged” and variations thereof comprise two elements being connected or connectable such that the elements tend to remain connected absent a separation force applied to one or both of the elements, and the elements being capable of separation without substantial permanent deformation or rupture. The required separation force is typically beyond that encountered while wearing the absorbent garment.

“Rupture” includes the breaking or tearing apart of a material; in tensile testing, the term comprises the total separation of a material into two parts either all at once or in stages, or the development of a hole in some materials.

“Stretch bonded” comprises an elastic member being bonded to another member while the elastic member is extended at least about 25 percent of its relaxed length. Desirably, the term “stretch bonded” comprises the situation wherein the elastic member is extended at least about 100 percent, and more desirably at least about 300 percent, of its relaxed length when it is bonded to the other member.

“Stretch bonded laminate” comprises a composite material having at least two layers in which one layer is a gatherable layer and the other layer is an elastic layer. The layers are joined together when the elastic layer is in an extended condition so that upon relaxing the layers, the gatherable layer is gathered.

“Surface” includes any layer, film, woven, nonwoven, laminate, composite, or the like, whether pervious or impervious to air, gas, and/or liquids.

“Tension” includes a uniaxial force tending to cause the extension of a body or the balancing force within that body resisting the extension.

“Thermoplastic” describes a material that softens when exposed to heat and which substantially returns to a nonsoftened condition when cooled to room temperature.

These terms may be defined with additional language or by additional examples in the remaining portions of the specification, and also encompass their ordinary and customary meaning(s).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a child's training pants with a fastening system of the training pants shown connected on one side of the training pants and disconnected on the other side of the training pants;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the training pants of FIG. 1 in an unfastened, stretched and laid flat condition to show an outer surface of the training pants which faces away from the wearer;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the training pants in its unfastened, stretched and laid flat condition to show an inner surface of the training pants which faces the wearer when the training pants are worn, with portions of the training pants being cut away to reveal underlying features;

FIG. 4A is a block diagram of an inspection system having an information exchange;

FIG. 4B illustrates schematically one embodiment of a flow of information to and from an information exchange;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are logic flow diagrams illustrating one method of providing real time quality, suitable for use in connection with an inspection system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 6 is a logic flow diagram of one method of using quality information from a raw material database to adjust process settings, suitable for use in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 7 is a logic flow diagram illustrating one method of providing real time registration set point control, suitable for use in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 8 is a logic flow diagram illustrating another method of providing real time registration set point control, suitable for use in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a web guiding system, suitable for use in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A;

FIGS. 10A-10D illustrate schematically a fastening system associated with the refastenable child's training pants illustrated in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of a web guiding system, suitable for use in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of an exemplary automated trouble-shooting system, suitable for use in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A;

FIGS. 13A and 13B are logic flow diagrams illustrating one method of providing process information, suitable for use in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 14 is a logic flow diagram illustrating one method (indicated generally by reference 1600 ) of providing an automated trouble-shooting capability, suitable for use in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIGS. 4 or 12 ;

FIGS. 15-19 illustrate certain exemplary display information for display on an operator interface associated with a manufacturing process;

FIG. 19A illustrates an exemplary display of full product inspection information of a fastening system associated with a refastenable child's training pants as displayed on an operator interface;

FIG. 20 illustrates in schematic form a system for tracking per station information from a multiple station manufacturing device;

FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary display of certain per station information for use in connection with a system such as that illustrated in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrative of one configuration of a database system suitable for use in mining data in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 23 is a logic flow diagram of a method for correlating product (or process) attribute information with other manufacturing related information for use in data mining applications in connection with an information system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The methods and apparatus of the present invention can be used to make a variety of articles such as disposable absorbent garments including diapers, training pants, feminine hygiene products, incontinence products, other personal care or health care garments, swim pants, athletic clothing, pants and shorts, and the like. As an example, the methods and apparatus of the present invention can be used to make articles in which at least two elements of the article are connected together during the making thereof to assemble or “pre-fasten” the article. For ease of explanation, the methods and apparatus of the present invention are hereafter described in connection with making pre-fastened child's training pants, generally indicated as 20 in FIG. 1. In particular, the methods and apparatus will be described in terms of those for making pre-fastened disposable training pants as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/444,083 titled “Absorbent Articles With Refastenable Side Seams” and filed Nov. 22, 1999 (corresponding to PCT application WO 00/37009 published Jun. 29, 2000) by A. L. Fletcher et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Training pants 20 can also be constructed using the methods and apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,464 issued Jul. 10, 1990 to Van Gompel et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,389 issued Jun. 16, 1998 to Brandon et al.; the disclosures of which are also incorporated herein by reference.

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the training pants 20 are illustrated in a partially fastened condition and comprise an absorbent chassis 32 having a front waist region 22 , a back waist region 24 , a crotch region 26 interconnecting the front and back waist regions, an inner surface 28 which is configured to contact the wearer, and an outer surface 30 opposite the inner surface and configured to contact the wearer's clothing. With additional reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the absorbent chassis 32 also has a pair of laterally opposite side edges 36 and a pair of longitudinally opposite waist edges, respectively designated front waist edge 38 and back waist edge 39 . The front waist region 22 is contiguous with the front waist edge 38 , and the back waist region 24 is contiguous with the back waist edge 39 .

The illustrated absorbent chassis 32 comprises a composite structure 33 (FIG. 3), which when laid flat can be rectangular or any other desired shape, and has a pair of laterally opposite front side panels 34 and a pair of laterally opposite back side panels 134 extending outward therefrom. The composite structure 33 and side panels 34 , 134 may comprise two or more separate elements, as shown in FIG. 1, or be integrally formed. Integrally formed side panels 34 , 134 and composite structure 33 would comprise at least some common materials, such as the bodyside liner, flap composite, outer cover, other materials and/or combinations thereof, and could define a one-piece elastic, stretchable, or nonstretchable pants. The illustrated composite structure 33 comprises an outer cover 40 , a bodyside liner 42 (FIGS. 1 and 3) connected to the outer cover in a superposed relation, an absorbent assembly 44 (FIG. 3) disposed between the outer cover and the bodyside liner, and a pair of containment flaps 46 (FIG. 3). The illustrated composite structure 33 has opposite ends 45 which form portions of the front and back waist edges 38 and 39 , and opposite side edges 47 which form portions of the side edges 36 of the absorbent chassis 32 (FIGS. 2 and 3). For reference, arrows 48 and 49 depict the orientation of the longitudinal axis and the transverse or lateral axis, respectively, of the training pants 20 .

With the training pants 20 in the fastened position as partially illustrated in FIG. 1, the front and back side panels 34 , 134 are connected together by a fastening system 80 to define a three-dimensional pants configuration having an interior space 51 , a waist opening 50 for receiving the wearer into the interior space of the pants, a pair of leg openings 52 and engagement seams 88 along which the side panels are connected. The interior space 51 of the pants 20 is thus bounded by the absorbent chassis 32 , the engagement seams 88 and the portions of the side panels 34 , 134 extending on opposite sides of the engagement seams 88 (e.g., between the engagement seams and the absorbent chassis. As used herein, the “interior space” 51 is intended to refer to the space between any two portions of a three-dimensional article which generally oppose each other. It is understood that a transverse cross-section of the article need not be closed, e.g., continuous, to define an interior space. For example, a two-dimensional article may be generally folded over on itself so that two portions of the article oppose each other to define an interior space of the article therebetween. Thus, the interior space 51 of the training pants 20 shown in FIG. 1 may be defined by the side panels 34 , 134 themselves or, if the side panels were fully straightened therebetween, the interior space would be defined by a combination of the side panels and the front and back waist regions 22 , 24 of the absorbent chassis 32 .

The front waist region 22 comprises the portion of the training pants 20 which, when worn, is positioned on the front of the wearer while the back waist region 24 comprises the portion of the training pants which, when worn, is positioned on the back of the wearer. The crotch region 26 of the training pants 20 comprises the portion of the training pants 20 which, when worn, is positioned between the legs of the wearer and covers the lower torso of the wearer. The front and back side panels 34 and 134 comprise the portions of the training pants 20 which, when worn, are positioned on the hips of the wearer. The waist edges 38 and 39 of the absorbent chassis 32 are configured to encircle the waist of the wearer when worn and together define the waist opening 50 (FIG. 1). Portions of the side edges 36 in the crotch region 26 generally define the leg openings 52 .

The absorbent chassis 32 is configured to contain and/or absorb any exudates discharged from the wearer. For example, the absorbent chassis 32 desirably although not necessarily comprises the pair of containment flaps 46 which are configured to provide a barrier to the transverse flow of body exudates. A flap elastic member 53 (FIG. 3) can be operatively joined with each containment flap 46 in any suitable manner as is well known in the art. The elasticized containment flaps 46 define an unattached edge which assumes an upright configuration in at least the crotch region 26 of the training pants 20 to form a seal against the wearer's body. The containment flaps 46 can be located along the side edges 36 of the absorbent chassis 32 , and can extend longitudinally along the entire length of the absorbent chassis or may only extend partially along the length of the absorbent chassis. Suitable constructions and arrangements for the containment flaps 46 are generally well known to those skilled in the art and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,116 issued Nov. 3, 1987 to Enloe, which is incorporated herein by reference.

To further enhance containment and/or absorption of body exudates, the training pants 20 desirably although not necessarily include a front waist elastic member 54 , a rear waist elastic member 56 , and leg elastic members 58 , as are known to those skilled in the art (FIG. 3). The waist elastic members 54 and 56 can be operatively joined to the outer cover 40 and/or the bodyside liner 42 along the opposite waist edges 38 and 39 , and can extend over part or all of the waist edges. The leg elastic members 58 can be operatively joined to the outer cover 40 and/or the bodyside liner 42 along the opposite side edges 36 and positioned in the crotch region 26 of the training pants 20 . The leg elastic members 58 can be longitudinally aligned along each side edge 47 of the composite structure 33 . Each leg elastic member 58 has a front terminal point 63 and a back terminal point 65 , which represent the longitudinal ends of the elastic gathering caused by the leg elastic members. The front terminal points 63 can be located adjacent the longitudinally innermost parts of the front side panels 34 , and the back terminal points 65 can be located adjacent the longitudinally innermost parts of the back side panels 134 .

The flap elastic members 53 , the waist elastic members 54 and 56 , and the leg elastic members 58 can be formed of any suitable elastic material. As is well known to those skilled in the art, suitable elastic materials include sheets, strands or ribbons of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or thermoplastic elastomeric polymers. The elastic materials can be stretched and adhered to a substrate, adhered to a gathered substrate, or adhered to a substrate and then elasticized or shrunk, for example with the application of heat, such that elastic constrictive forces are imparted to the substrate. In one particular embodiment, for example, the leg elastic members 58 comprise a plurality of dry-spun coalesced multifilament spandex elastomeric threads sold under the trade name LYCRA ⁷and available from E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., U.S.A.

The outer cover 40 desirably comprises a material which is substantially liquid impermeable, and can be elastic, stretchable or nonstretchable. The outer cover 40 can be a single layer of liquid impermeable material, but desirably comprises a multi-layered laminate structure in which at least one of the layers is liquid impermeable. For instance, the outer cover 40 can include a liquid permeable outer layer and a liquid impermeable inner layer that are suitably joined together by a laminate adhesive, ultrasonic bonds, thermal bonds, or the like. Suitable laminate adhesives, which can be applied continuously or intermittently as beads, a spray, parallel swirls, or the like, can be obtained from Findley Adhesives, Inc., of Wauwatosa, Wis., U.S.A., or from National Starch and Chemical Company, Bridgewater, N.J. U.S.A. The liquid permeable outer layer can be any suitable material and desirably one that provides a generally cloth-like texture. One example of such a material is a 20 gsm (grams per square meter) spunbond polypropylene nonwoven web. The outer layer may also be made of those materials of which the liquid permeable bodyside liner 42 is made. While it is not a necessity for the outer layer to be liquid permeable, it is desired that it provides a relatively cloth-like texture to the wearer.

The inner layer of the outer cover 40 can be both liquid and vapor impermeable, or can be liquid impermeable and vapor permeable. The inner layer can be manufactured from a thin plastic film, although other flexible liquid impermeable materials may also be used. The inner layer, or the liquid impermeable outer cover 40 when a single layer, prevents waste material from wetting articles, such as bedsheets and clothing, as well as the wearer and caregiver. A suitable liquid impermeable film for use as a liquid impermeable inner layer, or a single layer liquid impermeable outer cover 40 , is a 0.02 millimeter polyethylene film commercially available from Pliant Corporation of Schaumburg, Ill., U.S.A.

If the outer cover 40 is a single layer of material, it can be embossed and/or matte finished to provide a more cloth-like appearance. As earlier mentioned, the liquid impermeable material can permit vapors to escape from the interior space 51 of the disposable absorbent article, while still preventing liquids from passing through the outer cover 40 . A suitable “breathable” material is composed of a microporous polymer film or a nonwoven fabric that has been coated or otherwise treated to impart a desired level of liquid impermeability. A suitable microporous film is a PMP-1 film material commercially available from Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc., Tokyo, Japan, or an XKO-8044 polyolefin film commercially available from 3M Company, Minneapolis, Minn. U.S.A.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the training pants 20 and in particular the outer cover 40 desirably comprises one or more appearance-related components. Examples of appearance-related components include, but are not limited to, graphics; highlighting or emphasizing leg and waist openings in order to make product shaping more evident or visible to the user; highlighting or emphasizing areas of the product to simulate functional components such as elastic leg bands, elastic waistbands, simulated “fly openings” for boys, ruffles for girls; highlighting areas of the product to change the appearance of the size of the product; registering wetness indicators, temperature indicators, and the like in the product; registering a back label, or a front label, in the product; and registering written instructions at a desired location in the product.

The illustrated pair of training pants 20 is designed for use by young girls and includes a registered outer cover graphic 60 (FIG. 2). In this design, the registered graphic 60 includes a primary pictorial image 61 , simulated waist ruffles 62 , and simulated leg ruffles 64 . The primary pictorial image 61 includes a rainbow, sun, clouds, animal characters, wagon and balloons. Any suitable design can be utilized for a training pants intended for use by young girls, so as to be aesthetically and/or functionally pleasing to them and the caregiver. The appearance-related components are desirably positioned on the training pants 20 at selected locations, which can be carried out using the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,389 issued Jun. 16, 1998 to Brandon et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The primary pictorial image 61 is desirably positioned in the front waist region 22 along the longitudinal center line of the training pants 20 .

The liquid permeable bodyside liner 42 is illustrated as overlying the outer cover 40 and absorbent assembly 44 , and may but need not have the same dimensions as the outer cover 40 . The bodyside liner 42 is desirably compliant, soft feeling, and non-irritating to the child's skin. Further, the bodyside liner 42 can be less hydrophilic than the absorbent assembly 44 , to present a relatively dry surface to the wearer and permit liquid to readily penetrate through its thickness. Alternatively, the bodyside liner 42 can be more hydrophilic or can have essentially the same affinity for moisture as the absorbent assembly 44 to present a relatively wet surface to the wearer to increase the sensation of being wet. This wet sensation can be useful as a training aid. The hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties can be varied across the length, width and depth of the bodyside liner 42 and absorbent assembly 44 to achieve the desired wetness sensation or leakage performance.

The bodyside liner 42 can be manufactured from a wide selection of web materials, such as synthetic fibers (for example, polyester or polypropylene fibers), natural fibers (for example, wood or cotton fibers), a combination of natural and synthetic fibers, porous foams, reticulated foams, apertured plastic films, or the like. Various woven and nonwoven fabrics can be used for the bodyside liner 42 . For example, the bodyside liner can be composed of a meltblown or spunbonded web of polyolefin fibers. The bodyside liner can also be a bonded-carded web composed of natural and/or synthetic fibers. The bodyside liner can be composed of a substantially hydrophobic material, and the hydrophobic material can, optionally, be treated with a surfactant or otherwise processed to impart a desired level of wettability and hydrophilicity. For example, the material can be surface treated with about 0.45 weight percent of a surfactant mixture comprising Ahcovel N-62 from Hodgson Textile Chemicals of Mount Holly, N.C., U.S.A. and Glucopan 220UP from Henkel Corporation of Ambler, Pa. in an active ratio of 3:1. The surfactant can be applied by any conventional means, such as spraying, printing, brush coating or the like. The surfactant can be applied to the entire bodyside liner 42 or can be selectively applied to particular sections of the bodyside liner, such as the medial section along the longitudinal center line.

A suitable liquid permeable bodyside liner 42 is a nonwoven bicomponent web having a basis weight of about 27 gsm. The nonwoven bicomponent can be a spunbond bicomponent web, or a bonded carded bicomponent web. Suitable bicomponent staple fibers include a polyethylene/polypropylene bicomponent fiber available from CHISSO Corporation, Osaka, Japan. In this particular bicomponent fiber, the polypropylene forms the core and the polyethylene forms the sheath of the fiber. Other fiber orientations are possible, such as multi-lobe, side-by-side, end-to-end, or the like. The outer cover 40 , bodyside liner 42 and other materials used to construct the pants can comprise elastomeric or nonelastomeric materials.

The absorbent assembly 44 (FIG. 3) is positioned between the outer cover 40 and the bodyside liner 42 , which can be joined together by any suitable means such as adhesives, ultrasonic bonds, thermal bonds, or the like. The absorbent assembly 44 can be any structure which is generally compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the child's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids and certain body wastes, and may be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, and from a wide variety of liquid absorbent materials commonly used in the art. For example, the absorbent assembly 44 can suitably comprise a matrix of hydrophilic fibers, such as a web of cellulosic fluff, mixed with particles of a high-absorbency material commonly known as superabsorbent material. In a particular embodiment, the absorbent assembly 44 comprises a matrix of cellulosic fluff, such as wood pulp fluff, and superabsorbent hydrogel-forming particles. The wood pulp fluff can be exchanged with synthetic, polymeric, meltblown fibers or short cut homofil bicomponent synthetic fibers and natural fibers. The superabsorbent particles can be substantially homogeneously mixed with the hydrophilic fibers or can be nonuniformly mixed. The fluff and superabsorbent particles can also be selectively placed into desired zones of the absorbent assembly 44 to better contain and absorb body exudates. The concentration of the superabsorbent particles can also vary through the thickness of the absorbent assembly 44 . Alternatively, the absorbent assembly 44 can comprise a laminate of fibrous webs and superabsorbent material or other suitable means of maintaining a superabsorbent material in a localized area.

Suitable superabsorbent materials can be selected from natural, synthetic, and modified natural polymers and materials. The superabsorbent materials can be inorganic materials, such as silica gels, or organic compounds, such as crosslinked polymers, for example, sodium neutralized polyacrylic acid. Suitable superabsorbent materials are available from various commercial vendors, such as Dow Chemical Company located in Midland, Mich., U.S.A., and Stockhausen GmbH & Co. KG, D-47805 Krefeld, Federal Republic of Germany. Typically, a superabsorbent material is capable of absorbing at least about 15 times its weight in water, and desirably is capable of absorbing more than about 25 times its weight in water.

In one embodiment, the absorbent assembly 44 comprises a blend of wood pulp fluff and superabsorbent material. One preferred type of pulp is identified with the trade designation CR1654, available from U.S. Alliance, Childersburg, Ala., U.S.A., and is a bleached, highly absorbent sulfate wood pulp containing primarily soft wood fibers and about 16 percent hardwood fibers. As a general rule, the superabsorbent material is present in the absorbent assembly 44 in an amount of from 0 to about 90 weight percent based on total weight of the absorbent assembly. The absorbent assembly 44 suitably has a density within the range of about 0.10 to about 0.35 grams per cubic centimeter. The absorbent assembly 44 may or may not be wrapped or encompassed by a suitable tissue wrap that may help maintain the integrity and/or shape of the absorbent assembly.

The absorbent chassis 32 can also incorporate other materials designed primarily to receive, temporarily store, and/or transport liquid along the mutually facing surface with absorbent assembly 44 , thereby maximizing the absorbent capacity of the absorbent assembly. One suitable material is referred to as a surge layer (not shown) and comprises a material having a basis weight of about 50 to about 120 grams per square meter, and comprising a through-air-bonded-carded web of a homogenous blend of 60 percent 3 denier type T-256 bicomponent fiber comprising a polyester core/polyethylene sheath and 40 percent 6 denier type T-295 polyester fiber, both commercially available from Kosa Corporation of Salisbury, N.C., U.S.A.

As noted previously, the illustrated training pants 20 have front and back side panels 34 and 134 disposed on each side of the absorbent chassis 32 . The front side panels 34 can be permanently bonded along seams 66 to the composite structure 33 of the absorbent chassis 32 in the respective front and back waist regions 22 and 24 . More particularly, as seen best in FIGS. 2 and 3, the front side panels 34 can be permanently bonded to and extend transversely outward beyond the side edges 47 of the composite structure 33 in the front waist region 22 , and the back side panels 134 can be permanently bonded to and extend transversely outward beyond the side edges of the composite structure in the back waist region 24 . The side panels 34 and 134 may be bonded to the composite structure 33 using attachment means known to those skilled in the art such as adhesive, thermal or ultrasonic bonding. Alternatively, the side panels 34 and 134 can be formed as an integral portion of a component of the composite structure 33 . For example, the side panels can comprise a generally wider portion of the outer cover 40 , the bodyside liner 42 , and/or another component of the absorbent chassis 32 . The front and back side panels 34 and 134 can be permanently bonded together or be releasably connected with one another such as by the fastening system 80 of the illustrated embodiment.

The front and back side panels 34 , 134 each have an outer edge 68 spaced laterally from the seam 66 , a leg end edge 70 disposed toward the longitudinal center of the training pants 20 , and a waist end edge 72 disposed toward a longitudinal end of the training pants. The leg end edge 70 and waist end edge 72 extend from the side edges 47 of the composite structure 33 to the outer edges 68 . The leg end edges 70 of the side panels 34 and 134 form part of the side edges 36 of the absorbent chassis 32 . In the back waist region 24 , the leg end edges 70 are desirably although not necessarily curved and/or angled relative to the transverse axis 49 to provide greater coverage toward the back of the pants 20 as compared to the front of the pants. The waist end edges 72 are desirably parallel to the transverse axis 49 . The waist end edges 72 of the front side panels 34 form part of the front waist edge 38 of the absorbent chassis 32 , and the waist end edges 72 of the back side panels 134 form part of the back waist edge 39 of the absorbent chassis.

In particular embodiments for improved fit and appearance, the side panels 34 , 134 desirably have an average length measured parallel to the longitudinal axis 48 which is about 15 percent or greater, and particularly about 25 percent or greater, of the overall length of the pants, also measured parallel to the longitudinal axis 48 . For example, in training pants 20 having an overall length of about 54 centimeters, the side panels 34 , 134 desirably have an average length of about 10 centimeters or greater, such as about 15 centimeters. While each of the side panels 34 , 134 extends from the waist opening 50 to one of the leg openings 52 , the illustrated back side panels 134 have a continually decreasing length dimension moving from the attachment line 66 to the outer edge 68 , as is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Each of the side panels 34 , 134 can include one or more individual, distinct pieces of material. In particular embodiments, for example, each side panel 34 , 134 can include first and second side panel portions that are joined at a seam, or can include a single piece of material which is folded over upon itself (not shown).

The side panels 34 , 134 desirably although not necessarily comprise an elastic material capable of stretching in a direction generally parallel to the transverse axis 49 of the training pants 20 . Suitable elastic materials, as well as one process of incorporating elastic side panels into training pants, are described in the following U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,464 issued Jul. 10, 1990 to Van Gompel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,405 issued Jul. 6, 1993 to Pohjola; U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,116 issued Apr. 14, 1992 to Pohjola; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,272 issued Sep. 10, 1991 to Vogt et al.; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. In particular embodiments, the elastic material comprises a stretch-thermal laminate (STL), a neck-bonded laminate (NBL), a reversibly necked laminate, or a stretch-bonded laminate (SBL) material. Methods of making such materials are well known to those skilled in the art and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,220 issued May 5, 1987 to Wisneski et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,992 issued Jul. 13, 1993 to Morman; and European Patent Application No. EP 0 217 032 published on Apr. 8, 1987 in the names of Taylor et al.; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, the side panel material may comprise other woven or nonwoven materials, such as those described above as being suitable for the outer cover 40 or bodyside liner 42 ; mechanically pre-strained composites; or stretchable but inelastic materials.

The illustrated training pants 20 includes the fastening system 80 for refastenably securing the training pants about the waist of the wearer. The illustrated fastening system 80 includes first fastening components 82 adapted for refastenable engagement to corresponding second fastening components 84 . In one embodiment, one surface of each of the first fastening components 82 comprises a plurality of engaging elements which project from that surface. The engaging elements of the first fastening components 82 are adapted to repeatedly engage and disengage engaging elements of the second fastening components 84 .

The fastening components can comprise separate elements bonded to the side panels, or they may be integrally formed with the side panels. Thus, unless otherwise specified, the term “fastening component” includes separate components which function as fasteners, and regions of materials such as the side panels which function as fasteners. Moreover, a single material can define multiple fastening components to the extent that different regions of the material function as separate fasteners. The fastening components 82 , 84 can be located on the side panels, between the side panels such as on the absorbent chassis, or a combination of the two.

The fastening components 82 , 84 can comprise any refastenable fasteners suitable for absorbent articles, such as adhesive fasteners, cohesive fasteners, mechanical fasteners, or the like. In particular embodiments the fastening components comprise mechanical fastening elements for improved performance. Suitable mechanical fastening elements can be provided by interlocking geometric shaped materials, such as hooks, loops, bulbs, mushrooms, arrowheads, balls on stems, male and female mating components, buckles, snaps, or the like.

The refastenable fastening system 80 allows for easy inspection of the interior space 51 of the pants 20 . If necessary, the fastening system 80 also allows the pants 20 to be removed quickly and easily. This is particularly beneficial when the pants contain messy excrement. For training pants 20 , the caregiver can completely remove the pant-like product and replace it with a new one without having to remove the child's shoes and clothing.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first fastening components 82 comprise hook fasteners and the second fastening components 84 comprise complementary loop fasteners. In another particular embodiment, the first fastening components 82 comprise loop fasteners and the second fastening components 84 comprise complementary hook fasteners. Alternatively, the fastening components 82 , 84 can comprise interlocking similar surface fasteners, adhesive or cohesive fastening elements such as an adhesive fastener and an adhesive-receptive landing zone or material; or the like. Although the training pants 20 illustrated in FIG. 1 show the back side panels 134 overlapping the front side panels 34 upon connection thereto, which is convenient, the training pants 20 can also be configured so that the front side panels overlap the back side panels when connected. One skilled in the art will recognize that the shape, density and polymer composition of the hooks and loops may be selected to obtain the desired level of engagement between the fastening components 82 , 84 . A more aggressive hook material may comprise a material with a greater average hook height, a greater percentage of directionally-aligned hooks, or a more aggressive hook shape.

Loop fasteners typically comprise a fabric or material having a plurality of loop members extending upwardly from at least one surface of the structure. The loop material can be formed of any suitable material, such as acrylic, nylon, polypropylene or polyester, and can be formed by methods such as warp knitting, stitch bonding or needle punching. Loop materials can also comprise any fibrous structure capable of entangling or catching hook materials, such as carded, spunbonded or other nonwoven webs or composites, including elastomeric and nonelastomeric composites. Suitable loop materials are available from Guilford Mills, Inc., Greensboro, N.C., U.S.A. under the trade designation No. 36549. Another suitable loop material can comprise a pattern un-bonded web as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,515 issued Jan. 12, 1999 to Stokes et al.

Hook fasteners typically comprise a fabric or material having a base or backing structure and a plurality of hook members extending upwardly from at least one surface of the backing structure. In contrast to the loop fasteners which desirably comprise a flexible fabric, the hook material advantageously comprises a resilient material to minimize unintentional disengagement of the fastener components as a result of the hook material becoming deformed and catching on clothing or other items. The term “resilient” as used herein comprises an interlocking material having a predetermined shape and the property of the interlocking material to resume the predetermined shape after being engaged and disengaged from a mating, complementary interlocking material. Suitable hook material can be molded or extruded from nylon, polypropylene or another suitable material. Suitable single-sided hook materials for the fastening components 82 , 84 are available from commercial vendors such as Velcro Industries B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands or affiliates thereof, and are identified as Velcro HTH-829 with a uni-directional hook pattern and having a thickness of about 0.9 millimeters (35 mils) and HTH-851 with a uni-directional hook pattern and having a thickness of about 0.5 millimeters (20 mils); and Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Co., St. Paul, Minn. U.S.A., including specific materials identified as CS-600.

With particular reference to FIG. 3, the fastening components 82 are disposed on the inner surface 28 of the back side panels 134 . The fastening components 82 are desirably positioned along the outer edges 68 of the back side panels 134 , and abutting or adjacent to the waist end edge 72 . In certain embodiments, for example, the fastening components 82 can be located within about 2 centimeters, and more particularly within about 1 centimeter, of the outer edges 68 , the waist end edges 72 , and the leg end edges 70 . With particular reference to FIG. 2, the second fastening components 84 are disposed on the outer surface 30 of the front side panels 134 . The second fastening components 84 are sized to receive the first fastening components 82 and are desirably positioned along the outer edges 68 of the front side panels 34 , and abutting or adjacent to the waist end edge 72 . As an example, the second fastening components 84 can be located within about 2 centimeters, and more particularly within about 1 centimeter, of the outer edges 68 , the waist end edges 72 , and the leg end edges 70 . Where the first fastening components 82 comprise loop fasteners disposed on the inner surface 28 and the second fastening components 84 comprise hook fasteners disposed on the outer surface 30 , the first fastening components can be sized larger than the second fastening components to ensure coverage of the rigid, outwardly-directed hooks.

The fastening components 84 , 82 can be adhered to the respective side panels 34 , 134 by any means known to those skilled in the art such as adhesive bonds, ultrasonic bonds or thermal bonds. The fastening components 82 , 84 may comprise separate fastening elements or distinct regions of an integral material. For example, the training pants 20 can include an integral second fastening material disposed in the front waist region 22 for refastenably connecting to the first fastening components 82 at two or more different regions, which define the second fastening components 84 (FIG. 1). In a particular embodiment, the fastening components 82 , 84 can comprise integral portions of the waist regions 24 , 22 . For instance, one of the elastomeric front or back side panels 34 , 134 can function as second fastening components 84 in that they can comprise a material which is releasably engageable with fastening components 82 disposed in the opposite waist region.

The fastening components 82 , 84 of the illustrated embodiments are rectangular, although they may alternatively be square, round, oval, curved or otherwise non-rectangularly shaped. In particular embodiments, each of the fastening components 82 , 84 has a length aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 48 of the training pants 20 and a width aligned generally parallel to the transverse axis 49 of the training pants. For a child of about 9 to about 15 kilograms (20-30 pounds), for example, the length of the fastening components 82 , 84 is desirably from about 5 to about 13 centimeters, such as about 10 centimeters, and the width is desirably from about 0.5 to about 3 centimeters, such as about 1 centimeter. With particular embodiments, the fastening components 82 , 84 can have a length-to-width ratio of about 2 or greater, such as about 2 to about 25, and more particularly about 5 or greater, such as about 5 to about 8. For other embodiments such as for adult products, it may be desirable for one or more of the fastening components to comprise a plurality of relatively smaller fastening elements. In that case, a fastening component or individual fastening elements may have an even smaller length-to-width ratio, for example, of about 2 or less, and even about 1 or less.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the fastening components 82 , 84 are releasably connected, the side edges 36 of the absorbent chassis 32 in the crotch region 26 define the leg openings 52 , and the waist edges 38 and 39 of the absorbent chassis, including the waist end edges 72 of the side panels 34 , 134 , define the waist opening 50 . For improved formation of the leg openings 52 , it can be desirable in some embodiments for the front side panels 34 to be longitudinally spaced from the back side panels 134 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For example, the front side panels 34 can be longitudinally spaced from the back side panels 134 by a distance equal to about 20 percent or greater, particularly from about 20 to about 60 percent, and more particularly from about 35 to about 50 percent, of the overall length of the pants 20 .

When connected, the fastening components 82 , 84 of the illustrated embodiment define refastenable engagement seams 88 (FIG. 1) which desirably although not necessarily extend substantially the entire distance between the waist opening 50 and the leg openings 52 . More specifically, the engagement seams 88 can cover about 75 to 100 percent, and particularly about 90 to about 98 percent, of the distance between the waist opening 50 and each leg opening 52 , which distance is measured parallel to the longitudinal axis 48 . To construct the engagement seams 88 to extend substantially the entire distance between the waist and leg openings 50 and 52 , the fastening components 82 , 84 can be formed to cover about 80 to 100 percent, and more particularly about 90 to about 98 percent, of the distance between the waist end edge 70 and the leg end edge 72 of the side panels 34 , 134 . In other embodiments, the fastening components can comprise a plurality of smaller fastening elements covering a smaller portion of the distance between the waist opening 50 and the leg openings 52 , but spaced apart to span a large distance between the waist opening and the leg openings.

For the engagement seams 88 to be located at the sides of the wearer, it can be particularly desirable for the transverse distance between the fastening components 82 of the back side panels 134 to be substantially equal to the transverse distance between the fastening components 84 of the front side panel 134 . The transverse distance between a set of fastening components 82 , 84 is measured parallel to the transverse axis 49 between the longitudinal center lines of the fastening component, measured with the side panels 34 , 134 in an unstretched condition.

FIG. 4A is a block diagram of an information system 1100 , suitable for use in connection with a continuous production line 1102 manufacturing composite products such as, for example, the above-described training pants or other disposable absorbent garments. Such articles are generally fabricated using high speed web converting processes. For example, some articles are fabricated at speeds in excess of 300 products/minute, and some articles may be fabricated at speeds in excess of 500 products/minute, by a converting process that includes a sequential addition of component parts (e.g., web materials, graphics, elastic components, and so on) during a production run. It should be understood that articles may be fabricated in accordance with the systems and methods described herein at lower or higher speeds, the foregoing being provided for exemplary purposes.

In one aspect, the system comprises an inspection system 1104 having a plurality of inspection devices (identified generally in FIG. 4A as reference character 1106 ) positioned at various places along the production line 1102 to inspect different components of each composite product produced. In the illustrated embodiment, the inspection devices 1106 preferably comprise CCD cameras, such as Sony CCD cameras, part No. XC-75, coupled to one or more machine vision inspection systems, such as a Cognex 8120 series processor running Checkpoint® III software, available from Cognex Corporation, of Natick, Mass., U.S.A. An advantage of such an inspection system is that it provides a processor for vision system purposes and another processor for networking purposes.

As a particular example, two such cameras coupled to a Cognex 8120 series processor running Checkpoint® III software can be used to inspect the amount of overlap between fastening components 82 , 84 , of fastening system 80 used in connection with the above-described training pants, at or near the leg and waist extremes of fastening system 80 (FIGS. 1-3). More particularly, one camera is positioned to capture an image of fastening system 80 as completed (e.g., first and second fastening components 82 , 84 being engaged) on the left side of the product. A second camera is positioned to capture an image of fastening system 80 on the right side of the product at substantially the same time. The inspection system (which could be any type of examination system including a SICK detector, photoeye, proximity switch or machine vision system) determines an amount of overlap between fastening components 82 and 84 for each side of the product.

Further, and as is generally known in the art, machine vision systems, such as the Cognex 8120 series processor and Checkpoint® III software use machine vision “tools” to determine an inspection parameter. In this example, the inspection parameter comprises an amount of overlap between two fastening components during the manufacture of a training pant. The tools are configured, again as is known in the art, to detect edges on the basis of gray scale differences within a region of captured images. Preferably, the machine vision system is configured to provide an indication of when it senses an error or failure of its tools (e.g., the object to be inspected is not present or there is insufficient gray scale signal strength due to poor contrast resulting from material variability, lighting variability, presentation of the object to the camera lens, and/or camera focus/aperture settings). In such case, the machine vision system may or may not provide an inspection parameter, but it is preferable that such system provides an indication of the existence of an inspection failure (such as a tool failure) so that any data can be addressed accordingly (e.g., data relating to an incomplete/inaccurate inspection or a failed tool may be discarded, ignored, or discounted in value).

It should be appreciated and understood that the foregoing discussion regarding inspecting fastening components 82 and 84 is provided for exemplary purposes. Other inspection systems, cameras, and methodologies are compatible with the present disclosure.

Depending upon placement, machine vision inspection systems provide an ability to detect substantially all points on all products produced, and allow for image processing of the detected points.

Other inspection devices 1108 may also be used in connection with information system 1100 . Such other inspection devices 1108 include a number of suitable devices, and should be selected according to the particular inspection need. For example, it has been found to be advantageous to employ edge detection inspection devices, such as Part No. 85427-002, available from Fife Corporation, Oklahoma City, Okla., U.S.A., in order to detect the edges of moving webs and for guiding such moving webs in a desired path. Other inspection devices include photoeye sensors (e.g., MAXIBEAM® photoeyes, available from Banner Engineering Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A.), and UV sensors, such as UV photoeye sensors (e.g., LUT4 series luminescence sensors, available from Sick, Inc., Bloomington, Minn., U.S.A.).

As an example, it is also contemplated that product spacing information may be detected and tracked by photoeyes. For example, after the final cut off (where the continuous web of pants is cut into individual pants), the training pants are discrete objects flowing through the folding, fastening, side panel tucking, and cull processes. Because of the timing of these processes, there may be a need to maintain consistent pant-to-pant spacing. In this case, photoeyes may be installed to monitor the pant spacing at several locations after the final cut off.

In one embodiment, an information exchange 1110 is connected to receive inspection data from inspection system 1104 . Preferably, the information exchange 1110 is also connected to one or more manufacturing-related databases and systems such as, for example, a quality system 1112 , a machine set point database 1114 , a registration control system 1116 , an operator display/interface 1118 , a waste/delay database 1120 , or a raw material database 1122 .

The information exchange 1110 preferably comprises a computer system. More particularly, in one such an embodiment, information exchange 1110 comprises a personal computer (PC) running SoftLogix™ v.10, available from Rockwell Automation. Advantageously, such a configuration allows the PC to operate as a “soft” PLC. Information exchange 1110 further comprises a SoftLogix™ controller running RSLogix™ 5000 software, which is substantially the same programming software used for ControlLogix™. These products are also available from Rockwell Automation. The RSLogix™ 5000 program reads inspection measurements off of an information network (e.g., a distributed node, shared memory system such as the REFLECTIVE MEMORY network described below). It should be understood that such a computer system is thereafter programmed to perform the specific functions desired. For example, and as will be appreciated from the descriptions that follow, in one embodiment dynamic link libraries (“DLL's” which may be written in the C programming language) are used to perform desired statistical/mathematical calculations and to read/write information to reflective memory. Processor speed should be selected on the basis of the volume of information and how often the information is provided/updated. For example, when inspecting training pants, which are preferably manufactured at high converting speeds, high processing speeds are desirable (especially if data is gathered for each product produced during a production run). In particular, information exchange 1110 is configured to perform one or more of the following exemplary tasks:

- monitor/receive inspection data regarding substantially all products produced during a production run or a sample set thereof;
- determine relevant mathematical characteristics of the inspection data, including determining averages and standard deviations;
- filter inspection data, for example, to eliminate clearly out-of-bounds data (e.g., compare to upper and/or lower limits), or to eliminate inspection data reflecting errors of machine vision tools associated with the inspection system;
- compare inspection data (and/or the mathematical characteristics of such data) to targets/tolerances/limits and to monitor trends;
- publish inspection data, mathematical characteristics of such data, or the results of comparing such data to targets for use by other manufacturing systems or for storage;
- generate quality reports;
- generate machine set point changes and registration control set point changes;
- generate troubleshooting recommendations;
- provide inspection data and/or mathematical characteristics of such data for use by other systems to accomplish one or more of the above exemplary tasks;
- provide machine direction registration control (e.g., in the direction of product flow through the machine); and/or

provide registration control in a cross direction (e.g., perpendicular to the machine direction.

It should be further understood that multiple information exchanges can be used to achieve additional levels of distribution of processing.

In one embodiment, each of the above described systems and databases is connected to a communication network 1124 . Preferably, the communication network 1124 comprises a distributed node, shared memory system wherein camera inspection system 1104 , information exchange 1110 , quality system 1112 , machine set point database 1114 , registration system 1116 , operator interface 1118 , waste/delay database 1120 , and/or raw material database 1122 comprise nodes of the network. One suitable distributed node, shared memory network system is commercially available from Encore Real Time Computing, Inc., under the mark REFLECTIVE MEMORY System (RMS™). In such a system, applications write relevant data to a local memory and the REFLECTIVE MEMORY hardware facilitates transfer of the data to the local memory of the other nodes, at extremely high speeds. The high speed and high bandwidth characteristics of such a system permits real time usage of inspection data developed by inspection system 1104 , as well as other data available to information system 1100 . In an alternative embodiment, each of the various systems are directly connected, as reflected by the dashed lines in FIG. 4A. In still another embodiment, communication between the systems comprises the use of both direct connections, as well as communication network 1124 . The foregoing communications may be over wired connections, wireless connections, or partially wired and partially wireless connections.

The operation of information system 1100 will now be described in connection with several advantageous operational configurations. Other operational aspects will become apparent in the context of certain methods suitable for use in connection with system 1100 , which are described below.

Real Time Quality System

In one aspect, information system 1100 is useful for providing a real time quality data information system for use in connection with manufacturing disposable absorbent garments, manufactured by the sequential addition of component parts (including web materials). For simplicity, the operation will be described in terms of inspecting training pants, such as those illustrated and described with respect to FIGS. 1-3. In general, inspection system 1104 inspects a plurality of quality aspects of each (or a statistical sample) training pant produced during a given production run. For example, inspection systems 1104 and 1108 detect a measurement of a placement of a component (e.g., relative to another component). One specific example of such a measurement is a measurement of an overlap between hook and loop components of refastenable fastening system 80 of each training pant produced. Such a measurement may be provided by an optical detection system although other types of measurements (e.g., flow, temperature, pressure, etc.) may be made by other types of inspection and/or detection systems (e.g., flow meters, temperature sensors, pressure transducers, etc.). As a further example, such measurements and such systems may be used for process setting checks.

An inspection parameter is thereafter published for use on communication network 1124 . In the present example, the inspection parameter may comprise a numerical indication of the detected amount of overlap between fastening components, and is correlated to a particular product produced. Correlation to a particular product can be achieved a number of ways, including assigning a product index number to each product produced. Information exchange 1110 thereafter obtains the inspection parameter and determines a quality parameter based thereon which is thereafter stored in quality system 1112 . For example, information exchange 1110 can be programmed to monitor a memory location having the product index numbers stored therein. Each time the product index number increments, information exchange 1110 obtains the latest inspection data from the network. It should be appreciated that information exchange 1110 can also be configured to update its information based on a sampling plan (e.g., every fifth increment in the product index number). It should further be appreciated that it is also possible to store the inspection parameter as a quality parameter directly in quality system 1112 .

One advantage of the present system is that it allows for real time quality monitoring and data storage without the need of a quality technician. Further, the present system is suitable for use with discontinuous items (e.g., hook and loop fastener components added to form a fastening system 80 as part of a training pant). This is unlike prior art inspection systems that attempt to capture quality data in real time in connection with continuous webs of materials.

In one embodiment, information exchange 1110 repeatedly accumulates inspection parameters associated with a plurality of training pants produced during a particular production run (e.g., the fifty most recent pants produced). Thereafter, information exchange 1110 computes an average and standard deviation of the accumulated plurality of parameters and compares the average and/or standard deviation to a target reflecting desirable quality characteristics. For example, if the inspection parameter is a numerical value indicative of a measured amount of hook-to-loop overlap for a refastenable training pant, the target can be an ideal value for an average or standard deviation, a limit, a range of values defining upper and lower tolerances, and so on. Product quality can be graded by comparing the average and/or standard deviation (e.g., a percent defective based on the average and standard deviation) to the target. As a result of this comparison, information exchange 1110 determines the quality parameter and makes it available for storage in the quality system. This is preferably repeated for each successive plurality of produced product.

In one preferred embodiment, average and standard deviation data is used to calculate a percent defective value. The percent defective value is thereafter compared to a target (e.g., an allowable percent defective) to determine if the calculated percent defective value is close to or beyond the percent defective limit. More particularly, raw data is collected until a sample set of data has been obtained. Preferably the number of data points comprising a full sample set is configurable (e.g., 25 to 600 products inspected). An array of averages and an array of standard deviations are calculated. An array of target values and one or more arrays of limit conditions are previously stored in the system. An algorithm (e.g., written in C++) calculates a theoretical percent defective (i.e., how many products are theoretically outside the given limits, assuming a perfect normal distribution with the given average and standard deviation), and passes the percent defective information array back to an RSLogix™ program (discussed above) to perform additional functions (e.g., alarming decisionmaking) based on the percent defective array.

Alternatively (or additionally), the average and standard deviation can be compared to a target and limits as in control chart methods/practice.

In a similar embodiment, information exchange 1110 provides the average and/or standard deviation information (or another mathematical characteristic of relevance) to another manufacturing system which can store the information and/or compare the information to a target. For example, in one embodiment, information exchange 1110 sends the average and standard deviation information to operator interface 1118 (FIG. 4A). Software associated with operator interface 1118 compares the average and/or standard deviation information to a target, and thereafter presents the information to an operator.

In some contexts, it will be advantageous to know the quality associated with each product or package of products actually made available for sale-as opposed to the quality of all products produced, which would include culled products. Therefore, it is seen to be advantageous to provide an indication of whether a particular inspection parameter is associated with a culled product, as well to maintain a relationship between non-culled products and the packages into which they are to be (or have been) packaged for shipping. Thus, inspection data (and data derived therefrom) may be identified by population sets. One possible population set includes all data associated with a production run. A different population set may include all data associated with a sample set of products produced during the production run. Another population set includes only data associated with culled products. Still another population set includes only data associated with non-culled products (e.g., those being packaged for sale). Other population sets are possible.

Preferably, camera inspection system 1104 and/or one of the other inspection systems 1108 are configured to provide a signal/indication of which inspected products have been automatically culled by the inspection system. Automatic culling during manufacturing is known in the art and will not be further described herein. If information exchange 1110 receives a culled indication, it can eliminate the inspection data associated with the culled product when determining the quality parameter so that only data associated with non-culled products is stored in quality system 1112 . This permits the manufacturer to determine with a great deal of precision the quality of the products it makes available for use in the market place. For example, if a group of products is consistently at the margin of acceptable quality, that product might be packaged for discount sale. Similarly, such a system provides the manufacturer with a high degree of confidence that substantially all products reaching consumers will exhibit positive quality characteristics. This provides a substantial advantage over prior art systems that rely on manual quality determinations of a limited number of the non-culled products produced.

At this point, it is instructive to note that information can be accumulated for all products inspected (e.g., both culled and non-culled), or a subset of all products inspected (e.g., only non-culled products). Further, information can be accumulated for all products inspected and, thereafter, subsets of the accumulated data may be used for a particular purpose. In this way, information may be accumulated for a variety of purposes. For example, quality data can focus on non-culled products, while waste assessments can focus on culled products. Similarly, process-health related analyses can focus on information from both culled and non-culled products.

In one embodiment, information exchange 1110 and/or quality system 1112 make available quality reporting data. Such quality reporting data can include real time data associated with each product produced (or a sample set of such data or mathematical characteristics of such data). For example, the quality data can be provided for display on operator interface 1118 . A machine operator can view this data in real or near real time and monitor trends. For instance, quality data can be displayed against one or more targets. One example of a display which may optionally be used is a box-whisker plot of the data. This type of display graphically shows the user the average, upper and lower quartiles, and extremes of the data. It is a good graphical method to show average and variability information in one display. Other displays are also contemplated.

If the data is trending away from a desired target (or toward a limit), the operator can make a determination of how to alter the process before the quality data becomes unacceptable. Further, quality reporting from information exchange 1110 and/or quality system 1112 can correlate stored quality data to package codes (e.g., individual bags or cases of products). For example, when product is packed, the package code can be sent to information exchange 1110 and/or quality system 1112 . Similarly, if repacking of any product occurs, codes can likewise be provided and stored.

One particular advantage of the present quality inspection system is that it does not require any destructive testing in order to acquire the quality data. For example, it is known to use “disappearing graphics” on training pants. The graphics are designed to disappear as exudates are discharged from the wearer. A prior art destructive test is sometimes referred to as a pulsed adhesive test for determining whether there is any glue on the poly cover relative to the graphics. The inspection systems and methods described herein allow for the use of a vision system to detect the presence of adhesive (glue) relative to the disappearing graphics, without the need for destructive testing. More specifically, an ultraviolet light may be used to fluoresce an optical brightener contained in the adhesive, thereby making the adhesive visible to the machine vision camera. It is also contemplated that the glue could be detected by other means such as SICK detectors or other inspection systems. Advantageously, when using the machine vision system, the camera can also see/detect material edges such that a determination can be made as to whether the glue is in a correct location. As one alternative, non-ultraviolet lighting can also be used, with the lighting positioned such that the adhesive casts shadows which are visible to the camera. In the context of a product comprising training pants, this would preferably be done prior to pant construction (e.g., immediately after applying glue to the outer cover web, but before the web is applied to the final product).

Further, such approaches do not require any products to be removed from the line and manually inspected. Of course, manual inspection and selective destructive testing can be used in connection with the present system and the results of such tests can be provided directly to quality system 1112 and/or information exchange 1110 .

Another advantage of the quality inspection system disclosed herein is the ability to correlate data from a variety of sources. For example, information exchange 1110 can retrieve waste and/or delay data stored in waste/delay database 1120 and relate such data to inspection and quality data obtained from inspection system 1104 or manually entered into quality system 1112 . Such waste and delay information can include, for example, the number of products produced and/or culled during a particular production run or work shift. By correlating this information in time with the inspection system, information exchange 1110 enables an operator or logic system to spot trends between quality data and waste/delay information, machine crew information, and so on.

Similarly, in one embodiment information exchange 1110 retrieves machine/process set point information from machine set point database 1114 and/or registration system and correlates such data to inspection/quality data. By correlating this information in time, it is possible to identify machine/process setting contributions to product quality. This information is also useful for improving future production runs and/or to automatically make adjustments to current production runs. Likewise, information exchange 1110 can correlate raw material data from raw material database 1122 to product quality for determining raw material contributions (positive and negative) to quality and/or productivity.

It is instructive to note at this point that data manipulation can be accomplished within a processor associated with information exchange 1110 , or in another system. For example, data manipulation can be accomplished in one or more vision inspection system computers (e.g., computers associated with inspection system 1104 ), a quality system (e.g., quality system 1112 ), a registration control system (e.g., system 1116 ), and so on. This aspect of the present disclosure is reflected, at least in part, by the dotted lines indicating information flow into and out of information exchange 1110 , as well as the use of communication network 1124 for information flow. Further, although no particular data manipulation task need be accomplished in information exchange 1110 , the use of information exchange 1110 facilitates an exchange of data/information, thereby allowing such data/information to be related together in the various advantageous ways such as those described herein.

FIG. 4B schematically illustrates information flow to and from an information exchange, such as information exchange 1110 of FIG. 4A. As illustrated, information may flow both to and from the information exchange using an information network.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are logic flow diagrams illustrating a method (identified generally as reference character 1150 ) of providing real time quality information, suitable for use in connection with an inspection system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4A. At block 1152 , an inspection system automatically inspects one or more aspects of the product being produced (e.g., a machine vision inspection system detects a measurement of the hook-to-loop overlap of a training pant). As indicated above, inspection system 1104 (FIG. 4A) can detect an absolute placement of one or more components, or a relative placement of one component relative to another component, or a combination of absolute and relative placements. At block 1154 , a quality parameter is determined in association with the inspected aspect of the product produced. In one form, the quality parameter is a numerical value corresponding to the inspected aspect (e.g., a numerical value of the hook-to-loop overlap detected by a machine vision system). The quality parameter is thereafter correlated to specific products inspected (block 1156 ). Preferably, this correlation is done at least on the basis of a product index and/or time, but may be done on other bases. For example, if a unique serial number or lot number is assigned to a particular product, the quality parameter can be correlated in that way as well. At block 1158 a determination is made as to whether the quality parameter is associated with a culled product. As reflected by blocks 1160 and 1162 , it is generally believed to be preferable (and not mandatory)—for quality purposes-to store quality data only with respect to non-culled products.

In one embodiment, a culled/non-culled signal is correlated to the particular product inspected using a shift register approach. More specifically, the inspection system sets an offset for each inspection point on the machine. For example, assume that one inspection point (e.g., a photoeye positioned to detect a flap position) detects a misalignment with respect to a particular product that should lead to culling that product. The inspection system knows the position of that product relative to the next available culling point because it knows the location of the inspection point. As such, the system can use an offset and shift register to track the product being culled.

Further, it should be understood that the stored quality data can relate to individual inspected products, or to a mathematical characteristic of a plurality of all products or culled products or non-culled products. For example, the stored quality data can reflect an average and/or standard deviation of each 50 non-culled products produced during the production run. Advantageously, average and standard deviation data is useful for identifying a percent “defective” characteristic relative to a target(s) (e.g., an acceptability range). It should be understood that other sample sets may be used. For example, a suitable sample set can be selected and inspected such that a statistical representation of a quality characteristic of substantially all products produced during the production run may be determined from the inspected sample set.

Connector A (block 1168 ) is a connection to a flow diagram (FIG. 5B) that illustrates exemplary steps for determining a quality parameter as a function of a plurality of inspection measurements. At blocks 1170 and 1172 , the inspection system obtains an image of one or more component parts and publishes a numerical value corresponding to a detected placement of the one or more component parts. At block 1174 , a plurality of the published numerical values of the detected placements are accumulated so that a mathematical characteristic (e.g., average and standard deviation, as shown in block 1176 ) can be used to determine the quality parameter to be stored (block 1178 ).

Referring again to FIG. 5A, at blocks 1164 and 1166 , the stored quality data is used to prepare a quality report for publication and use. In one form, the quality report is a computed, exponentially weighted moving average of the quality data stored in the quality database. It should be understood, however, that a large variety of quality reports and report formats can be achieved with the novel systems and methods disclosed herein.

Connector B (block 1180 ) is a connection to a flow diagram (FIG. 5B) that illustrates exemplary uses of the quality report prepared and published at blocks 1164 , 1166 of FIG. 5A. One such use is to display-preferably in real time—the quality report to an operator associated with the manufacturing process. Another exemplary use is to display the quality parameter relative to a standard/target. For instance, the quality parameter can be displayed relative to upper and lower quality limits, or a number of “quality bins” (e.g., best quality, nominal/acceptable quality, degraded quality, and unacceptable quality). Yet another exemplary use of the quality report is to correlate the determined quality parameters to a package of products produced during the production run.

Connector C (block 1184 ) is a connection to a flow diagram (FIG. 5B) that illustrates additional ways to use quality data developed during method 1150 . Although connector C is illustrated as occurring between blocks 1162 and 1164 , such other uses are not limited to being performed at that particular point in the method. As illustrated in block 1186 of FIG. 5B, quality data can be related to raw material data so that relationships between raw material and quality can be mined. Likewise, quality data can also be related to productivity data (e.g., waste and delay data) to determine relationships between quality and waste/delay. Similarly, quality data can be related to machine set point information so that relationship between quality measurements and process/machine settings can be identified and used to improve quality.

Quality data can be related to raw material data so that relationships between raw material and quality can be mined. For example, data from an inspection system positioned to detect side panel skew in a training pant manufacturing process can be correlated to particular material lots (i.e., using a raw material database) to determine if material properties affect the converting process and product quality in any significant way.

Quality data can also be related to productivity data to determine relationships between quality and waste/delay. For example, juxtaposing cross direction material overlap variability determinations with machine waste data provide an indication of the relative importance of reducing fastening overlap variability (i.e., for a prefastened training pant) to the productivity of the manufacturing process. Assume, as a further example, that it is desirable to reduce average fastening overlap variability by 0 . 5 mm, data from a prior production run is analyzed to determine whether there was any marked improved in waste during times at which the measured overlap variability fell within the desired range. If there was no marked improvement, the cost of achieving the improvement in variability might not be justified.

Relationships between quality measurements and process/machine settings can also be identified and used to improve quality. Referring to the manufacture of prefastened training pants as an example, in trying to reduce fastening overlap variability (e.g., in a machine direction), an operator could vary/change settings of relevant vacuum levels on the machine. An automated quality data system can detect such changes substantially immediately, so that the modification to the machine can be evaluated in the short term by comparing, for example, average and standard deviation information to those achieved before the change. Unlike the prior art, this approach permits much faster process optimization and further permits